I Love Lucy: Lucy is Jealous of Girl Singer

Not feeling well today, so I apologize for this being late or not up to usual standards.

I Love Lucy: Lucy Is Jealous of Girl Singer

Originally broadcast on CBS on Monday, December 17, 1951 at 9 PM ET.

Plot: Lucy is worried she is losing Ricky to a girl singer at the club after reading a publicity article in the paper.

Analysis: This particular episode does not really pick up steam until the end, but the final scenes in the club are a scream. But then again, that is par for the course for Lucy and Desi and speaks well of their ability to play off of each other.

A note on image quality: some scenes may look a little soft but that is because for syndication, some cuts were usually made either to cut advertisements or for run time. The DVD has restored the edits, but they are noticeable.

Also of note for those of you who have I Love Lucy: The Complete Series set: there is a special Phillip Morris Christmas ad hidden as an Easter Egg on the bonus disc of the set. It’s under the “I Love Lucy” heart when the menu screen for the On-Screen Ad during the premiere episode and it originally ran between the end of the nightclub scene and the coda in the Ricardos’ bedroom. It is actually a nice way to see how the ads originally fit into the episodes, making it worth seeking out just for that. It should also be included on the I Love Lucy: The Movie DVD, since it is the same disc, but I do not have the single release, so I hope someone who does can confirm this.

The Bottom Line: It’s Lucy, it’s funny and it’s a classic. Hate to be so succinct, but with a show like this, it really has just about been covered.

The episode itself can be found on I Love Lucy: The Complete First Season (http://www.amazon.com/Love-Lucy-Complete....98759503&sr=1-3), but to be sure to get everything I was talking about (episode and commercial), you will probably need I Love Lucy: The Complete Series (http://www.amazon.com/I-Love-Lucy-Comple....98759503&sr=1-1). That is, of course, unless someone out there has the I Love Lucy movie DVD and can confirm my suspicions.

Next time, another ride with The Cisco Kid.

Racket Squad: The Salted Mine

Racket Squad: The Salted Mine

Originally broadcast on Thursday, November 15, 1951 at 10 PM ET on CBS.

Plot: Captain Braddock assists an old friend in proving his mining claim has been tampered with.

Analysis: Got a lot to cover here, so be patient please.

Racket Squad is a detective crime drama purely designed for television. The show started in 1950 with a syndication run before being picked up by CBS in June of 1951. Like with I Love Lucy, the show was sponsored by tobacco manufacturer Phillip Morris and also like Lucy, Racket Squad was later run in syndication with the Morris sponsor ads cut out. I believe this is why we jump directly into the action, since a pack of Phillip Morris is traditionally on the desk at the start of the episode, so to avoid any chance of seeing the pack, the producers of the DVD set opted to have a generic opening for Racket Squad in the start up of the disc and the individual episodes start with Braddock’s narration. This is also why the show irises out into the closing credits at the end, to hide the edit of the sponsor spots.

Captain Braddock is played by Reed Hadley, best known for his narration in a variety of documentaries and radio dramas. For the documentaries, he did work for the United States Department of Defense while for radio, he was most notable in the Red Ryder show.

Of note in this episode is the performance of Percy Helton, playing Dad Miller. He is one of those character actors a lot of people have seen or know the voice but have a difficult time placing. The one place I can point to at the moment where most people would know him from is his uncredited role as the drunken Santa Edmund Gwenn has to replace in Miracle on 34th Street. He has a number of character guest shots on television ahead of him and I will point them out as they come up.

Now, to the episode, where we have some good news and some bad news. Good news first: the plot is actually a good paced mystery working with the law trying to solve the puzzle, where, if the audience is quick enough, they can pick up the clues and figure it out at the same time. Now, the bad news: the quality of the print I have is not great, shifting from grainy to dark to a degree of pixilation in some of the scenes. It is not intolerable, but noticeable, so be warned in advance not to expect a high quality product. On the other hand, shows like Racket Squad are probably not high on the list of getting restored and major releases, so we make do with the tools that we have.

