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Lucy Meets Orson Welles

Synopsis
Television sitcom. When Lucy learns that Orson
Welles is doing a benefit show at Ricky’s club, she desperately wants to act the role of Juliet to Welles’s Romeo. Ricky doesn’t want Lucy to have the job so he suggests a vacation to Florida. Before the trip Lucy stops at Macys to buy skin-diving gear; there she sees Welles autographing his new recording of Shakespeare readings. They start talking and misunderstandings ensue. Later, at Club Babalu, Welles and Ricky discuss the show. Lucy enters and recites lines from a Juliet soliloquy very badly. Welles explains that he is to perform as a magician but Lucy tells him ‘he is the greatest Shakespearean actor who ever lived’. Welles delivers some lines as Romeo but Lucy forgets her lines and misses cues. Welles decides to stick with the magic act and and Lucy ends as a ‘levitating assistant’ screaming ‘Romeo, Romeo, get me down from here Romeo’.
Series
I Love Lucy
Language
English
Country
United States
Medium
Television
Recording date
14 Jun 1956
Transmission details
15 Oct 1956 (Channel: CBS)
Duration
30 mins

Credits

Director
James V. Kern
Writer
Bob Carroll; Bob Schiller; Bob Weiskopft; Madelyn Martin
Cast
Orson WellesHimself (Romeo)
Lucille BallLucy Ricardo (Juliet)
Desi ArnazRicky Ricardo
Ellen CorbyMiss Hanna, Lucy’s teacher
Vivian VanceEthel Mertz

Additional Details

Production type
Sitcoms/Variety
Plays
Romeo and Juliet
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

Notes
Bart Andrews, The "I Love Lucy" Book (NY: Doubleday, 1976), p.186 notes that The
show originally contained scenes of Vivian Vance playing Cleopatra to Welles’s Julius Caesar, and Lucy sparring with the Shakespearean master
as Juliet and Lady Macbeth, but for some unknown reason these sequences did not make their way into the final print.
General
`Orson Welles appearance in this episode was at Lucy’s insistence. Welles, whose career had taken a nose dive by this time, was down on his luck so he was camping out in the Arnazes guest cottage. Notorious for his drinking and obnoxiously crude behavior ... Lucille had to find a way to get rid of her unwanted guest... Lucille decided to have this show written for him, so she could pay him salary for the appearance and he’d have money to get a place of his own’ [www.tv.com].
History
Episode 156. 6th season. Available on video as part of I LOVE LUCY: THE COMPLETE SIXTH SEASON.
Reviews
Anderegg, Michael. Orson Welles, Shakespeare and Popular Culture (New York: Culumbia IP, 1999) 3-4.

Production Company

Name

Desilu Productions

Archive

Name

Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting & Recorded Sound Division

Web
http://catalog.loc.gov/ External site opens in new window
Phone
(20) 707-8572
Fax
(20) 707-237’1
Address
Motion Picture & Television Reading Room
James Madison Building, LM 336
101 Independence Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C.
20540-4690
United States

Online Retailer

Name

amazon.com

Web
http://www.amazon.com External site opens in new window

Record Stats

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