#bert may

April 8, 1946

Directors: Lemuel Ayers, Roy Del Ruth. Vincente Minnelli, George Sidney,  Norman Taurog, Charles Walters. Robert Lewis Producer: Arthur Freed for Metro Goldwyn Mayer

The shooting schedule ran between April 10 and August 18, 1944, with retakes plus additional segments filmed on December 22, 1944 and then between January 25 and February 6, 1945. The film was first proposed in 1939. 

Synopsis ~ We meet a grayed, immaculately garbed Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. in Paradise (his diary entry reads "Another heavenly day"), where he looks down upon the world and muses over the sort of show he'd be putting on were he still alive.

PRINCIPAL CAST

Lucille Ball ('Here's to the Ladies') is appearing in her 64th film since coming to Hollywood in 1933. 

Fred Astaire ('Here's to the Ladies' / Raffles in 'This Heart of Mine' / Tai Long in 'Limehouse Blues’ / Gentleman in 'The Babbit and the Bromide') also appeared with Lucille Ball in Roberta (1935), Top Hat (1935), and Follow the Fleet (1936). His name was mentioned twice on “I Love Lucy.”

Lucille Bremer (Princess in 'This Heart of Mine' / Moy Ling in 'Limehouse Blues') 

Fanny Brice (Norma Edelman in 'A Sweepstakes Ticket') appeared in the original stage version of many editions of The Ziegfeld Follies on Broadway.

Judy Garland (The Star in 'A Great Lady Has An Interview') also starred with Lucille Ball in Thousands Cheer (1943). 

Kathryn Grayson (Kathryn Grayson in 'Beauty') also starred with Lucille Ball in Thousands Cheer (1943).

Lena Horne (Lena Horne in 'Love') also starred with Lucille Ball in Thousands Cheer (1943).

Gene Kelly (Gentleman in 'The Babbit and the Bromide') also starred with Lucille Ball in Thousands Cheer (1943),  Du Barry Was A Lady (1943), and A Guide for the Married Man (1967). He made an appearance on the Lucille Ball special “Lucy Moves to NBC” (1980).  

James Melton (Alfredo in 'La Traviata')

Victor Moore (Lawyer's Client in 'Pay the Two Dollars')

Red Skelton (J. Newton Numbskull in 'When Television Comes') also starred with Lucille Ball in Having Wonderful Time (1938), Thousands Cheer (1943),  Du Barry Was A Lady (1943), and The Fuller Brush Girl (1950).  On TV he appeared on “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” in “Lucy Goes To Alaska” (1958). Ball and Skelton appeared in numerous TV specials together. 

Esther Williams (Esther Williams in 'A Water Ballet') also appeared with Lucille Ball in Easy To Wed (1946). 

William Powell (Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.) also played the same character in The Great Ziegfeld (1936). 

Edward Arnold (Lawyer in 'Pay the Two Dollars') appeared with Lucille Ball in Roman Scandals (1933) and Ellis in Freedomland (1952).

Marion Bell (Violetta in 'La Traviata')

Cyd Charisse (Ballerina in 'Beauty') also starred with Lucille Ball in Thousands Cheer (1943).

Hume Cronyn (Monty in 'A Sweepstakes Ticket') was honored by The Kennedy Center in 1986, at the same ceremony as Lucille Ball. 

William Frawley (Martin in 'A Sweepstakes Ticket') played the role of Fred Mertz on “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”. He also appeared on “The Lucy Show,” his final screen appearance. 

Robert Lewis (Chinese Gentleman in 'Limehouse Blues' / Telephone Voice in 'Number Please')

Virginia O'Brien (Virginia O'Brien in 'Here's to the Ladies') also starred with Lucille Ball in Thousands Cheer (1943),  Du Barry Was A Lady (1943), and Meet The People (1944). 

Keenan Wynn (Caller in 'Number Please') appeared with Lucille Ball in Easy To Wed (1946), Without Love (1945), and The Long, Long Trailer (1954). 

SUPPORTING CAST

Ziegfeld Girls

Karin Booth  

Lucille Casey  

Aina Constant  

Elizabeth Dailey  

Frances Donelan  

Natalie Draper  

Karen X. Gaylord  

Aileen Haley  

Carol Haney  

Shirlee Howard  

Margaret Laurence  

Helen O'Hara  

Noreen Roth  

Elaine Shepard  

Kay Thompson  

Dorothy Tuttle  

Dorothy Van Nuys  

Eve Whitney - appeared on “I Love Lucy” episode “The Charm School” (ILL S3;E15).

