"I Love Lucy" Episode Guide
(Season 6 / 1956-57)

#154 - "Lucy And Bob Hope"

Filmed: June 5, 1956 -- Aired: October 1, 1956 -- Rating/Share: 48.7/71

Ricky is opening a new club, and he wants Bob Hope to appear at the grand opening. Lucy fears Hope won't appear because of her widespread reputation for monkey-wrench throwing, and wants to reassure him that this time she's butting out.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by James V. Kern
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Music Performed "Nobody Loves The Ump," "Thanks For The Memory"
Production Note This episode marks the start of Keith Thibodeaux's start of appearing as Little Ricky. Bob Hope and the Arnazes were the best of friends for many years. Lucy and Bob worked together in four motion pictures and countless radio and television programs. During the 1946 season, Desi's orchestra provided the music for Bob Hope's weekly radio show. In real life, Bob Hope owned a part in the Cleveland Indians baseball team.

#155 - "Lucy Meets Orson Welles"

Filmed: June 14 1956 -- Aired: October 15, 1956 -- Rating/Share: 43.8/62

Orson Welles is going to perform his magic act in Ricky's club. He asks Ricky if Lucy will help him. Ricky has had one too many of Lucy's screwball antics and is only too happy to push her off to Florida. When Lucy meets Welles and accidentally learns of the chance she is missing, she cancels her trip and gets a drama class to come and watch her do Shakespeare with Welles.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by James V. Kern
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Production Note This episode aired on the fifth anniversary of the original airing of the start of I Love Lucy. Ellen Corby who played Lucy's high school drama teacher would later go on to be remembered as the beloved Grandma Walton on the CBS television series The Waltons.

#156 - "Little Ricky Gets Stage Fright"

Filmed: June 21, 1956 -- Aired: October 22, 1956 -- Rating/Share: N/A

Little Ricky is scheduled to play the drums in a children's orchestra. Although his parents and their friends the Mertzes are overcome with nervousness, Little Ricky seems calm until his big moment arrives; then he goes to pieces. His next performance is six months away, but Lucy feels she must do something about his stage fright now.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by James V. Kern
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Music Performed "Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue"
Production Note Episode 156 was filmed before episode 157, however, episode 157 aired before episode 156, which tells the story of Little Ricky learning to play the drums. Howard McNear would later go on to star as Floyd Lawson from 1960-67 on CBS's The Andy Griffith Show.

#157 - "Little Ricky Learns To Play The Drums"

Filmed: June 28, 1956 -- Aired: October 8, 1956 -- Rating/Share: 47.8/65

Lucy suddenly decides her son is going to be a doctor, but Ricky wants him to be a band leader like himself. They agree to resolve the question by giving him a toy doctor's uniform and a drum and seeing which he prefers. The fact that the boy chooses the drum changes nothing as far as Lucy is concerned.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by James V. Kern
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf

#158 - "Visitor From Italy"

Filmed: September 20, 1956 -- Aired: October 29, 1956 -- Rating/Share: 45.5/62

Mario, the Ricardos and Mertzes' gondolier in Venice, comes to New York to surprise his brother Dominic, but turns up at the Ricardos' apartment when he can't find him. Lucy is sure Dominic is in San Francisco and sets out to help Mario raise the bus fare. Her earnest efforts pay off in a surprising way.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by James V. Kern
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Production Note Lucille Ball spent three evenings at Micelli's Pizza Parlor on La Cienga Boulevard in West Hollywood, working with the pizza chefs, to perfect the knack of twirling dough into pizza crusts. The Orsattis were friends of the Arnazes in real life.

#159 - "Off To Florida"

Filmed: September 13, 1956 -- Aired: November 12, 1956 -- Rating/Share: 34.7/45

When Lucy misplaces two train tickets to Florida, she and Ethel consult the classified section, hoping to share a ride with someone driving south. They team up with a peculiar middle-aged woman, Mrs. Grundy, who's bent on getting to Florida in record time.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by James V. Kern
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Production Note Elsa Lanchester who played Mrs. Evelyn Grundy in this episode had made a name for herself and will forever be remembered as The Bride Of Frankenstein. Strother Martin who played the owner of the diner appeared in numerous movies and in many television guest appearances.
Extra Note Ricky finds Lucy's lost train tickets in Little Ricky's wallet.