The Bottom Line: If you can stomach the image quality issues and the loss of the opening, the episode itself is an enjoyable watch, clearly in the vein of later shows like Dragnet. Given I personally love shows like this, I give it a thumbs up, just qualified with the issues outlined.

You can find The Salted Mine included with nine other episodes of Racket Squad in the Racket Squad set produced by Timeless Media Group (http://www.amazon.com/Racket-Squad/dp/B0....98751942&sr=1-2). Prices vary depending on where you do you shopping, but you are very unlikely to find it in stores, so keep your searches to the Internet.

Next time, more laughs with Lucy.

The Cisco Kid: Hidden Valley

The Cisco Kid: Hidden Valley

Originally broadcast in first-run syndication on Tuesday, December 11, 1951.

Plot: Cisco and Pancho are lured into a hidden valley stronghold run by former pirates and must fight to escape with their lives.

Analysis: This is a really nice combination of mystery and adventure in this episode, from wondering what exactly is going on early in the plot to some very nice fights and stunt work later on. Only complaints I honestly have is it does seem that this episode was re-edited from its original broadcast as there are some awkward and confusing cuts that make it a little difficult to track what is going on. That and I really doubt anyone building a stronghold in a valley is going to be stupid enough to build defensive walls low enough for anyone to climb over. Does kind of ruin the idea of suspense during some of the later scenes in the show.

As always, the episode is in color but was broadcast in black and white. In order to recreate a semblance of the original broadcast, simply turn down the color on your television and there you have it in glorious black and white… and heavy shadows especially in the beginning.

The Bottom Line: In terms of action, this episode is top flight and the plot is interesting, but it seems somewhat undone by the possible edits. It is worth a look if you want to draw your own conclusions since the overall show is certainly enough to keep your attention for a half hour or so.

Hidden Valley is included with nineteen other episodes on The Cisco Kid: Collection 3 (http://www.amazon.com/Cisco-Kid-Collecti....98156976&sr=1-5). Prices vary, so be sure to shop around.

Next time, we will backtrack to add in a new crime drama.

Meet the Press: Guest Congressman John F. Kennedy (D-MA)

Meet the Press: Guest Congressman John F. Kennedy (D-MA)

Originally broadcast on NBC on Sunday, December 2, 1951 at 9 AM ET.

Plot: Four journalists have a question and answer session with the congressman.

Analysis: First, a confession. I do not actually have this program on DVD given the DVD, while available, is prohibitively expensive. Given it is available and the clip I was able to view matches what I downloaded on iTunes, I feel comfortable reviewing it this way in the interest of saving some money.

Second, does this not breach the politics rule? Yes, yes it does, but I had initiated the “no-politics” rule in the interest of keeping partisan politics from poisoning the blog. Given that this is just a straight discussion of the issues of the day and I can use this to have a civil discussion and historical analysis of what is going on in the world, to say nothing of a snapshot of a very famous individual, I just could not resist including this.

So, bottom line – if this lays an egg, I will call it a failed experiment and move on, never attempting it again. If, on the other hand, this is successful and does show how politics are covered in the early days of television, I will certainly do more Meet the Press and see what I can do about other television shows involving politics.

Some context for the interview: the 1952 elections were just under a year away with control of both the Presidency and Congress on the line, something the Democrats had had control over for twenty years, since the election of Franklin Roosevelt. Also, as previous Special Comments has covered, this was also a period of rising tensions due to the fear of infiltration of the United States government by members of the Communist Party. I will be discussing all of this in Special Comments at the end of the 1951 calendar year.

And finally, we have the congressman from Massachusetts, John F. Kennedy.

You may have heard of him.

All kidding aside, at this point in his career, Kennedy was 34 years old and had been in the United States House of Representatives since the 1946 elections following his service in the United States Navy in World War II. Buzz in political circles at this point was Kennedy was thinking of challenging sitting United States Senator Henry Cabot Lodge for his seat in the fall of 1952, which was one of the reasons he was on the show.

The Bottom Line: It really depends on your interest in politics and the depth of your knowledge of current events in 1951 not just if you will enjoy the program or how well you can grasp it. Speaking for myself, I find it a fascinating snapshot of where we are in the period. Others may just shrug and put it out of their minds. I suppose it is all up to the viewer this one.