Dancers

Gloria Joy Arden

Jean Ashton  

Irene Austin  

Judi Blacque  

Bonnie Barlowe  

Norman Borine  

Hazel Brooks  

Ed Brown  

Kathleen Cartmill  

Jack Cavan  

Marilyn Christine  

Laura Corbay  

Rita Dunn  

Meredyth Durrell  

Shawn Ferguson  

Jeanne Francis  

Jean French  

Mary Jane French  

David Gray  

Bill Hawley  

Doreen Hayward  

Charlotte Hunter  

Virginia Hunter  

Patricia Jackson

Margaret Kays  

Laura Knight  

Laura Lane  

Dale Lefler  

Melvin Martin  

Diane Meredith  

Lorraine Miller  

Joyce Murray  

Janet Nevis  

Ray Nyles  

Billy O'Shay  

Jane Ray  

Dorothy Raye  

Beth Renner

Melba Snowden  

Walter Stane  

Ivon Starr  

Robert Trout  

Chorus Boys

Rod Alexander

Milton Chisholm  

Dick D'Arcy  

Dante DiPaolo  

Don Hulbert  

Herb Lurie  

Matt Mattox  

Bert May - appeared on “The Lucy Show” in “Lucy and Tennessee Ernie Ford”

Jack Purcell  

Tommy Rall  

Ricky Ricardi (!)

Alex Romero

“LIMEHOUSE BLUES” starring Fred Astaire, Lucille Bremer, and Robert Lewis

Robert Ames (Masked Man)  

James Barron (Couple with Banners)  

Eleanor Bayley (Couple with Branches)  

Mary Jo Ellis (Couple with Banners)  

Sean Francis (Ensemble)  

James King (Rooster)  

Harriet Lee (Bar Singer) 

Eugene Loring (Costermonger)  

Charles Lunard (Masked Man)  

Patricia Lynn (Ensemble)  

Ruth Merman (Ensemble)  

Garry Owen (1st Subway Policeman)  

Ellen Ray (Couple with Parasols)  

Jack Regas (Masked Man)  

Billy Shead (Couple with Parasols)  

Ronald Stanton (Couple with Branches)  

Wanda Stevenson (Ensemble)  

Ray Teal (2nd Subway Policeman)  

“LOVE” starring Lena Horne

Juliette Ball (Club Patron)   

Lennie Bluett (Dancer)   

Suzette Harbin (Flirt)   

Avanelle Harris (Club Patron)  

Maggie Hathaway (Dancer)  

Charles Hawkins (Club Patron)  

Marie Bryant (Woman Getting Her Man Taken)   

Cleo Herndon (Dancer)   

“THIS HEART OF MINE” starring Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer

Helen Boyce (Countess)   

Feodor Chaliapin Jr. (Lieutenant)

Naomi Childers (Duchess)

Charles Coleman (Majordomo)   

Sam Flint (Majordomo's Assistant)

Sidney Gordon (Masked Man)   

Count Stefenelli (Count)   

Robert Wayne (Dyseptic)   

“PAY THE TWO DOLLARS”  starring Edward Arnold and Victor Moore

William Bailey (Subway Passenger)

Joseph Crehan (1st Judge) - played a Detective on “I Love Lucy” “The Great Train Robbery”

William B. Davidson (2nd Judge)

Eddie Dunn (3rd Subway Policeman)   

Harry Hayden (Warden)   

George Hill (2nd Subway Policeman)   

Wilbur Mack (Subway Passenger)   

Larry Steers (Magistrate)

“NUMBER PLEASE” starring Keenan Wynn

Peter Lawford (Voice of Porky)

Grady Sutton (Texan)

Audrey Totter (Phone Operator Voice)

Kay Williams (Girl)

OTHERS

Bunin's Puppets

Elise Cavanna (Tall Woman)

Jack Deery (Man)

Rex Evans (Butler in "A Great Lady Has An Interview”)

Sam Garrett (Roping / Twirling Act)

Silver (Horse in "Here's to the Ladies') 

Arthur Walsh (Telegraph Boy in "A Sweepstakes Ticket") - appeared on “I Love Lucy” in “Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined” (ILL S3;E11). 

‘FOLLIES’ TRIVIA

Sidney Guilaroff, Lucille Ball’s hair dresser, who takes responsibility for her famous ‘golden red’ for this movie, becoming her trademark color.

