Driving cross-country before the Interstates - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

tdr · 07-01-2003, 11:50 PM

A local station is now showing the eps where R,L,F, & E went by car to Hollywood, and these should be on in a few days on TVLand. I like watching these eps, even though they are quite silly, because driving across the country would have been a bigger challenge at that time, just before construction of the interstate highway system began (Congress enacted appropriations in 1956).

Last night, "The First Stop" was on, and the first thing I notice about that was that it must be misnamed. In the previous ep, they fool around with trying to pack too much junk, so they don't get away until near 6 p.m. (so said Fred). If that run-down place was really the "first stop" (to sleep) they must have driven all night and then all day, since it was evening and they are in Ohio. If they did drive all day and all night, no wonder they were that tired! But besides the ridiculous incompetence of the establishment and 'Mr. Skinner' who runs it, there is a real glaring error in that they are all talking about being so hungry, but then they will not eat the stale cheese sandwiches, and then they come back in that deceptive circle to stay the night and nothing further is said about food. How did they get unhungry without eating? They were just that tired from 24 or more hours of riding, maybe.

But even if they had to travel on narrow state (or some US) highways, if they been driving that long they should have been further than somewhere near the middle of Ohio, unless they stopped somewhere long enough for this to not be the first stop. Incidentally, there is nothing on these trip episodes to indicate they followed through with their sidetrip plans Lucy mentioned; but that could have made 2 or 3 months' worth of eps.

And BTW how could they have been planning to go to Califonria by plane (Ricky on the phone making reservations) within a couple of days, and then decide they are going to buy a car and spend '2 weeks' on the road getting there? It seems the movie studio would not have just said "We'll start filming whenever you get here-- take your time!"

Mickey · 07-02-2003, 07:41 AM

Could be argued that you're thinking just a little too hard about this, tdr! Maybe the shooting for the film was delayed? Often happens. Remember that back in those days they only had one make up artist in the whole of Hollywood, so if Max was still busy on another film they'd have had to wait for him!

It would have been great to have driven cross country back then, wouldn't it. It'd still be good now, but then, when Route 66 was still open.

It's something I've wanted to do since reading On The Road for the first time, years ago! (And I've never even been to America, so quite why the idea of driving across it sounds so great, I don't know!)

Not sure I fancy the desert bits much.

ricardo/mertz · 07-02-2003, 09:43 AM

I never thought about the First Stop that closely. Very good observation. I'm a sticklar for detail but, you have me beat!

dawsongirl · 07-02-2003, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mickey

Could be argued that you're thinking just a little too hard about this, tdr! Maybe the shooting for the film was delayed? Often happens. Remember that back in those days they only had one make up artist in the whole of Hollywood, so if Max was still busy on another film they'd have had to wait for him!

It would have been great to have driven cross country back then, wouldn't it. It'd still be good now, but then, when Route 66 was still open. It's something I've wanted to do since reading On The Road for the first time, years ago! (And I've never even been to America, so quite why the idea of driving across it sounds so great, I don't know!)

Not sure I fancy the desert bits much.

Route 66 rocks.

But yeah, ILL is full of glaring errors.

Just Popped In · 07-04-2003, 06:19 PM

That reminds me- on the "California Here We Come" episode, weren't they driving across the San Francisco Golden Gate bridge at the end of the ep? If so then it's odd because they were just leaving NY at that point, but I suppose the episode was deliberately done that way since they were already "California Dreaming" at that point (so they weren't really driving over the bridge SF bridge just yet)

hawaii five-o · 07-05-2003, 12:28 PM

I always thought they were driving over the Brooklyn Bridge on their way out of New York City.

Mysty Eyes · 07-05-2003, 02:08 PM

The announcer on TV Land said that they were crossing Washington Bridge.

I think it's safe to say that the bridge was one of the NYC bridges; they have several.

Also, they wouldn't have been crossing the Golden Gate. They went to Los Angeles, not San Francisco.

Just Popped In · 07-05-2003, 03:30 PM

Yea, technically it would have to be the Brooklyn Bridge or some other bridge in NY, as I was originally thinking, although it looked more to me like the Golden Gate (I guess it's hard to tell the difference since the picture was done in black & white).

I did a net search to see if I could find any info about what bridge it was, and all I came across is this ad, which indicates that it was the Golden Gate:

http://www.funtocollect.com/lucycalifornia.html

And it threw me off as I too realize that they never went to San Francisco. But the Golden Gate bridge sort of 'symbolizes' Caifornia, so I guess that's why it was used in that pic on the mug (and supposedly in the episode as well).

Lodee · 07-05-2003, 10:27 PM

I don't think it's their first stop, because they're also wearing different clothes then they were when they left New York.

