Definitely deliberate. Lucy's attention to detail, mentioned here, is the deciding factor for me. It simply would not have happened unrehearsed and remained on the final cut.
I looked up the scene. It happens so fast that I think it was unplanned. If it was an intended sight gag, I would have expected it to be slower, involve one shoe, and for her to play it up for those who might have missed it on their tiny TV sets. Remember, we have the benefit of technology to help us analyze it, but back then it was one and done. So my vote is HUGE unplanned blooper.
I think you might be right, Rick. I was thinking that silk stockings and shoes, maybe a size too big, would probably slip off for sure. But there has been some adlibbing on another episode that would counter the theory that everything was rehearsed. When Ricky and Fred were preparing dinner, arroz con pollo, ( chicken with rice) as the rice boiled over, Ricky slipped and fell, which brought much laughter from the studio audience. Upon realizing it was good for laughs, Desi purposely fell a couple more times. Anyway, Stay safe Rick!
Well there’s a difference between ad libbing and coming up with jokes on the fly during the course of an episode vs accidentally falling and mentioning something to recover and get back on script. I see what you’re saying though. Plus it was more of a physical stunt and Desi was great physically at comedy too 😀
I remember them flying off. It was soooo funny. I can also relate to having eyes dilated, being near sighted myself. Yes! Fred in that coat. LOL!!!! This one and Lucy Raises Chickens dance scene will cheer me up after a bad day.
I think the shoes coming off was definitely deliberate. I never noticed before. Lucy would have worn different shoes if she did not want this to happen. Season 3 is my favorite season and this episode is definitely one of my favorites 😀!
That's my FAV episode! Watched it so many times that I thought myself that dance. LOL!! But honestly never noticed that the shoes came off. HaHa! Love it when Fred says, "Come on Ethel. Let's us cats creep on outta here." HAHAHAHA!!!
As many of you agree with Rick’s analysis. I also agree. Many of the old actors that performed dancing routines ... obviously had to rehearse over and over. The movie stars (Fred & Ginger) were known to rehearse & be able to get a perfect performance in one attempt. (Although they didn’t need to). There was editing etc. However Lucille didn’t have that luxury. They had to get it perfect in one take. (Remember too that this was many years before The Carol Burnett Show). In the end. I agree Rick. Great job.
Rick, I'm unlcear. I'm going with an accidental/plan. If Lucy was a stickler on perfection, perhaps they ran short on time during production/filming day. So, the shoe comes off, it gets a laugh, so whereas #1 was an accident, #2 was on purpose. Lucy thinks on her "feet" so perhaps she thought she could make it work if she shook the other shoe loose, then off. Either way, it's a great scene.
Please do a vid on why william frawley shakes! (Purported alcoholism) OR the episode when they go to the laundromat and lucy gets sucked into the starch machine - the audience laughed so hard, Lucy and desi had to say their lines again to be heard! (Also when the worker goes to reach for the crowbar mounted on the wall while lucys in the laundry bag, she didnt know it had fallen on the ground so she was lookin for it and they kept that take)
It's called delirium tremens. Or DTS. He was a problematic alcoholic and Desi threatened he would be fired if he kept coming on set drunk and forgetting lines. So he actually quit and the result were his hands trembled.
Rick, I love how you dissect these episodes in great detail; kinda like The Mad Scientist in his laboratory. 😁 Also, congratulations on hitting 98K sub's! We're getting so close! Be hopeful, Paul
I remember this episode! At first, I thought it was accidental Lucy's shoe fell off. Now, I'm having my doubts. I wasn't aware both her shoes fell off! So yeah, this could very well have been a pre-planned gag. It had me cracking up!
It’s definitely great news. I’m so happy about it bc many channels cannot say the same reaching these milestones. I’m so thankful for the support and everyone who got me here
I think that this was unplanned. I'm sure Lucy probably reheased this scene to death, but probably not in costume. To the best of my knowledge, Desilu production did not do a dress rehearsal like they do now, so Lucy probably had her own shoes on during the rehearsal and put on different shoes for her costume. I think her shoes flying off at the end of the scene was a happy accident, and since it didn't hurt the story, it was left in. Desilu rarely did retakes because they were cheap, and the cast could almost always recover from a mistake by continuing through a scene as best they could because they were all professionals. I've never noticed this scene before and really enjoyed it. Thanks and good catch.
Rick, you are a wonder! I thought I knew everything about "Lucy" episodes but you constantly amaze me with these little bits of trivia I missed. Such a blessing to have you in these nightmarish times we're in. Have a Spooktackular weekend and thanks for taking my mind off my problems!!!
100% Planned! As you mentioned, they rehearsed ad nauseam and never left anything to chance. The pace and timing of this show were consistently amazing throughout the years of production and there was no room for error. The very fact we question whether deliberate or accidental is certainly a testament to Lucille Ball's physical comedic brilliance. They easily could have wardrobed her in sneakers but instead opted for the pair of flats she wore. This is one of my top 5 favorite episodes!
