"The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour" Episode Guide
(1957-60)

#001 - "Lucy Takes A Cruise To Havana"

Filmed: June 28, 1957 -- Aired: November 6, 1957 -- Rating: 57.5

A special flashback episode recalls the first meeting of Lucy McGillicuddy and Ricky Ricardo on vacation in Havana. Lucy and her friend Susie are set up on a date with two Cubans, Ricky and his friend Carlos. They also meet Fred Mertz, who is on his honeymoon with his bride Ethel. It doesn't take long for Ricky Ricardo and Lucy McGillicuddy to discover true love. And Lucy is already plotting a scheme to help Ricky realize his big dream -- a music career in America.

Produced by Bert Granet Directed by Jerry Thorpe
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Weiskopf, and Bob Schiller
Music Performed "Our Ship Is Coming In," "That Means I Love You"
Production Note Keith Thibodeaux does not appear in this episode. When this episode was originally filmed it ran a total of seventy-five minutes, including scenes were the Ricardos are interviewed by Hedda Hopper.

#002 - "The Celebrity Next Door"

Filmed: September 27, 1957 -- Aired: December 3, 1957

Lucy is ecstatic when she learns that her new next-door neighbor is Tallulah Bankhead! Immediately she starts plotting about how to get the actress to appear in the PTA musical. Bankhead agrees to appear in the PTA show, but the two women have a falling-out when Lucy accidentally spray-paints the actress. This leads to an onstage battle where Lucy tries to upstage the renowned scene-stealer.

Produced by Bert Granet Directed by Jerry Thorpe
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Weiskopf, and Bob Schiller
Production Note Bette Davis was originally the choice to guest star in this episode however, when Bette Davis suffered a fall at her rented home she had to bow out of the role, and forfeited her twenty thousand dollar salary. Richard Deacon was appearing on Leave It To Beaver as Fred Rutherford, and would later star as Mel Cooley on The Dick Van Dyke Show.

#003 - "Lucy Hunts For Uranium"

Filmed: November 15, 1957-- Aired: January 3, 1958

A trip to Las Vegas has Lucy feeling lucky as she plans an excursion to search for uranium. Despite Ricky's objections, she heads for the hills along with a newfound friend who's looking to recoup some gambling losses. There's chaos in the desert when the Ricardos, Mertzes, and Fred MacMurray all race to the land claims office to make sure they're not cheated out of their joint uranium "find."

Produced by Bert Granet Directed by Jerry Thorpe
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Weiskopf, and Bob Schiller
Production Note This episode marks the start of Lucy Ricardo’s new hairstyle. For the week, this show came in second only behind Gunsmoke. Fred MacMurray, who appeared with his wife June Haver in this episode, would later star as Steve Douglas on My Three Sons.

#004 - "Lucy Wins A Racehorse"

Aired: February 3, 1958

Lucy enters a contest and wins a thoroughbred named Whirling Jet as a gift for Little Ricky. The only problem is that Ricky thinks horses are too expensive to keep as pets, so Lucy must devise a way to hide the animal from her husband. It gets worse when the horse develops a crush on Lucy and follows her into the house.

Produced by Bert Granet Directed by Jerry Thorpe
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Weiskopf, and Bob Schiller
Music Performed "The Bayamo"
Production Note The stunt horses name was Tony. Harry James and Betty Grable were huge horse racing fans and owned many horses themselves.
Extra Note Betty Grable and Harry James are going to appear at the club with Ricky.

#005 - "Lucy Goes To Sun Valley"

Aired: April 14, 1958

Lucy is thrilled when Ricky plans a second honeymoon in Sun Valley, Idaho. But when her husband cancels at the last minute to do a TV show, Lucy decides to go anyway, taking Ethel in his place. Ricky and Fred decide to surprise Lucy and Ethel by showing up in Sun Valley. But an angry Lucy rejects her husband's affection.

Produced by Bert Granet Directed by Jerry Thorpe
Written by Madelyn Martin, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Weiskopf, and Bob Schiller
Music Performed "Melancholy Baby"
Production Note This was the final time that Bob Carroll, Jr. and Madelyn Martin would write for the series. When this episode was originally rebroadcast, December 24, 1958 Lucy and Ricky are seen decorating a Christmas tree. In addition, at the end of the rebroadcast Little Ricky recites the poem "Once Upon A Christmas Star." Westinghouse sponsored this episode and introduced new products such as electric dryer and Sterilamps.

#006 - "Lucy Goes To Mexico"

Aired: October 6, 1958

While Ricky rehearses for a performance on a San Diego aircraft carrier, Lucy and Ethel go south of the border to shop in Tijuana. There they meet a young Mexican boy who wants to come back north with them and stows away in the trunk of their car. Real trouble starts when Lucy and Ethel meet up with a U.S. Customs inspector on the way back to the States.

Produced by Bert Granet Directed by Jerry Thorpe
Written by Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf
Music Performed "Something's gotta Give," "Louise," "La Cucaracha," "Valentine," "Mimi," "Yankee Doodle Dandy"
Production Note This episode was sponsored by Westinghouse, which promoted their new product called Fiesta, a TV and phonograph that could fit into small spaces.

#007 - "Lucy Makes Room For Danny"

Aired: December 1, 1958

It's a meeting of two great TV families when the Ricardos rent the Williamses their house for two months while the Ricardos are in Hollywood making a movie. But when the film is canceled, the Ricardos find themselves without a home. Forced to move in with Fred and Ethel, Lucy begins a hilarious plan of attack to get the Williams family out of her house.