If you are interested in seeing it, your wallet may never forgive you. It is available with other Meet the Press episodes featuring future United States Presidents at http://ffh.films.com/id/15382/Meet_the_Press_Meets_the_Presidents.htm. Individual discs run about a hundred dollars with the entire collection being 1,400 dollars.

Now you can see why I opted for iTunes and paying $1.99 an episode. Is it cheating? Yes. Is it less expensive? Absolutely.

It is, after all, your money, your choice. I leave it to you, the viewer to decide.

Next time, back on the trail with The Cisco Kid.

I Love Lucy: The Fur Coat

Apologize for the lateness, been running behind with my work tonight.

I Love Lucy: The Fur Coat

Originally broadcast on CBS on Monday, December 10, 1951 at 9 PM ET.

Plot: Ricky is in hot water when he brings home a mink coat for his act and Lucy thinks it was meant for her as an anniversary present.

Analysis: This is just fantastically fun, given I think every man alive has had this happen at one time or another – forget an anniversary and something they brought home the wife thinks is for them. Once again, Lucy takes situations that anyone can relate to and makes us all laugh at them because of the familiarity.

The Bottom Line: Not a classic episode, but it is a very fun one with Ricky’s comeuppance at the end an absolute scream. Shows what a great comedy actor Desi was in his own right.

If you are interested in seeing The Fur Coat, it is included in two collections: I Love Lucy: The Complete First Season (http://www.amazon.com/Love-Lucy-Complete....97198253&sr=1-4) and I Love Lucy: The Complete Series (http://www.amazon.com/I-Love-Lucy-Comple....97198253&sr=1-1), depending on your funds and how much you love Lucy.

Next time, a step back to Meet the Press.

The Adventures of Kit Carson: The Teton Tornado

The Adventures of Kit Carson: The Teton Tornado

Originally broadcast in first-run syndication on Saturday, December 8, 1951.

Plot: Kit and Toro try to bring a horse swindler to justice, but problems arise when the suspect ends up being an old friend of Kits’.

Analysis: Recently, when the subject of Kit Carson came up on a message board, I read a remark that the producers of Carson were lucky they were not sued given how similar it was to Cisco Kid. In as much as we have two friends working together to solve crimes and bring down the bad guys, that may be true. But, honestly, it would seem a lot of Westerns are going to borrow ideas from others. This would seem to be especially true in this sort of middle Western period, as the serials are dying out, but before the Western boom of television had really taken hold.

Judging this particular episode of Carson on its merits, it is better than some of the stuff we had seen on Cisco and the previous episode of Carson we have already covered. Even when it is clear what is going on, the story does not just coast to the finish, even if a gunfight at the end might as well have a trademark stamped on it. Dare you not to whistle an Ennio Morricone tune just watching it. All and all, this is not too bad and not a bad way to spend a half hour.

A word or two on our star, Bill Williams, if I may: born in 1915, he got his start in movies in 1944 after a brief stint in the U.S. Army during World War II. Unfortunately, he did nothing truly star making between 1944 and 1951 when Kit Carson got started on television, which is where he began to get more steady work. We have a few more episodes of Carson ahead of us, plus more guest shots, so you will see what I mean.

The Bottom Line: Teton Tornado is not a bad sampling of either Kit Carson or a 1950s Western. Like I said above, if you have a half hour to kill and looking to be entertained, you could hardly do worse than this.

Teton Tornado is included with nine other episodes on Adventures of Kit Carson (http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Kit-Car....3430238&sr=1-17). The collection is pretty inexpensive and I would be shocked if you could not find it for less at discount stores.

Next time, another I Love Lucy.

Tales of Tomorrow: Sneak Attack

Before we get started today, being aware that my blog is picking up an international audience (G'day, Australia!), I wanted to extend my thoughts and prayers to the people of New Zealand following the earthquakes. Sometimes, when you write about the history of what was, you forget about the history being made now. Wish you all luck, love and a swift recovery from your losses and pain. 

Now, to business...