#160 - "Deep-Sea Fishing"

Filmed: September 27, 1956 -- Aired: November 19, 1956 -- Rating/Share: 47.1/65

When the Mertzes and the Ricardos vacation in Florida, women's shopping habits versus men's fishing prowess becomes an issue.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by James V. Kern
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Production Note One of Desi Arnaz's most favorite things to do was to go fishing on the ocean with his friends.
Extra Note The Ricardos are in room 919 while the Mertzes who are right across the hall are in 921.

#161 - "Desert Island"

Filmed: October 4, 1956 -- Aired: November 26, 1956 -- Rating/Share: 46.7/63

On a pleasure cruise, Lucy manages to have the boat run out of gas to keep Fred and Ricky from judging a "Miss Miami Beach" beauty contest. The Ricardos and the Mertzes find themselves adrift on the Atlantic. Eventually they land on a desert island, where Lucy promptly runs into trouble.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by James V. Kern
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Production Note On June 27, 1934, Desi Arnaz had arrived in Florida as a Cuban refugee. The I Love Lucy cast went on a tour during 1956 and Florida just happened to be on the itinerary. Claude Akins would later go on to star in Laredo as Cotton Buckmeister, Movin' On as Sonny Pruett, and B.J. and the Bear as Sheriff Lobo, as well as many guest appearances.
Extra Note Ricky claims to have filmed a movie with Claude Akins in Hollywood.

#162 - "The Ricardos Visit Cuba"

Filmed: October 18, 1956 -- Aired: December 3, 1956 -- Rating/Share: 45.9/64

Still on their vacation, the Ricardos go to Cuba, where Ricky wants to introduce his relatives to Lucy and Little Ricky.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by James V. Kern
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Music Performed "A Lucky Guy," "Babalu"
Production Note After political relations between the American and Cuban governments soured in the early 1960s, CBS removed this episode from the morning rerun package that was then aired daily on the network. It did not appear again until the show went into syndication in 1967.

#163 - "Little Ricky's School Pagent"

Filmed: October 25, 1956 -- Aired: December 17, 1956 -- Rating/Share: 43.4/63

Little Ricky makes his acting debut in a school play. This lavish children's pageant in the Enchanted Forest is complete with elves, owls, bunnies, and Lucy as a broom-riding witch.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by James V. Kern
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Extra Note Lucy tells Caroline Appleby that she learned to cha cha in Florida and Cuba.

#164 - "Lucy And The Loving Cup"

Filmed: November 1, 1956 -- Aired: January 7, 1957 -- Rating/Share: 50.9/68

Ricky's disapproval of Lucy's new hat leads to her trying on a loving cup which Ricky has planned to present to jockey Johnny Longden at a National Turf Association dinner. The problem is that Lucy can't get the trophy off her head.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by James V. Kern
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Production Note The Arnazes loved horse racing and even invested in their own horses. Their summer retreat in Del Mar, California, was located just across the road from the Del Mar Fairgrounds and Thoroughbred Track.

#165 - "Little Ricky Gets A Dog"

Filmed: November 8, 1956 -- Aired: January 21, 1957 -- Rating/Share: 45.1/61

The Ricardos' apartment begins to resemble a pet shop when Little Ricky gets a puppy. Lucy and Ricky are both determined to get rid of the puppy after their son brings it home -- as are their landlords, Fred and Ethel. They have a hard time overcoming Little Ricky's arguments that a puppy would be a welcome addition to a home that already boasts a canary, a frog, a lizard, a turtle, and some goldfish.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by James V. Kern
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Production Note The Arnazes loved dogs and had many pets.

#166 - "Lucy And Superman"

Filmed: November 15, 1956 -- Aired: January 14, 1957 -- Rating/Share: 48.1/65

When another boy has a birthday party the same day as Little Ricky's, Lucy looks for unusual entertainment to lure the children. Ricky remembers that Superman is in town, and he invites him. When Ricky is unable to corral Superman, Lucy is left with no choice but to dress as the Man of Steel herself.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by James V. Kern
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Production Note George Reeves, who starred in the popular 1950s television series The Adventures Of Superman, based on the Superman comic-book hero, repeated his role in this episode.