Although they appear in different segments, this is the only feature film collaboration between “I Love Lucy co-stars" Lucille Ball and William Frawley. Coincidently, Frawley's character in this film shares a striking similarity with his iconic character of Fred Mertz on “I Love Lucy.” In this film he plays a money-hungry curmudgeon of a landlord, much like the show. In the above photo, he appears with director Minnelli and co-star Brice. 

The horse ridden by Lucille Ball is the Lone Ranger's Silver!

Lucille Ball was actually fired by Ziegfeld from his road company production of Rio Rita in the 1930s.

In February 1956, Lucy and Desi appeared on “MGM Parade” to promote their MGM film Forever Darling. The show also included footage of Lena Horne singing from Ziegfeld Follies. 

Lucy also played a showgirl in pink in “Lucy Gets Into Pictures” (ILL S4;E19) aired on February 21, 1955. The scene was inspired by Ziegfeld’s legendary stage shows featuring beautiful women wearing elaborate costumes navigating long staircases. To solidify the comparison, Ricky says he is going to a meeting with Mr. Minnelli. Vincente Minnelli was one of the directors of Ziegfeld Follies. 

Lucy Ricardo had previously cavorted around in a lampshade in the manner of a Ziegfeld girl in both the unaired pilot and “The Audition” (S1;E6).

Ziegfeld Follies includes a sketch for Red Skelton called “When Television Comes” aka “Guzzler’s Gin” in which a (future) television spokesman gets increasingly sloshed on his product. This sketch was an obvious influence on Lucy’s Vitameatavegamin routine in “Lucy Does a TV Commercial” (ILL S1;E30) aired on May 5, 1952. 

Ziegfeld Girl Eve Whitney appeared on “I Love Lucy” episode “The Charm School” (ILL S3;E15). She used her own name for the character.  

The Telegraph Boy in "A Sweepstakes Ticket" Arthur Walsh - appeared on “I Love Lucy” in “Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined” (ILL S3;E11) as Arthur ‘King Cat’ Walsh. He teaches Lucy how to jitterbug. 

The first Judge in the “Pay the Two Dollars” James Crehan also played the Police Detective on “I Love Lucy in “The Great Train Robbery” (ILL S5;E5) first aired on October 31, 1955.

Porky, a voice on the telephone in “Number Please” Peter Lawford, played “Password” against Lucille Ball on September 24, 1964.  At the time, Lawford was married to President Kennedy’s sister, Patricia. On November 26, 1968, Ball was a guest on “The Tonight Show” when Peter Lawford was sitting in for Johnny Carson.

Chorus Boy Bert May appeared as a solo dancer on “The Lucy Show” in “Lucy and Tennessee Ernie Ford” (TLS S5;E21) in February 1967. 

In the dressing room, Lucy jokes with Fanny Brice, one of the funniest women in showbusiness.  This was the only time Ball and Brice collaborated and was Brice’s last film. 

Ziegfeld’s follies began on Broadway, so it was appropriate that the show featured past and future Broadway musical stars:

Lucille Ball ~ Wildcat (1960)

Carol Haney ~ The Pajama Game (1954)

Tommy Rall ~ Call Me Madame (1950)

Fanny Brice ~ The Ziegfeld Follies 

Marion Bell ~ Brigadoon (1947)

Victor Moore ~ Anything Goes (1934)

S5;E21 ~ February 27, 1967

Synopsis

Mr. Mooney is in danger of losing his job if he doesn't bring in some big depositors. When Lucy hears that wealthy country music star Homer Higgins (Tennessee Ernie Ford) is in town, she gives him a ‘down home’ welcome in order to get his business.  

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carmichael), Gale Gordon (Theodore ‘Josh’ Mooney), Roy Roberts (Mr. Cheever)

Mary Jane Croft (Mary Jane Lewis) does not appear in this episode.

Guest Cast

Tennessee Ernie Ford (Homer Higgins) was the first and only celebrity to make three guest star appearances (playing a variation on himself) on “I Love Lucy.”  A popular country singer of the 1950s, this was his first credited ‘acting’ job, before his big hit with the song “Sixteen Tons” in 1955. Ford was first mentioned on season 1 of "I Love Lucy” in “Lucy Writes a Play” (ILL S1;E17), when playwright Lucy mistakenly dubs herself the next Tennessee Ernie, instead of Tennessee Williams. 

Ford went on to make alliterative appearances on "Here’s Lucy” (as Ernie Epperson), on "The Red Skelton Show” (as Loser Lumpkin), and the Desilu-produced "Make Room For Daddy” (as Kentucky Cal). He died in 1991.