Tales of Tomorrow: Sneak Attack

Originally broadcast on ABC on Friday, December 7, 1951 at 9:30 PM ET.

Plot: A secret agent trapped in a hospital is the only hope to save the United States from a sneak attack by a foreign power.

Analysis: Nice to see exploitive television is not a recent development. This story is only tangentially science fiction based (robot planes, a futuristic bomb type), it is very clearly meant to exploit two things – the ten-year anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the rising Cold War tensions with the then-Soviet Union. Do not kid yourself for one minute, folks, they may not be named as such, but between accents and stereotypes, the foreign power is clearly intended to be Russian.

I will also admit it is so easy to sit back in 2011 and say how foolish the attitudes and propaganda of 1951 would seem to us, but with a war… excuse me, police action in Korea going on, plus the growing fear of Communist influence in the United States, it would create an atmosphere ripe for either natural response or exploitation. It is, at the end of the day, up to the viewer to decide which category this falls into.

A word or two on our star, Zachary Scott, if I may. For five years prior to this, he had been making regular movie appearances, usually playing bad guys or “heavies”, roles he certainly looked the part for. However, in 1950, he had been involved in an accident that curtailed his acting, which led to less promotion. He made the jump to television and back into stage acting around this time with this appearance on Tales of Tomorrow being one of the first. There will probably be more and I will continue to discuss him as he appears.

The Bottom Line: With the caveat that this can easily appear to be propaganda and exploitive, Sneak Attack is a really interesting snapshot of 1950s attitudes and fears, both about ourselves and other countries. With that in mind, I can recommend the show in that respect. Just be aware that while it is history to United States audiences, this is either going to be laughable at best or insulting at worst to those overseas.

Sneak Attack is included with 12 other Tales of Tomorrow on Tales of Tomorrow: Collection One (http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Tomorrow-Col....3424148 &sr=1-1). Prices vary depending on websites.

Next time, another adventure with Kit Carson.

The Cisco Kid: Vigilante Story

The Cisco Kid: Vigilante Story

Originally broadcast in first-run syndication on Tuesday, December 4, 1951.

Plot: Cisco and Pancho go undercover to discover the mystery behind a gang of masked vigilantes.

Analysis: Figures. Minute I get done complaining about the show’s consistency, we get the best episode of Cisco so far. This is almost exactly how a Western should be, a plot not solved in ten seconds and suspense and action along the way. The comedy is not forced, the characters are believable and the situations make perfect sense in the context of the story. What more can be said?

Well, if I HAD to nit pick, why is the barber wearing a white sport blazer that would look better on Sonny Crockett? I do not know much about Western fashions, but something about that jacket seems anachronistic.

The Bottom Line: As I have indicated, this is the best episode of Cisco Kid so far and one I would recommend to anyone curious in seeing a good episode or an example of a 1950s kiddie Western.

Vigilante Story is included with nineteen other episodes on The Cisco Kid: Collection 3 (http://www.amazon.com/Cisco-Kid-Collecti....98156976&sr=1-5). I recommend comparison-shopping, as the prices will vary greatly depending on where you are looking.

Next time, a timely tale of tomorrow.

I Love Lucy: Men Are Messy

I Love Lucy: Men Are Messy

Originally broadcast on CBS on Monday, December 3, 1951 at 9 PM ET.

Plot: Lucy thinks Ricky is an incurable slob, so she plots a trick to teach Ricky a lesson when a photographer comes over.

Analysis: This is textbook Lucy – taking a common situation that everyone can relate to and taking it to the most absurd conclusion. I believe this is also the first use of Lucy’s trademark “Ewwwwwww…” when a situation goes wrong.

I have not mentioned it before, but occasionally during some of these first seasons episodes, first with The Audition and again here, the screen goes a little soft when there is either a reference to Philip Morris or anything that could be viewed as advertising smoking. The reason for that is two-fold: Morris was the original sponsor for I Love Lucy and when the show was in syndication and no longer sponsored by Morris, those references, including the opening credits, needed to be replaced. Add to that that later in the show’s life, scenes of the smoking were gradually pared back as the side effects of cigarette use became better known. I may discuss this more as I am thinking about doing a Special Comment on cigarette manufactures as television sponsors.

