A handy dandy guide to helping you find your favorite episode blogs here at Papermoon Loves Lucy. Click on the hyperlinks to be taken directly to that episode’s trivia, background, and bloopers!

“Lucy Visits Grauman’s” (S5;E1) ~ October 3, 1955

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller, and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed September 9, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios.  Rating: 42.7/61 

“Lucy and John Wayne” (S5;E2) ~ October 10, 1955

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller, and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed September 15, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Featuring John Wayne. Rating: 41.1/61

“Lucy and the Dummy” (S5;E3) ~ October 17, 1955

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed September 22, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 46.5/66

“Ricky Sells the Car” (S5;E4) ~ October 24, 1955

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed September 29, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: N/A

“The Great Train Robbery” (S5;E5) ~ October 31, 1955

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed October 5, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 42.1/62

“Homecoming” (S5;E6) ~ November 7, 1955

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed October 20, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 44.3/63

“Face to Face” aka “The Ricardos are Interviewed” (S5;E7) ~ November 14, 1955

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed October 20, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 44.3/61

“Lucy Goes to a Rodeo” (S5;E8) ~ November 28, 1955

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll Jr., Bob Schiller, and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed October 27, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 46.9/63

“Nursery School” (S5;E9) ~ December 5, 1955

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed November 3, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 42.8/59

“Ricky’s European Booking” (S5;E10) ~ December 12, 1955

Directed by James V. Kern, and written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller, and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed November 10, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 46.4/73

“The Passports” (S5;E11) ~ December 19, 1955

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller, and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed November 17, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios.  Rating: 44.2/62

“Staten Island Ferry” (S5;E12) ~ January 2, 1956

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed on November 24, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 45.2/63

“Bon Voyage” (S5;E13) ~ January 16, 1956

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller, and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed December 1, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 50.3/66

“Second Honeymoon” (S5;E14) ~ January 23, 1956

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed December 8, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 51.5/66

“Lucy Meets the Queen” (S5;E15) ~ January 30, 1956

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller, and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed December 15, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 54.3/74 

“The Fox Hunt” (S5;E16) ~ February 6, 1956

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller, and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed December 22, 1955 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 48.2/65

“Lucy Goes to Scotland” (S5;E17) ~ February 20, 1956

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller, and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed January 6, 1956 at Ren-Mar Studios.  Rating: N/A

“Paris at Last” (S5;E18) ~ February 27, 1956

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller, and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed January 12, 1956 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 49.7/67 

“Lucy Meets Charles Boyer” (S5;E19) ~ March 5, 1956

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller, and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed January 19, 1956 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 50.4/68

“Lucy Gets a Paris Gown” (S5;E20) ~ March 19, 1956

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller, and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed February 16, 1956 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 48.4/63

“Lucy in the Swiss Alps” (S5;E21) ~ March 26, 1956

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by  Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed February 23, 1956 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 43.9/62

“Lucy Gets Homesick in Italy” (S5;E22) ~ April 9, 1956

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed March 1, 1956 at Ren-Mar Studio. Rating: 48.4/68

“Lucy’s Italian Movie” (S5;E23) ~ April 16, 1956

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed March 8, 1956 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 47.1/63

“Lucy’s Bicycle Trip” (S5;E24) ~ April 23, 1956

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller, and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed March 22, 1956 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: N/A

“Lucy Goes to Monte Carlo” (S5;E25) ~ May 7, 1956

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed March 29, 1956 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 42.5/66

“Return Home from Europe” (S5;E26) ~ May 14, 1956

Directed by James V. Kern. Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr., Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf. Filmed April 5, 1956 at Ren-Mar Studios. Rating: 38.4/62

SEASON SUMMARY

The season ended #2 in the ratings, after three years in the top spot, with an average 46.1 share. The #1 show was “The $64,0000 Question” which earned a 47.5 share. 

The highest rated episode was “Lucy Meets the Queen” (E15) with a 54.3/74  

The lowest rated episode was “Return Home from Europe” (E26) with a  38.4/62

There were 26 new episodes.

This season began with the end to the trip to Hollywood. There were only only three episodes before the beginning of the Europe storyline, which concludes with episode #26. 

“Return Home From Europe” (E26) was intended to be the last episode of the series, but the Arnazes were talked into a sixth season after #26 was filmed. 

Recurring Character introduced: Johnny Gallandet as Ricky’s Agent

Recurring Characters returning: Elizabeth Patterson as Mrs. Trumbull, Kathryn Card as Lucy’s Mother, The Mayer Twins (final episodes) as Little Ricky

Guest Stars Playing Themselves: Charles Boyer, John Wayne, Doye O’Dell, The Pied Pipers

Guest Actors Playing Characters: Bart Braverman, Mary Jane Croft, Frank Nelson (twice), Charles Lane, Dub Taylor, Elliott Reid, Lou Krugman, Torben Mayer, Elvia Allman, Nancy Kulp, Jack Albertson, Barney Phillips, Hillary Brooke, Georgia Holt

An average of 7,500 feet of film was shot per episode, for a total of 195,000 feet of film for season 5.

Papermoon’s Full Moon Pick: “Lucy Goes to Scotland” (E17)

Papermoon’s Half Moon Pick: “Lucy and the Dummy” (E3)

Total Binge Hours for Season 5: 13 hours (with commercials); 11 1/4  hours (without commercials)

Colorized episodes: Lucy Goes to Grauman’s” (E1), “Lucy and John Wayne” (E2), “Lucy Goes to Scotland” (E17, video only), “Lucy’s Italian Movie” (E23)

A clip from the MGM film Guys and Dolls was inserted into the original broadcast of “Lucy and the Dummy” (E3), but was not restored for the DVD and has not been part of the episode since. 

“Bon Voyage” (E13) was often cited by Desi Arnaz as the most expensive episode of “I Love Lucy” every filmed. The episode inspired Desilu to create the series “Whirlybirds” (1957-60).