Produced by Bert Granet Directed by Jerry Thorpe
Written by Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf
Production Note Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz had been trying to get Danny Thomas to appear on I Love Lucy or The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour ever since 1955, however their cigarette sponsors would no permit it. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz appeared on an episode of Make Room For Daddy entitled "Lucy Upsets The Williams Household."

#008 - "Lucy Goes To Alaska"

Aired: February 9, 1959

Ricky toasts Alaska's admission to the Union with a double celebration: by appearing on Red Skelton's television special commemorating the event, and by taking Lucy, Fred, and Ethel to the 49th State to examine the land they bought recently.

Produced by Bert Granet Directed by Jerry Thorpe
Written by Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf
Music Performed "Poor Everybody Else"
Production Note Keith Thibodeaux does not appear in this episode. The Alaskan snow scenes were filmed at Lake Arrowhead, which is two hours northeast of Los Angeles. The United States bought Alaska from Russia in 1867, however it did not become a state until January 3, 1959. This episodes sponsors were Viceroy cigarettes, Ajax, and Chex cereal.

#009 - "Lucy Wants A Career"

Aired: April 13, 1959

Bored with life as a housewife, Lucy decides to dust off the help-wanted ads and find herself a job. She finds one as Paul Douglas' assistant on his morning show. However, she misses her family and is tired of getting up at 4 AM. When Douglas offers to talk to the sponsor about releasing Lucy from her contract, she celebrates by taking a couple of sleeping pills so she can snooze till noon. But Paul can't arrange her release, and now he and Ricky must try to get a groggy Lucy into the studio and on the air.

Produced by Bert Granet Directed by Jerry Thorpe
Written by Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf
Production Note At the end of this episodes original airing Desi Arnaz announced the premiere of the Desilu Playhouse production of The Untouchables, which would later become a Desilu television series.

#010 - "Lucy's Summer Vacation"

Aired: June 8, 1959

Lucy and Ricky envision a picturesque, romantic New England vacation when a friend lends them his Vermont cabin. But their peace and quiet is soon disrupted when their belongings start disappearing. The mystery is solved when they realize that their absent-minded friend lent the cabin to Ida Lupino and her husband Howard Duff for the same week.

Produced by Bert Granet Directed by Jerry Thorpe
Written by Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf
Music Performed "Row, Row, Row Your Boat," "Cielito Lindo"
Production Note During the work on this episode, Lucille Ball was not getting along with director Jerry Thorpe, it is reported that she walked off the set and went to her dressing room, and demanded Thorpe be replaced. In order to please Lucille, Desi stepped in and fired Thorpe and directed The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour's last four episodes. Westinghouse sponsored this episode and introduced their new product, the hot-dog cooking Dog-O-Matic.

#011 - "Milton Berle Hides At The Ricardos' "

Aired: September 25, 1959

Lucy wants to turn Milton Berle into "Mr. PTA" by promising the school organization that she can get him to appear at a benefit. Ricky warns her to leave "Uncle Miltie" alone. But Lucy contacts him anyway, and he agrees to appear at the benefit. When a furious Ricky comes home early from work after learning that a mysterious man has been coming to the house during the day, Milton Berle tries sneaking away wearing a dress. Berle finally makes it to the PTA benefit and performs a hilarious western spoof, "Them There Days."

Produced by Bert Granet Directed by Desi Arnaz
Written by Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf
Music Performed "Them There Days"
Production Note Just before filming this episode the Arnazes had returned from Europe in a last effort to save their failing marriage, Milton Berle later said that the Arnazes fought throughout the production of this episode. Larry Keating would go on to star as Roger Addison on Mister Ed.

#012 - "The Ricardos Go To Japan"

Aired: November 27, 1959

The Ricardos and Mertzes head to Japan for Ricky's concert tour. Lucy has her heart set on getting a strand of genuine pearls. When Ricky refuses to come up with the necessary $200, Lucy is not ready to say "sayonara" to her dream. She decides to borrow the $200 from Fred's money belt while he's asleep. When Fred unexpectedly checks his money belt, Lucy is forced to return her beautiful pearls. But in her disappointment, she mistakenly gives back her old fake strand. Trying to straighten out the whole mess before the exchange goes through, Lucy and Ethel head to an exotic geisha house, only to find Ricky and Fred having a grand old time. Disguised as a geisha, Lucy finds herself serving dinner and performing a dance with two real geisha girls.

Produced by Bert Granet Directed by Desi Arnaz
Written by Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf
Music Performed "Cuban Pete"

#013 - "Lucy Meets The Mustache"

Filmed: March 2, 1960 -- Aired: April 1, 1960

Ricky's depression over his standstill career has Lucy worried. She decides that if she can get him an audition for the "Ernie Kovacs Show," it will improve his outlook. When Kovacs calls to tell Lucy that he wants Ricky to appear on the show, she joyfully gives her husband the good news -- only to discover Ernie really wants Little Ricky! As a result of Lucy's meddling, Ernie Kovacs wants nothing to do with her. Still determined to talk him into giving Ricky a job, Lucy disguises herself as a chauffeur and picks up Ernie at the train station. Much to Lucy's surprise, Ricky is accompanying him.

Produced by Bert Granet Directed by Desi Arnaz
Written by Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf
Music Performed "That's All"
Production Note Westinghouse sponsored their new 1960 center drawer refrigerator in this episode. This episode was filmed on Desi Arnaz’s 43rd birthday. Edie Adams later recalled that the mood on the set of this episode was sadness, because Lucille and Desi had come to the end of their twenty-year marriage. Lucille Ball filed for divorce the next day after filming was completed, on March 3, 1960.