The Bottom Line: Not a bad episode, just helps to establish the prototype of what a Lucy episode would be, especially later in the show’s run, when you get more of Lucy and her latest madcap scheme and Ricky’s reaction. Lucy is always relate-able, to be sure, by families and more often than not, a consistently funny show.

Men Are Messy is found on I Love Lucy: The Complete First Season (http://www.amazon.com/Love-Lucy-Complete....97198253&sr=1-4) as well as I Love Lucy: The Complete Series (http://www.amazon.com/I-Love-Lucy-Comple....97198253&sr=1-1), depending on your income and interest in the show.

Next time, another ride with the Cisco Kid.

I Love Lucy: The Seance

I Love Lucy: The Séance

Originally broadcast on CBS on Monday, November 26, 1951 at 9 PM ET.

Plot: Lucy’s obsession with numerology costs Ricky a job, but once she discovers Ricky’s potential employer reveals similar interests, she plans a séance to get Ricky his job back.

Analysis: Cute premise with Lucy causing Ricky ulcers as usual, but the solution with the séance is where the episode gains a lot of its fun. Also, for 1951, Ricky asking Lucy if she likes how he vibrates is an amazingly dirty line.

As is the norm by now, the original opening for I Love Lucy is included as an extra on the DVD. To recreate a somewhat similar 1951 viewing experience, simply watch the original opening, then skip to the start of action in the episode. By the way, as a fun bit of trivia, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera created the animated characters of Ricky and Lucy for the opening. Unfortunately, they were never given credit for their work until recently due to them being under contract with MGM Animation at the time.

The Bottom Line: Not a true classic, but this is a fun episode worth checking out. Honestly cannot say much more than that, it just is a fun half hour of harmless entertainment. The Séance can be found on both I Love Lucy: The Complete First Season (http://www.amazon.com/Love-Lucy-Complete....97198253&sr=1-4) and I Love Lucy: The Complete Series (http://www.amazon.com/I-Love-Lucy-Comple....97198253&sr=1-1), if you are interested in watching.

Next time, we got more Lucy.

I Love Lucy: The Audition

I Love Lucy: The Audition

Originally broadcast on CBS on Monday, November 19, 1951 at 9 PM ET.

Plot: Ricky attempts to keep Lucy away from an important audition for television executives.

Analysis: Well, this is a small case of early recycling. The original pilot of I Love Lucy featured the same script, but since the pilot was never broadcast on television, the writers were able to make some small tweeks and, voila, instant new episode. It is easy to see while watching this why the executives agreed Lucy could work, given how funny Lucy and her physical comedy are and Desi works both believably as a straight man and as her husband. Of note during the episode is the actors playing the television executives watching the audition are Jess Oppenheimer, the head writer and producer on Lucy, CBS executive Hal Hudson and CBS Vice President Harry Ackerman, the three men actually responsible for getting Lucy on the air.

And we finally come to the last of our four principals, William Frawley. Frawley got his start in bit parts and singing on the vaudeville stage before moving to movies in 1933. The list of roles and movies he got from there is enormous, most notably playing a political adviser for the judge in Miracle on 34th Street in 1947. By the 1950s, movie roles were slowly drying up for the aging Frawley, so he took a chance and auditioned for the role of Fred on Lucy.

The Bottom Line: Some of the physical comedy in this episode is pretty funny and, given it was based on what sold executives on the show, this is an easy recommendation and entry-level episode for Lucy. If you are interested in checking it out, you have two options: I Love Lucy: The Complete First Season (http://www.amazon.com/Love-Lucy-Complete....97198253&sr=1-4) or I Love Lucy: The Complete Series (http://www.amazon.com/I-Love-Lucy-Comple....97198253&sr=1-1).

Next time, more Lucy.

The Cisco Kid: Black Lightning

The Cisco Kid: Black Lightning

Originally broadcast in first-run syndication on Monday, November 19, 1951.

Plot: Cisco and Pancho fight to save the life of a wild stallion accused of making off with nearby mares.

