Trivia / The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour

• Creator Backlash:
  • The writers openly admitted that this series wasn’t nearly as good as the half-hour incarnation, as it proved far more difficult to write and sustain laughs over a longer timeslot.
  • As detailed below, Lucille Ball had such a miserable and difficult time working with Tallulah Bankhead that it was hard for her to rewatch that episode in later years.
• Executive Meddling: Or sponsor meddling in this case. Desilu’s contract with Westinghouse severely limited the celebrities they could barter appearances with, meaning Lucy and Desi weren’t always able to get the guest stars they truly wanted.
• Hostility on the Set:
  • The deteriorating marriage of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz grew to be unbearable by the end of the run, with neither of them speaking to each other and instead conveying messages exclusively through the director or assistants. Ball filed for divorce almost immediately after filming of the last episode was completed.
  • Tallulah Bankhead proved to be one of the most difficult guest stars the show ever dealt with. Though specific details vary, all accounts claim Bankhead hated rehearsing, which caused tension with "rehearsaholic" Lucille Ball. Any attempts Ball made to direct Bankhead were met with blowups, and at one point Bankhead actually stripped in front of the cast and crew while backstage. Her pitch-perfect performance on filming night caught everyone off guard, especially Ball, who was so unnerved that she had to retake a few scenes (a true rarity). It was later discovered that Bankhead had a reputation for acting up during rehearsals in order to throw other cast members off balance come shooting, thus giving her the upper hand. It is said that her "mopping the floor" with the regulars changed Ball's tactic of dealing with guest stars, and has been offered as explanation for her far stricter treatment of guests on her subsequent sitcoms.
• Reality Subtext: Lucy and Desi's relationship was truly falling apart during the filming of the final episodes. This is said to be evident in the Japan episode, where Lucy's eyes appear to be unaccountably red and teary. Their arguing was also said to be the reason why the Studio Audience was eliminated in favor of a Laugh Track (something that Desilu sitcoms, before and after, made a point of avoiding).
• What Could Have Been:
  • Desi Arnaz had wanted to turn I Love Lucy into an hour-long series several years before it ultimately happened.
  • “The Celebrity Next Door” was originally conceived for Bette Davis and Gary Merrill, but that plan was scuttled after Davis sustained a back injury. The script was then retooled for Bankhead, with Winslow the butler taking over the role Merrill would’ve played.
• You Look Familiar:
  • Elvia Allman, who played Ida Thompson in “The Celebrity Next Door”, previously appeared on I Love Lucy several times, most notably as the chocolate factory forewoman in the famous “Job Switching” episode.
  • Gale Gordon, who played the judge in “Lucy Makes Room For Danny”, previously played Ricky’s boss, Alvin Littlefield, in two episodes of I Love Lucy.

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