Well I have seen this episode many times. I never paid attention to if the shoe coming off was for comedy or accidental. It just happened I laughed it was funny that was it. I didn't know that both of her shoes came off I'm going to have to really really look and see that part of the episode. I'm going to agree with you that if both shoes came off then yes it was done on purpose. And I've read as well as hearing from you many times that they rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed so nothing was left to chance. So great strategic comedy move on their part about the flying shoes. And an extra little note maybe you knew already Rick, but pink at Walsh was an actual real name and that is the real person. Sometimes when these people pop up on different shows I have to research it and ask this a real person or just somebody made up to being that part but King Kat Walsh is actually or was actually a real person. Thanks again Rick and of course love your videos and love the Lucy ones.❤❤🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃
Excellent video. I agree with your analysis; it was indeed planned and it clearly demonstrates Lucille Ball's comedic skills. Thank you for a great video and for all your hard work.
We will Never know but my thought is, maybe they rehearsed with those shoes but NOT the silk stockings. The shoes interior would have been much more slippery with the stockings . Maybe she rehearsed without and without thinking put them on for the show. Or maybe she did it on purpose to make losing the shoes easier ! Who knows ! She was a prop genius and Vivian dreaded working with props
Lucy's shoe fell off before during the Star Upstairs too; accidental is my thought; Lucy wore these ballet type shoes often to keep her height look shorter than Ricky's. Great video topic to share Rick!
Accident. They may have meticulously planned for them to stay on (not something you really plan for, just that it didn’t occur to them to have them come off), but it certainly could have happened anyway (as it did). And as for shoes “designed “ to come off, think about what women wore then. No lace up shoes or sneakers to be secure. It was either heels or flats. She knew she’d be physical in the scene so she chose flats. Heels would have been more likely to come off, so this was not the intent. There was no forethought, the flats just came off. In fact I’m sure the guy was more vigorous in the actual take than the walk through, so it was unexpected. .
Given your well thought out analysis, I think the flying shoe was accidental in rehearsal then as you said, the director and actors predicted the laughability factor and kept the bit in. Wise move and an even wiser observation on your part! Fred would be proud!
Ensuring the audience would understand how wild Lucy's dancing was. You could feed that to your audience having her shoes thrown. And that would give the audience that understanding. It was crazy man! 🤣
The shoes that Lucy wears for the actual performance at the club are saddle shoes. They are part of the authentic costume of the Jitterbug dance and they won't fly off because they are tied on. The slipper-like shoes that she wears for practice will fly off because she is totally relaxed when Kin Cat throws her around. The shoes flew off in the practice of the scene and Lucy liked the effect. It added to the comedy and so they kept those shoes for that purpose of the effect. The tossing of Lucy was not in the final performance of the Jitterbug. Even that tossing of Lucy was for the effect of the comedy because it is kind of a crazy, fun move.
@@ricknineg I'm not a shoe expert either. But I looked at what she was wearing in the final performance where she couldn't see as well as the rehearsal in the club and both times she is wearing the saddle shoes. That whole tossing move was all about the laughs while the club rehearsal was all about the wonderful dancing. I was always grateful that we got to see her and King-Cat do it impeccably because it was all about the laughs in the final performance. Thanks for responding. It was fun to think it through.
I know this isn't the point but I love the fact that in all the stills the instructor is clear and Lucy is completely blurry because of him throwing her around!! 🤣🤣🤣
In the aforementioned episode "Lucy has her eyes examined", I thought Lucy's shoe 👞 flew off by accident. During rehearsals, the shoe could have stayed on, highly doubtful. BUT, what makes the scenes funnier is the reaction of the audience's roar of laughter and then the loss of the second shoe 👞. This is in response to your comment Rick, about no ad libbing. During the episode when the girls get jobs at the candy factory, and the guys stay home to cook and clean, Ricky is making Arroz con Pollo. He decides 1 pound of rice per person is plenty. While the rice is cooking, it boils out of the pot, onto the floor. The guys start scooping it up and dumping it in the sink and at one point, Ricky slipped on the rice and fell on the floor. I'm sure you will watch the episode to see what happens!!
Wow! I never noticed that! Thanks Rick! I believe you are correct. Upon further review she had to have worn those shoes because she knew they would fall off! Compare those shoes to the ones she wore at the club performance! They weren’t coming off!!
I think it could be either or. Maybe even both. Might have been when the first one flew off that she realized it added humor and so let the other one fly. It reminds of the early episode where she thinks Ricky is trying to kill her and is wearing the trash can lid to protect her backside and she clearly unties it and let's drop as she whirls around. I love the way she looks down at as if surprised and does that funny little jump.
i agree, the first time I watched it I was sure it was an accident, but both shoes coming off has to be planned and with the show's attention to detail they would have to have known it was possible for a shoe to come off
Hey Rick, you convinced me, at first I thought how can you get a shoe to fly off on cue? After listening to you I realized that they would have figured out a way!!! Today is a good day, it was 2 months ago today that my car got totaled & yesterday I got my new car & my minor injury is healed!!! 🎃
It was intentional...She was wearing slip on shoes. To prevent them from flying off her feet, the shoes would have had straps. In fact I think I've seen her wear flats with straps in some other episodes.