#167 - " 'I Love Lucy' Christmas Show"

Filmed: November 22, 1956 -- Aired: December 24, 1956 -- Rating/Share: N/A

While trimming the Christmas tree, the Ricardos and Mertzes recall some of the highlights during the pregnancy and birth of Little Ricky. They remember Lucy's announcement to Ricky that they were expecting, the time that the Ricardos and Mertzes did a barbershop quartet and the trip to the hospital for the birth of Little Ricky. On Christmas morning the four appear in the Ricardo living room dressed as Santa Claus, in an effort not to confuse Little Ricky they all go into the kitchen were a fifth Santa shows up.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by James V. Kern
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Music Performed "Jingle Bells," "Rock-A-Bye Baby," "We're Having a Baby," "Sweet Adeline"
Production Note This episode was not placed in the syndication package.

#168 - "Lucy Wants To Move To the Country"

Filmed: December 6, 1956 -- Aired: January 28, 1957 -- Rating/Share: 42.1/56

Lucy decides that it would be nice to move to the country and prevails on Ricky to place a comfortable deposit on a big house. Ricky agrees and puts a down payment on a house in Westport, Connecticut. It is not long before Lucy changes her mind. Lucy, Ethel, and Fred put on disguises to try and help poor Ricky get his deposit back.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by William Asher
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Production Note Eleanor Audley would later appear on CBS's Green Acres as Mother Douglas, and on My Three Sons as Barbara's Mother, as well as many guest appearances.

#169 - "Lucy Hates To Leave"

Filmed: December 13, 1956 -- Aired: February 4, 1957 -- Rating/Share: 42.5/57

Lucy hates to leave behind her old friends Fred and Ethel, who also happen to be her landlords. But Ricky has told her to sell all their furniture. Lucy hates to part with her furniture almost as badly as she hates to part with the Mertzes. She persuades them to keep the furniture in their apartment, promising that it's "just until we can move."

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by William Asher
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf

#170 - "Lucy Misses The Mertzes"

Filmed: December 20, 1956 -- Aired: February 11, 1957 -- Rating/Share: 38.8/50

As the Ricardos get settled in their new country home, they immediately wind up in a mix-up with their old friends Fred and Ethel Mertz. Missing their old friends already, Lucy and Ricky decide to visit the Mertzes. At the same time, the Mertzes decide to trek to the country to visit the Ricardos, and what began simply becomes complicated.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by William Asher
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf

#171 - "Lucy Gets Chummy With The Neighbors"

Filmed: January 10, 1957 -- Aired: February 18, 1957 -- Rating/Share: 38.0/49

With the best intentions in the world, Lucy somehow causes a misunderstanding with her neighbors, the Ramseys. It all starts when Betty Ramsey offers Lucy some advice and a wholesale deal on furniture. For a time, the Ricardos' whole future at their Connecticut home seems threatened.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by William Asher
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Production Note Parley Baer would later go on to appear as Mayor Stoner from 1962-63 on CBS's The Andy Griffith Show.

#172 - "Lucy Raises Chicken"

Filmed: Janaury 17, 1957 -- Aired: March 4, 1957 -- Rating/Share: 51.2/68

The Mertzes find a way to stay with the Ricardos: chicken farming. But the scheme puts Lucy over her head in chickens when she and Ethel bring home 500 baby chicks before the hen house is ready.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by William Asher
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Production Note As newlyweds at their ranch in Chatsworth, California. Lucille and Desi raised chickens, cows, and several dogs. They ate the eggs and drank the milk, however they could never bring themselves to eat their "pets" for food. This episode was the first to be sponsored by Ford.

#173 - "Lucy Does The Tango"

Filmed: February 7, 1957 -- Aired: March 11, 1957 -- Rating/Share: 35.4/47

Chicken-raising and practicing a tango for Little Ricky's school PTA meeting combine to get the Ricardos and the Mertzes in a verbal battle. It's up to Ricky, Jr. and his neighborhood pal Bruce Ramsey to straighten things out.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by William Asher
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Music Performed "Tango"
Production Note Lucy's reaction to the eggs being broken in her blouse drew the longest sustained laugh in the history of the I Love Lucy series. The laugh lasted for sixty-five seconds, however the laugh has been edited down for broadcast purposes. While during rehearsal Lucille and Vivian did not practice with real eggs.

