Ginger Rogers 1940-1949

Kitty Foyle - 1940

Tom, Dick and Harry - 1941

The Major and the Minor - 1942

Once Upon a Honeymoon - 1942

Tender Comrade - 1943

I'll Be Seeing You - 1944

Week-end at the Waldorf - 1945

Heartbeat - 1946

It Had to be You - 1947

Ruth Hussey got her start in film in 1937 when she was scouted by MGM while performing in her touring theater group. Before Hussey had even landed the job in the theater company, Hussey had already secured a degree in philosophy and continued her studies at the Michigan school of Drama and become an in-demand model and a radio personality in New York City. Maybe the intelligent and sophisticated characters Hussey so often played weren’t too far afield of the real person playing them.

The parts came quickly at MGM–though mostly small or supporting. That is, until 1940. With 15 credited roles already under her belt, Hussey was cast as Liz Imbrie in The Philadelphia Story (1940). Imbrie is a quick-witted, big-city photographer and the long-suffering girl friday to James Stewart’s dispirited reporter Macauley Connor. For her performance, Hussey was nominated for an Academy Award and more prominent roles flowed in for the rest of the decade.

One Sheet for Tender Comrade (1943)

S4;E11 ~ November 22, 1971

Directed by Coby Ruskin ~ Written by Bob Carroll Jr. and Madelyn Davis

Synopsis

Ginger Rogers leaves her purse in a movie theatre where she's gone incognito to see one of her films for the first time. Lucy and Harry discover the purse and hope to get to meet the star in person by inviting her to tea.

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter), Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter)  

Guest Cast

Ginger Rogers (Herself) was born Virginia Katherine McMath in Independence, Missouri on July 16, 1911, just one month before Lucille Ball.  As a singing and dancing actor, Rogers was mainly know for her partnership with fellow singer / dancer Fred Astaire in ten films. It was said that “Ginger did everything that Fred did, except backwards – and in heels!” During the 1930's Lucille Ball did five films with Rogers, whom she considered a mentor.  By the 1970s Rogers had entered semi-retirement.  Lucie Arnaz has said that Rogers may have been a distant cousin of Lucille Ball's.  She won an Oscar in 1940 for Kitty Foyle, a rare dramatic role. Rogers died in 1995.  

William Lanteau (Spike, Ginger Rogers' Secretary) first appeared with Lucille Ball in The Facts of Life (1960). In addition to an episode of “The Lucy Show,” Lanteau did four episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”  He is best remembered for playing Charlie the Mailman in the play and the film On Golden Pond (1981).

Lanteau wears a toupee and eyeglasses for the role. 

Shirley Anthony (Theatre Patron, uncredited) makes her second screen appearance and the first of her 13 episodes of “Here's Lucy.”  

Anthony is sitting in the first row on the far left.  

Joan Carey (Theatre Patron, uncredited) is one of the few performers to appear on “I Love Lucy,” “The Lucy Show”, and “Here’s Lucy.” She also served as Lucille Ball’s camera and lighting stand-in. 

Carey is sitting in the first row on the left aisle. 

Bob Harks (Theatre Patron, uncredited) Extra, stand-in, and double Bob Harks was born on September 20, 1927. Harks appeared in his first film in 1968 and was seen in the background of Mame (1974). In 1970 he popped up on his first television show and was seen in more than a dozen episodes of “Here's Lucy.” He died at age 83 in 2010.

Harks is sitting in the third row on the second seat from the right aisle. 

Eugene Jackson (Theatre Patron, uncredited) gained fame as Farina’s older brother, Pineapple, in six of Hal Roach’s “Our Gang” serials (1924-25). He appeared with Lucille Ball in the 1963 film Critic’s Choice as well as an episode of “The Lucy Show.”  He was seen in a previous episode of “Here’s Lucy” guest-starring Sammy Davis Jr.

Jackson is sitting in the last row on the right, third seat from the aisle. 

Victor Romito (Theatre Patron, uncredited) was seen as the Bartender in “Lucy Meets John Wayne” (TLS S5;E10). He also appeared in four episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”  Romito was an extra in the 1960 Lucille Ball / Bob Hope film Critic’s Choice.

Romito is sitting in the third row on the left aisle. 

The other Theatre Patrons are played by uncredited background performers.

This episode was filmed without an audience due to an imminent actor strike. As a result, the canned laugh track is noticeably missing Gary Morton's usual loud guffaws. The episode was filmed in mid-July 1971 with only two days of rehearsal as Lucille Ball wanted to make sure it was completed before the strike. The strike was averted when the Actors Guild signed a three-year contract on July 14, 1971.