I agree, deliberately. But, what I find the most interesting is that you Rick say my last name at 2:42 in the video. You are describing how Lucy is swung around. "He began to Swisher to his left...". It's not everyday I hear my name mentioned in a video on RU-vid. Even if it isn't in the correct context.
Rick i noticed another blooper in the episode ricky has labor pains its the scene that takes place invthe bedroom ricky is in lucys bed as usually lucy sleeps by the closet and the portraits on the wall have a guy over rickys bed and a lady over lucys bed .this one you may have missed😊
I think maybe the shoe flew off during a rehearsal, and Ms Ball realized everyone found it funny, so she put it into the final cut with both flying off.
Never for all the thousands of this episode that I've watched since 1964 did I notice the shoe(s) come off. I, we're too focused on the great music and dancing. So very good observation. However even though on your second review that 2 slippers came off is an indicator that it was planned, it isn't true that they didn't allow for mistakes. I read somewhere that for money reasons and other the director would not refilm.
I like the idea it was accidentally on purpose where it did happen accidentally during rehearsal and they thought “this is perfect lets keep it”. But there are a few things in shows that could go either way and i don’t consider them bloopers cause slip ups happen naturally even like when she said in Hollywood “I vanced with Van Johnson” it’s easy to misspeak so whether it happened for real or was scripted it’s something natural
Yes I'm thinking she done it on purpose..she is very slapstick..something like a shoe flying off to get the additional laughs..sounds like Lucy..thanks Rick ..makes ya think lol
BOTH shoes fly off. You keep mentioning A SINGLE SHOE. but both shoes go flying. Its one of my favorite parts. Definitely on purpose. They slipped right off which means in one of the many rehearsals, they would've flown off too. She's known for doing sight gags that are blink and you'll miss it. In the operetta, when she's the witch talking to ethel onstage she "accidentally" sits on her tambourine and makes a face before moving it. But Ethel was doing something so you would be looking at her and might've missed lucy
Sorry to point out your mistake, Rick, but they didn’t change Bill Parker’s name. Ricky’s simply says he’ll introduce him to Lucy as an old friend and not mention that he’s in show business. Watch the episode and listen carefully.
I think the first shoe was an accident, the second was possibly not, just like in the episode Job switching where Ricky accidentally fell, and he continued to fall over and over because it was funny. If it was intentional, the cameramen would likely show a close up of the shoe and the shoe would be visible to the viewer.
I enjoyed this video and just happened to watch it this week. I agree it was probably planned. She frequently wore these flat shoes throughout the whole series, especially when she was in a scene with Ricky. Do you think this had to do with her height?
I read that Desi wore lifts in his shoes because of the height difference, but I am not sure how much taller Lucy is than Desi. Does anyone know the answer?
Even though the show was filmed in front of a live studio audience, I’m sure they had to stop the action at certain times. If this was not planned and truly a mistake, I would think the director would have yelled “CUT!” and they would have re-shot the scene over again. . However, it might have been done more for the live audience than the viewers watching at home. Remember TV screens were small back then and most people would not have noticed the sight gag, as evidenced here in the comments. Just a thought.
oh I definitely think that it was planned. I laughed at this episode and knowing Lucille Ball as being a perfectionist, I think that it was part of it and it was planned that her shoes would fly off. My opinion 🤷❤️
I understand that the famous scene where Lucy is trying to hide her identity from William Holden by using a prosthetic nose (because she had an embarrassing episode with him at the Brown Derby). The nose got lit up by a cigarette accidentally but she continued with the scene anyway. That showed her comedic chops.
Her nose being lit was not accidental, it was planned and part of the script. Her dipping the nose after pulling it off was the plan, but instead, she dipped her nose while it was still attached to her face. That was a bit ad-libbed
Also, now that you mention it and have freeze frames - look at Lucy's feet and see how they look pretty dirty! This wouldn't be a hygiene thing, but if you've ever noticed actors that have been walking around on a dusty soundstage barefoot their feet are almost always very dirty from all the floors!
Ive been finding bloopers in The Lucy Show, and I found one in season 1 episode 3 where Lucille Ball's "director chair thingy" ( I don't know what they're called) in the far back on the left at 11:46 in that episode. It said Lucy on it, and I don't think it was supposed to be there. :)
We are all grateful to you, Rick, for all the info you share with us I am also happy you and your girlfriend were able to visit Jamestown. My mom and I attended the birthday festival weekend several years ago and we even stayed an extra day. So much to see and do and people to meet (Ric Wyman, Robert Osborne, Carole Cook, Dann Cahn, and many others. We had planned to make a return journey but my mom became I'll and we had to cancel. I will ALWAYS have very fond memories of sharing the festival with my mom who will always be my very best friend. Whenever I need to laugh, you can guess what DVDS I watch. OF COURSE, I ♥️ LUCY 👍🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂 .
Whenever Lucy mentioned Jamestown I would think to myself how much I wanted to go there. The journey came to be...I am from Oneonta ( O knee on ta ), about 30 minutes from Cooperstown and the Baseball Hall ⚾️f Fame. 🙂