Homer Higgins is said to be the nation's number one country singer. He has moved to California and is staying at the Palm Garden Hotel. His annual income exceeds five million dollars.

Carole Cook (Effie Higgins) played Thelma Green on the series when it was set in Danfield. She was a protege of Lucille Ball’s during the Desilu Playhouse years. Although born as Mildred Cook, Ball suggested she take the name Carole, in honor of Lucy’s great friend, Carole Lombard. Cook also went on to appear in five episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”

Effie is married to Homer.  

Robert Easton (Iffie) was usually cast as the dopey country bumpkin. He was a popular actor and dialogue coach in over 200 film and TV projects. This is his only appearance with Lucille Ball.

Iffie is Effie's older brother, so named because “if he” was a girl, they would have named him Effie.

William O'Connell (Hotel Manager) makes his only appearance with Lucille Ball.

Joan Swift (Dottie) makes the third of her six appearances on the series. Swift also did two episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” Her final screen credit was 1975’s “Lucy Gets Lucky” with Lucille Ball and Dean Martin.

Like Lucy, Dottie is a secretary at the Westland Bank.

The Back Porch Majority (Themselves) was a folk music group founded by Randy Sparks in 1963. It was intended to be a rehearsal space for The New Christy Minstrels, another group Sparks had established in 1961, but it ended up becoming successful on its own. The group released six albums and was chosen to provide entertainment at the White House in 1965. The group returned to back up Ernie Ford on a 1969 episode of “Here's Lucy.”

Bert May (Solo Dancer) made his screen debut in Ziegfeld Follies (1945) which also starred Lucille Ball. He danced in such film musicals as Kismet (1955), Li'l Abner (1959), The Music Man (1962), Bye Bye Birdie (1963), Finian's Rainbow (1968), and Hello Dolly (1969).  

May makes a big entrance into the square dance through the bank's double doors.

Sid Gould (Bellboy, uncredited) made more than 45 appearances on “The Lucy Show,” all as background characters. He also did 40 episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” Gould (born Sydney Greenfader) was Lucille Ball’s cousin by marriage to Gary Morton.

Roy Rowan (Radio Announcer, uncredited) was the off-camera announcer for every episode of “I Love Lucy” as well as “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy.” He was also the voice heard when TV or radio programs were featured on the plot of all three shows. He made a couple of on screen appearances as well.

The other square dancers at the bank hoedown are uncredited.

The episode was filmed on January 26, 1967.

This is director Maury Thompson's last time working with Lucille Ball, and the final episode filmed for season five. Thompson wanted a raise and when the word leaked out while he was on vacation, Lucille Ball decided to fire him. The season finale, “Lucy Meets Sheldon Leonard” (S5;E22) was filmed before this episode and aired out of sequence.

The very athletic dance sequence that ends the episode was staged by choreographer Jack Baker. Marl Young, who worked on both this series as well as “Here’s Lucy” wrote original square dance music especially for the show. 

This episode, like all but one from season five, and eight others from other seasons, have fallen out of copyright protection and into public domain. The result is that they have been sold on low-cost and low-quality home videos. 

On the evening this episode first aired (February 27, 1967) Keith Andes, who had played Lucy's boyfriend Bill King as well as appearing opposite Lucille Ball on Broadway in Wildcat, appeared on “The Andy Griffith Show” which followed “The Lucy Show” on CBS and was filmed at Desilu Studios. This same night, “Lucy's” lead in “Mr. Terrific” aired an episode about boxing, which was the subject of the previous week's “Lucy Show.”  

Lucy passes Mr. Mooney off as 'Josh' a good old country boy and says that back in Cedar Creek County, Mrs. Mooney was a champion hog caller, which is how she 'won' Mr. Mooney.  

Homer and his family are staying at the (fictional) Palm Garden Hotel penthouse. The Manager says “On a clear day you can see Catalina.”  This same claim was made about the Cucamonga high rise apartment in “Lucy Helps the Countess” (S4;E8). It is highly unlikely (even on a smog-free day) to be able to see Catalina from Hollywood, which is nearly sixty miles away.  Although there is currently a Palm Garden Hotel in Thousand Oaks, California, it was not built until the 1970s. The writers created the name to sound upscale.

Homer describes Lucy (in song) as “a pink haired gal.” His brother-in-law Iffie says she has hair the color of orange juice!  