#174 - "Ragtime Band"

Filmed: February 14, 1957 -- Aired: March 18, 1957 -- Rating/Share: 40.2/52

Lucy decides to take part in the fundraising campaign of the Westport Historical Society, and offers to get her husband and his band to perform for their kickoff function. There's only one hitch -- Ricky won't do it. So Lucy decides to form her own band featuring herself, Little Ricky, and Fred and Ethel Mertz.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by William Asher
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Music Performed "Sweet Sue," "She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain," "Man Smart, Woman Smarter"

#175 - "Lucy's Night In Town"

Filmed: February 21, 1957 -- Aired: March 25, 1957 -- Rating/Share: 38.4/51

After spending six whole weeks in their new Connecticut home, Lucy dreams of a night in New York City and it turns into a nightmare. Four carefully hoarded tickets to the Broadway musical hit "The Most Happy Fella" are supposed to get the Ricardos and the Mertzes in to see the sold-out show. But difficulties arise when Fred Mertz gets nervous about pickpockets because he's carrying $500 in cash in his pockets.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by William Asher
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Music Performed "Standing On The Corner," "Don't Cry," "Big 'D' "
Production Note The musical, The Most Happy Fellow was partially financed by Desilu. It opened in May of 1956. Doris Packer would later go on to appear on Leave It to Beaver as Mrs. Rayburn and on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis as Mrs. Armitage and Mrs. Chatsworth Osborne, Sr., as well as many guest appearances.

#176 - "Housewarming"

Filmed: February 28, 1957 -- Aired: April 1, 1957 -- Rating/Share: 45.1/62

Fred Mertz installs an intercom system between the Mertz guest-house and the Ricardo main house. The intercom causes some confusion when Lucy and Ricky overhear what they believe to be plans for a housewarming party given for them. Look for a classic bout of jealousy in this episode as Lucy and Ethel make new friends.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by William Asher
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf

#177 - "Building A Bar-B-Q"

Filmed: March 14, 1957 -- Aired: April 8, 1957 -- Rating/Share: 42.1/56

Lucy has a problem deciding what to do to get her vacationing husband, Ricky, out of her hair so she can do her housework. She and Ethel solve the problem by putting their husbands to work building a barbecue. In this episode Lucy loses her wedding ring and Ricky tries to teach her a lesson.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by William Asher
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Production Note When Lucille and Desi eloped in 1940, Desi bought Lucille a brass ring, however later bought her a platinum ring.

#178 - "Country Club Dance"

Filmed: March 21, 1957 -- Aired: April 22, 1957 -- Rating/Share: N/A

The Ricardos and the Mertzes go with their neighbors, Ralph and Betty Ramsey, to the country club dance. A pretty visitor quickly convinces the men they are Romeos in disguise. This development forces the women into glamorous clothing and beauty treatments to prove that they, too, can be glamorous.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by William Asher
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Production Note Twenty-two year old Barbara Eden would later go on to portray Jeannie in NBC's I Dream of Jeannie.

#179 - "Lucy Raises Tulips"

Filmed: March 28, 1957 -- Aired: April 29, 1957 -- Rating/Share: 41.2/65

Suburban living gets Lucy into a flower-show competition, and she raises tulips with a vengeance as she tries to beat out her neighbor, Betty Ramsey, for first prize. Lucy asks Ricky to mow the lawn so that her garden will look just right. But he only mows half before taking off for a baseball game, leaving Lucy and Ethel to tiptoe through the tulips -- with the lawnmower.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by William Asher
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Production Note Lucille loved plants and flowers and had them growing in pots all around her Beverly Hills home. Her favorites, peonies and lilacs, grew only in the east, were she was raised.

#180 - "The Ricardos Dedicate A Statue"

Filmed: April 4, 1957 -- Aired: May 6, 1957 -- Rating/Share: 35.6/56

Lucy joins a community effort to establish a Revolutionary War monument. She manages to shatter any dreams she may have had of becoming a community leader when the statue is broken. Her efforts to undo the damage put her in a unique position when the time comes to unveil the statue.

Produced by Desi Arnaz Directed by William Asher
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Shiller, and Bob Weiskopf
Production Note In this final episode in the final scene Desi Arnaz Jr. appears in a crowd scene with Vivian Vance. For many years it was believed that Lucie Arnaz was the little girl standing next to Desi Jr. however in later years Lucie has clarified that it was not her that it was her friend, Suzie Meyer. Desilu hired Silverstri Studios to make the statue.