SHAKESPEARE

Synopsis

Television sitcom. When Lucy learns that Orson
Welles is doing a benefit show at Ricky’s club, she desperately wants to act the role of Juliet to Welles’s Romeo. Ricky doesn’t want Lucy to have the job so he suggests a vacation to Florida. Before the trip Lucy stops at Macys to buy skin-diving gear; there she sees Welles autographing his new recording of Shakespeare readings. They start talking and misunderstandings ensue. Later, at Club Babalu, Welles and Ricky discuss the show. Lucy enters and recites lines from a Juliet soliloquy very badly. Welles explains that he is to perform as a magician but Lucy tells him ‘he is the greatest Shakespearean actor who ever lived’. Welles delivers some lines as Romeo but Lucy forgets her lines and misses cues. Welles decides to stick with the magic act and and Lucy ends as a ‘levitating assistant’ screaming ‘Romeo, Romeo, get me down from here Romeo’.

Series

I Love Lucy

Language

English

Country

United States

Medium

Television

Recording date

14 Jun 1956

Transmission details

15 Oct 1956 (Channel: CBS)

Duration

30 mins

Credits

Director

James V. Kern

Writer

Bob Carroll; Bob Schiller; Bob Weiskopft; Madelyn Martin

Cast

Orson Welles	Himself (Romeo)
Lucille Ball	Lucy Ricardo (Juliet)
Desi Arnaz	Ricky Ricardo
Ellen Corby	Miss Hanna, Lucy’s teacher
Vivian Vance	Ethel Mertz

Additional Details

Production type

Sitcoms/Variety

Plays

Romeo and Juliet

Keywords

Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

Notes

Bart Andrews, The "I Love Lucy" Book (NY: Doubleday, 1976), p.186 notes that The
show originally contained scenes of Vivian Vance playing Cleopatra to Welles’s Julius Caesar, and Lucy sparring with the Shakespearean master
as Juliet and Lady Macbeth, but for some unknown reason these sequences did not make their way into the final print.

General

`Orson Welles appearance in this episode was at Lucy’s insistence. Welles, whose career had taken a nose dive by this time, was down on his luck so he was camping out in the Arnazes guest cottage. Notorious for his drinking and obnoxiously crude behavior ... Lucille had to find a way to get rid of her unwanted guest... Lucille decided to have this show written for him, so she could pay him salary for the appearance and he’d have money to get a place of his own’ [www.tv.com].

History

Episode 156. 6th season. Available on video as part of I LOVE LUCY: THE COMPLETE SIXTH SEASON.

Reviews

Anderegg, Michael. Orson Welles, Shakespeare and Popular Culture (New York: Culumbia IP, 1999) 3-4.

Production Company

Name

Desilu Productions

Archive

Name

Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting & Recorded Sound Division

Web

http://catalog.loc.gov/ External site opens in new window

Phone

(20) 707-8572

Fax

(20) 707-237’1

Address

Motion Picture & Television Reading Room
James Madison Building, LM 336
101 Independence Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C.
20540-4690
United States

Online Retailer

Name

amazon.com

Web

http://www.amazon.com External site opens in new window