During the 1930s, newcomer Lucille Ball was coached by Ginger Rogers' mother, Lela, at the little theatre on the RKO lot. Inspired by this Lucy also mentored young actors at a little theatre when she bought the studio for Desilu.

At the start of the episode, Harry is looking to hire party staff for an (unseen) client named Mrs. Metcalf.  Metcalf was the surname given to the Fire Department Captain played by Patrick McVey in “Lucy and Viv are Volunteer Firemen” (TLS S1;E16), also written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll Jr. 

Instead of working late, Lucy tells Harry that she wants to go to a Ginger Rogers Film Festival. They are showing Tender Comrade (1943) and Flying Down To Rio (1933), two films made at RKO, which eventually became Desilu.  

Lucy claims to be Ginger Rogers' biggest fan alive, seeing every picture she's ever made, some of them several times. This is a claim made by Lucy Carter about most celebrities, as well as by Lucy Ricardo and Lucy Carmichael.

In the office, Harry and Lucy improvise singing and dancing to “Cheek to Cheek” a song written by Irving Berlin in 1935 for the Fred Astaire / Ginger Rogers movie Top Hat.

Trying to impugn the taste in films of the mystery woman (a disguised Ginger Rogers), Lucy tells her to try back next week and they might be showing Beach Blanket Bingo.  This was the fourth of the light comic films set on the California beach starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello.  It was released in 1965. Two years later, Avalon appeared (not as himself) in “Lucy and the Starmaker” (TLS S6;E4).  He will also play himself on “Here’s Lucy” in 1973.  

According to the hotel key in her purse, Ginger Rogers is staying at the Bel-Air Hotel.  This is probably meant to be the Hotel Bel-Air, located just outside Beverly Hills and Westwood. Hotel Bel-Air has regularly housed celebrities including Robert Wagner, Judy Garland, Bette Davis, Lauren Bacall, Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Jimmy Stewart, Audrey Hepburn, and Grace Kelly, who frequented the hotel so regularly she had a suite named after her. 

Rogers tells Lucy she has done 73 movies. Rattling off some of Rogers' hits, Lucy adds a sugar cube to Ginger's tea for each title: Top Hat, Roberta, Flying Down To Rio, Follow the Fleet, Shall We Dance, and The Barkleys of Broadway. When Lucy realizes she's put six lumps of sugar in Ginger's tea, Rogers says she only wanted Top Hat and Roberta (two lumps).  

Rogers mentions having a meeting with David Merrick to discuss starring in his new musical. In August 1966 Rogers had taken over the role of Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly! on Broadway produced by David Merrick.  

When Kim returns with photos of Ginger Rogers for the star to sign, she accidentally grabbed a photo of Lassie. Canine star Lassie was the hero of both movies and television. Lassie was first mentioned by Lucy Ricardo in “The Young Fans” (ILL S1;E20) twenty years earlier.  The dog made an appearance in “The Desilu Revue” in 1959. 

Kim, Lucy and Ginger Rogers all dance the Charleston in this episode. Lucy reminds Rogers that she was the Texas State Charleston champion.  A portion of the dance routine was originally choreographed for Lucie Arnaz by Jim Bates on “The Kraft Music Hall” which aired on NBC on February 4, 1970.  It also starred Desi Sr. and Jr. (above).  Bates had taken over for choreographer Jack Baker on “Here's Lucy.”    

After dancing the Charleston with Lucy and Kim, Lucy asks Rogers to do a scene from Kitty Foyle, Ginger’s Oscar-winning role.  Rogers graciously declines, asking Lucy to become a Katherine Hepburn fan instead!

In “The Dancing Star” (ILL S4;E27) Lucy Ricardo got to dance with another one of her idols, Van Johnson.  Johnson and Ginger Rogers had starred together in 1945's Week-End at the Waldorf.  Irving Bacon (who played Ethel’s father, Will Potter) was also in the MGM film.

I Had A Dream!  The passage of time while the theatre patrons are watching Flying Down To Rio is marked by the use of a wavy screen and harp glissando, techniques that usually indicate a dream sequence, not the mere passage of time.

Where Do I Live? Lucy gives her home address as 4863 Valley Lawn Drive. Both Harry and Lucy have given this address as their own in previous episodes.

"Ginger Rogers Comes to Tea” rates 4 Paper Hearts out of 5

Ginger Rogers shows just what a good actress she was here, despite just two days rehearsal.  Not having a studio audience didn’t bother Ginger, who was at home on a closed set.  William Lanteau (Spike) creates an interesting secretary character - borderline gay but never over-the-top (except for that bad toupee).  Although many might site the dance sequence with Lucy and Lucie as the highlight, I prefer watching Ginger Rogers the actress - especially in her disguise at the film festival!