Analysis: This is such a marked improvement over the last episode, I cannot believe this is the same series. Toward the end, there are moments of real suspense and drama, making for a very refreshing change given the last episode seemed to be such a clunker. This may be what drives me crazy about Cisco Kid is that the quality of the show is so inconsistent. It is near Gene Autry levels one episode, the next has me rolling my eyes. Clearly, modern eyes will be more demanding than early 50s eyes and I should be a bit more understanding of the limitations, but I also have to be aware that the people reading the blog will not be as forgiving as I will be.

As usual, in order to recreate the 1950s experience more closely, turn off the color on your television while watching the episode since, while the televisions were predominately black and white, Cisco Kid was shot in color.

The Bottom Line: This is actually a quality episode of Cisco and one I have no issue recommending. Some really suspenseful moments toward the end and an intriguing plot line, even if they give away who is really behind the plot early in the episode. Still, the show never has been designed for deep plots, so it is unfair to demand one.

Black Lightning is included on The Cisco Kid: Collection Two (http://www.amazon.com/Cisco-Kid-Collecti....86758713&sr=1-3).

Next time, more laughs with Lucy.

I Love Lucy: The Quiz Show

I Love Lucy: The Quiz Show Originally broadcast on CBS on Monday, November 12, 1951 at 9 PM ET. Plot: Lucy tries to cover her unpaid bills by going on a quiz show, but may have a difficult time explaining the last challenge to Ricky. Analysis: Seems like someone took two 15-minute scripts and married them into the 30-minute program, one being the quiz show portion, the other being the final situation that Lucy has to explain to Ricky to earn the money. It’s still fun to watch, if a bit uneven. Of note is one of the guest stars in the show, Frank Nelson. Even if you have never heard of Nelson, you know his shtick: a long, high-pitched, drawn out “Yessssssssssss???” when responding to a greeting or a request for help. His distinctive voice was heard most notably on the Jack Benny Program over the radio for years before making the jump to television. He will be something of a regular on Lucy and Jack Benny’s television program, among other television appearances. You will no doubt come to know his voice pretty quickly, but I will still point out appearances. As noted before, the original openings for I Love Lucy are an extra on the DVDs, so to approximate the broadcast, you will watch the original opening first, then skip over the familiar “satin heart” opening directly into the episode. The Bottom Line: Like I said, the story is a bit uneven, but still a fun episode of Lucy, especially wondering how she will work her way through the final challenge. Worth checking out, especially if you are a fan of Lucy and her physical comedy. The Quiz Show can be found in two different formats: I Love Lucy: The Complete First Season (http://www.amazon.com/Love-Lucy-Complete....97198253&sr=1-4) or I Love Lucy: The Complete Series (http://www.amazon.com/I-Love-Lucy-Comple....97198253&sr=1-1). Just depends how big a fan of Lucy you are which version you would want to pick up. Next time, another ride with Cisco Kid.

The Cisco Kid: Bates Story

The Cisco Kid: Bates Story

Originally broadcast in first-run syndication on Monday, November 12, 1951.

Plot: It’s a collision course with wackiness as Cisco and Pancho are mistaken for recently escaped convicts.

Analysis: There are times when a show tries way too hard to either be funny or take itself way too seriously. This is, unfortunately, one of those times as the plot both tries to be funny and serious and succeeds at neither. Compound that some laughably bad fight effects and the ability to magically teleport from the center of town to the middle of the desert and this one leaps from laughable to just plain bad.

As usual, the show is in color, but to recreate the original 1951 broadcast atmosphere, simply turn down the color on your television.

The Bottom Line: I know, I am being very tough on a Western intended for the small fry, but I do have a reasonable expectation of being entertained and this episode of Cisco falls woefully short. Great if others enjoy it, but I cannot recommend it.

If you are so interested, Bates Story is included on The Cisco Kid: Collection Two (http://www.amazon.com/Cisco-Kid-Collecti....86758713&sr=1-3).

Next time, more Lucy.

Tales of Tomorrow: The Search For The Flying Saucer

Tales of Tomorrow: The Search For The Flying Saucer

Originally broadcast on ABC on Friday, November 9, 1951 at 9:30 PM ET.