And even though the cheese was bad on those sandwiches, the bread looked pretty good (or else I was just hungry). I wonder why they didn't just eat the bread if they were starving.......

ricardo/mertz · 07-06-2003, 01:33 PM

The nasty cheese was touching the bread. I'd have a hard time eating the bread.ha ha!

Mickey · 07-06-2003, 02:48 PM

All cheese is nasty, unless it's vegetarian. And even then...

You know the worst thing about being a vegetarian? Every restaurant thinks veggie food is all about cheese. Cheese sauce, cheese quiche, cheese pasties... I hate cheese!

Ah hem. Thinking maybe this is going a bit of topic now.

If you want to nitpick about bread and cheese though, how about that loaf Lucy cooked in Pioneer Women?! I mean come on... there is no way that loaf could have fitted in her oven.

SPLAIN · 07-07-2003, 02:23 PM

Yeah, i know, as a kid i NEVER got that, but as an adult, i went HUH? That big crusty hard loaf came out of that tiny little oven, oy! I have nothing against TDR's explanation of what happened when they drove and ate and all that, but i agree with what you answered Mick, boy, are these kids so analytical and don't they KNOW this was a TV show that was suposed to be funny so nothing ever made sense if it could get a good laugh in the end. But i DO admire their catching all these things and analyzing them to death, it makes for very interesting reading for those of us who just laughed at the shows. LOL!

Mickey · 07-07-2003, 05:07 PM

Oh go on with you, Splain! Thinking too much about these things is fun. My favourite thing about ILL to point out unnecessarily is what a happy chappie Ricky Ricardo is. Every time I look at him he seems to be giggling about something...

SPLAIN · 07-08-2003, 10:32 AM

I know, he was thinking, i could still be cleaning bird cages if i hadn't hooked up with the red head, ok, when are they gonna let me sing again? LOL! That was just a joke for you Mick, analize that one!

Mickey · 07-08-2003, 10:34 AM

I don't need to analyse it, it was just you being mean about poor Desi again!

And they should have let him sing more often. Ethel always enjoyed it.

07-01-2003, 11:50 PM	#1
tdr Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 23, 2001 Posts: 1,454	Driving cross-country before the Interstates A local station is now showing the eps where R,L,F, & E went by car to Hollywood, and these should be on in a few days on TVLand. I like watching these eps, even though they are quite silly, because driving across the country would have been a bigger challenge at that time, just before construction of the interstate highway system began (Congress enacted appropriations in 1956). Last night, "The First Stop" was on, and the first thing I notice about that was that it must be misnamed. In the previous ep, they fool around with trying to pack too much junk, so they don't get away until near 6 p.m. (so said Fred). If that run-down place was really the "first stop" (to sleep) they must have driven all night and then all day, since it was evening and they are in Ohio. If they did drive all day and all night, no wonder they were that tired! But besides the ridiculous incompetence of the establishment and 'Mr. Skinner' who runs it, there is a real glaring error in that they are all talking about being so hungry, but then they will not eat the stale cheese sandwiches, and then they come back in that deceptive circle to stay the night and nothing further is said about food. How did they get unhungry without eating? They were just that tired from 24 or more hours of riding, maybe. But even if they had to travel on narrow state (or some US) highways, if they been driving that long they should have been further than somewhere near the middle of Ohio, unless they stopped somewhere long enough for this to not be the first stop. Incidentally, there is nothing on these trip episodes to indicate they followed through with their sidetrip plans Lucy mentioned; but that could have made 2 or 3 months' worth of eps. And BTW how could they have been planning to go to Califonria by plane (Ricky on the phone making reservations) within a couple of days, and then decide they are going to buy a car and spend '2 weeks' on the road getting there? It seems the movie studio would not have just said "We'll start filming whenever you get here-- take your time!"

07-02-2003, 09:43 AM	#3
ricardo/mertz Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 22, 2002 Posts: 454	I never thought about the First Stop that closely. Very good observation. I'm a sticklar for detail but, you have me beat!
	__________________ http://www.mortysmall.com/lucy/i_lov...color_cast.jpg

07-04-2003, 06:19 PM	#5
Just Popped In Lucy & Ricky forever Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 16, 2002 Location: Monterey Peninsula, California Posts: 304	That reminds me- on the "California Here We Come" episode, weren't they driving across the San Francisco Golden Gate bridge at the end of the ep? If so then it's odd because they were just leaving NY at that point, but I suppose the episode was deliberately done that way since they were already "California Dreaming" at that point (so they weren't really driving over the bridge SF bridge just yet)
	Last edited by Just Popped In; 07-04-2003 at 07:27 PM.