When Homer and his family walk into the palatial penthouse, “The Lucy Show” feels very much like an episode of “The Beverly Hillbillies,” also seen on CBS. 

Roy Roberts (Bank President Mr. Cheever) did six episodes of "The Beverly Hillbillies” as Bank President John Cushing, a rival of banker Mr. Drysdale. It is very likely that “The Lucy Show” cast Roberts as the much-anticipated Mr. Cheever after seeing him play Cushing. Robert Easton (Iffie) appeared in both the TV series and the 1993 film adaptation of “The Beverly Hillbillies.”  

Homer says “a clear day in Los Angeles”  is a pretty rare sight! This gets a loud round of applause from the studio audience. The remarks refers to LA's smog problem. In January 1967, around the time this episode was filmed, Time Magazine devoted its cover story to air pollution with a photo of a smoggy Los Angeles front and center.

The song Homer sings at the bank hoe-down is titled “Ladies Auxiliary Barn Dance Saturday Night” which was released on the 1965 album “Meet the Back Porch Majority”. 

Callbacks!

Lucy's trusty transistor radio, seen in several previous episodes, makes yet another appearance.  

Passing herself off as Mrs. Mooney, Lucy dresses as a ‘kissin’ cousin’ of the gap-toothed hillbilly she played in the very first-aired episode of “I Love Lucy,” “The Girls Want to Go to a Nightclub” (ILL S1;E1) back in 1951.

“Tennessee Bound” (ILL S4;E14), the third appearance of 'Cousin' Ernie on “I Love Lucy” also features a square dance with Ernie Ford as the caller. This time around, Lucy is the caller.  

Fast Forward!

In November 1968, Lucille Ball appeared on “The Tennessee Ernie Ford Special” where she also blacked out her teeth for comic effect. 

Ernie Ford and The Back Porch Majority will also appear on “Here’s Lucy” in 1969.

An image from this episode was used in the photo montage on the restored DVD Season 5 box cover. 

Blooper Alerts!

Ground Plan! Lucy's desk now seems to be in the bank lobby instead of in Mr. Mooney's office. The lobby has been remodeled once again, doubtless to accommodate the hoedown scene.  

Where the Floor Ends / Shut the Door! In a long shot of the penthouse, the camera reveals where the edge of the wall-to-wall carpeting meets the cement soundstage floor. Ernie forgets to shut the front door completely after admitting Lucy and ‘Josh’ (Mr. Mooney). After the scene is over and Lucy and ‘Josh’ are about to leave, perfectionist Lucille Ball actually shuts the door first, before opening it to leave!  

“Lucy and Tennessee Ernie Ford” rates 4 Paper Hearts out of 5

At Long Last Love

Watch At Long Last Love

At Long Last Love: This film was Peter Bogdanovich s homage to musical comedies of the 1930s. A millionaire named Michael Oliver Pritchard III and a singer named Kitty O Kelly meet and fall in love. Meanwhile, an indigent woman named Brooke Carter and an Italian gambler named Johnny Spanish meet and fall in love. All four people meet each other and become friends…

Watch Hello, Dolly!

Hello, Dolly!: A matchmaker named Dolly Levi takes a trip to Yonkers, New York to see the “well-known unmarried half-a-millionaire,” Horace Vandergelder…

Genres:-Comedy,Romance,Musical,Family

Actors:-Barbra Streisand,Bart Williams,Bern Hoffman,Bert May,Billy Bletcher,Charles Lampkin,Charles Wagenheim,Clay Tanner,David Hurst,Eddie Quillan,EJ Peaker,Fritz Feld,Guy…

At Long Last Love

Watch At Long Last Love

At Long Last Love: This film was Peter Bogdanovich s homage to musical comedies of the 1930s. A millionaire named Michael Oliver Pritchard III and a singer named Kitty O Kelly meet and fall in love. Meanwhile, an indigent woman named Brooke Carter and an Italian gambler named Johnny Spanish meet and fall in love. All four people meet each other and become friends…

Watch Hello, Dolly!

Hello, Dolly!: A matchmaker named Dolly Levi takes a trip to Yonkers, New York to see the “well-known unmarried half-a-millionaire,” Horace Vandergelder…

Genres:-Comedy,Romance,Musical,Family

Actors:-Barbra Streisand,Bart Williams,Bern Hoffman,Bert May,Billy Bletcher,Charles Lampkin,Charles Wagenheim,Clay Tanner,David Hurst,Eddie Quillan,EJ Peaker,Fritz Feld,Guy…