07-02-2003, 07:41 AM	#2
Mickey Ranger Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 12, 2002 Location: The UK, and still finding Desi funnier than Lucy Posts: 960	Could be argued that you're thinking just a little too hard about this, tdr! Maybe the shooting for the film was delayed? Often happens. Remember that back in those days they only had one make up artist in the whole of Hollywood, so if Max was still busy on another film they'd have had to wait for him! It would have been great to have driven cross country back then, wouldn't it. It'd still be good now, but then, when Route 66 was still open. It's something I've wanted to do since reading On The Road for the first time, years ago! (And I've never even been to America, so quite why the idea of driving across it sounds so great, I don't know!) Not sure I fancy the desert bits much.

07-05-2003, 12:28 PM	#6
hawaii five-o Book 'Em, Dano Senior Member Join Date: Jun 27, 2003 Location: At home, eating cereal straight out of the box Posts: 1,406	I always thought they were driving over the Brooklyn Bridge on their way out of New York City.

07-05-2003, 02:08 PM	#7
Mysty Eyes Dreaming... Senior Member Join Date: Feb 04, 2002 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 1,144	The announcer on TV Land said that they were crossing Washington Bridge. I think it's safe to say that the bridge was one of the NYC bridges; they have several. Also, they wouldn't have been crossing the Golden Gate. They went to Los Angeles, not San Francisco.

07-05-2003, 03:30 PM	#8
Just Popped In Lucy & Ricky forever Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 16, 2002 Location: Monterey Peninsula, California Posts: 304	Yea, technically it would have to be the Brooklyn Bridge or some other bridge in NY, as I was originally thinking, although it looked more to me like the Golden Gate (I guess it's hard to tell the difference since the picture was done in black & white). I did a net search to see if I could find any info about what bridge it was, and all I came across is this ad, which indicates that it was the Golden Gate: http://www.funtocollect.com/lucycalifornia.html And it threw me off as I too realize that they never went to San Francisco. But the Golden Gate bridge sort of 'symbolizes' Caifornia, so I guess that's why it was used in that pic on the mug (and supposedly in the episode as well).

07-05-2003, 10:27 PM	#9
Lodee Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 12, 2003 Posts: 1,562	I don't think it's their first stop, because they're also wearing different clothes then they were when they left New York. And even though the cheese was bad on those sandwiches, the bread looked pretty good (or else I was just hungry). I wonder why they didn't just eat the bread if they were starving.......

07-06-2003, 01:33 PM	#10
ricardo/mertz Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 22, 2002 Posts: 454	The nasty cheese was touching the bread. I'd have a hard time eating the bread.ha ha!

07-06-2003, 02:48 PM	#11
Mickey Ranger Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 12, 2002 Location: The UK, and still finding Desi funnier than Lucy Posts: 960	All cheese is nasty, unless it's vegetarian. And even then... You know the worst thing about being a vegetarian? Every restaurant thinks veggie food is all about cheese. Cheese sauce, cheese quiche, cheese pasties... I hate cheese! Ah hem. Thinking maybe this is going a bit of topic now. If you want to nitpick about bread and cheese though, how about that loaf Lucy cooked in Pioneer Women?! I mean come on... there is no way that loaf could have fitted in her oven.

07-07-2003, 02:23 PM	#12
SPLAIN I Love Lucy Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: MONTREAL, CANADA Posts: 4,563	Yeah, i know, as a kid i NEVER got that, but as an adult, i went HUH? That big crusty hard loaf came out of that tiny little oven, oy! I have nothing against TDR's explanation of what happened when they drove and ate and all that, but i agree with what you answered Mick, boy, are these kids so analytical and don't they KNOW this was a TV show that was suposed to be funny so nothing ever made sense if it could get a good laugh in the end. But i DO admire their catching all these things and analyzing them to death, it makes for very interesting reading for those of us who just laughed at the shows. LOL!

07-07-2003, 05:07 PM	#13
Mickey Ranger Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 12, 2002 Location: The UK, and still finding Desi funnier than Lucy Posts: 960	Oh go on with you, Splain! Thinking too much about these things is fun. My favourite thing about ILL to point out unnecessarily is what a happy chappie Ricky Ricardo is. Every time I look at him he seems to be giggling about something...

07-08-2003, 10:32 AM	#14
SPLAIN I Love Lucy Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: MONTREAL, CANADA Posts: 4,563	I know, he was thinking, i could still be cleaning bird cages if i hadn't hooked up with the red head, ok, when are they gonna let me sing again? LOL! That was just a joke for you Mick, analize that one!

07-08-2003, 10:34 AM	#15
Mickey Ranger Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 12, 2002 Location: The UK, and still finding Desi funnier than Lucy Posts: 960	I don't need to analyse it, it was just you being mean about poor Desi again! And they should have let him sing more often. Ethel always enjoyed it.