Plot: A reporter comes to New Mexico looking for proof of flying saucer landings.

Analysis: Gee, what could THIS be based off of?

Seriously though, this is one of the better Tales of Tomorrow scripts, but it suffers from time limitations. A story like this really needed at least an hour to be developed and flesh out the characters and their motivations. That being said, it is really quite good and a step up from some of the sub-par scripts we have been getting from the show.

It does also kind of make me wonder about the ties of television and the development of the science fiction genre around this time. Tales of Tomorrow is, as we have said, the first sci-fi television anthology series and one of the first to try and open up sci-fi to adult fans. Kids were buying into this stuff hook, line and sinker thanks to Captain Video on DuMont and the recent releases of movies like The Day The Earth Stood Still and The Thing From Another World. Truth be told, it is fair to suppose that these stories were not just creations of fertile imaginations but of recent world developments.

The science part of the science fiction comes from the leaps and bounds science was making in this time, best exampled by the splitting of the atom in Los Alamos, New Mexico. True, the power of the atom could level cities, but if you could harness that much power and channel it, then you would have a whole new means of powering the world. Obviously, that is something that will come up more and more as we go through the 1950s.

As for the other part of the story, the little green men visiting from other worlds that were capturing minds and imaginations, they too can be traced make to an incident in New Mexico and the basis for the plotline of the episode. In 1947, four years prior to this boom in science fiction, there was a crash of an object outside of Roswell, New Mexico. What exactly happened has been subject of debate ever since and I am not going to dip my toe into those waters. Suffice to say, the initial reports were enough to make people wonder what was out there. Take that and combine it with the leaps our own technologies were making and it is pretty easy to see why science fiction was becoming so popular around this time – purely because people were curious about both the possibilities of the unknown and what was becoming known. This too is something we will see more of as we go along.

The Bottom Line: As I have said, this story, while good, suffers from constraints of the media. That being said, this is also one of the few plots in the series so far to make any potential visitors look at least sympathetic. While not a classic television episode, the plot has enough promise for me to give a recommendation for the episode to be checked out.

The Search For The Flying Saucer is included with twelve other Tales of Tomorrow on Tales of Tomorrow: Collection Two (http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Tomorrow-Col....3581521 &sr=1-3). Take a look, if so interested, given it is not going to be too expensive these days.

Next time, we ride again with the Cisco Kid.

I Love Lucy: Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying To Murder Her

Sorry about the lack of postings, but with the chaos in Egypt on Friday (History major and news junkie, after all) and spending some family time on Saturday, didn't to have a chance to post until today. I'll be making every effort to keep the blog posts daily going forward.

Now, to today's show:

I Love Lucy: Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying To Murder Her

Originally broadcast on CBS on Monday, November 5, 1951 at 9 PM ET.

Plot: Obsessed with a murder mystery novel, Lucy begins to wonder if Ricky is plotting to do away with her after overhearing a phone call between Ricky and his agent.

Analysis: Lucy’s mugging with the camera is what makes this one a lot of fun, especially when she thinks Ricky has drugged her. Aside from that, this show is starting to develop its formula: Lucy either makes a misconception or plots a scheme enabled by Ethel, Ricky solves the problem and we’re done in about twenty minutes. This is not a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination, but it is fun to see how fast the show got it so right to become such a classic.

Continuing our profile of the actors, we turn to Vivian Vance now. Contrary to casting, Vance was actually 42 at this point in the show, 22 years younger than her on-screen husband William Frawley and only 2 years older than Lucy. She was also not the first choice for Ethel, as originally Lucy wanted another actress, Bea Benaderet, for the part. But Benaderet was already cast in the Burns and Allen television broadcasts and was unavailable. Vance also at this point had no television or movie experience, being exclusively a stage actress. Despite all these shortcomings, Vance would eventually win over Lucy and the audience over the course of the show.

Once again, the original opening is included as an extra on the DVD, so to recreate a resemblance to the original broadcast, simply watch that first, then jump to the beginning of the episode after the opening.

The Bottom Line: It may not be the funniest Lucy episode ever, but Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying To Murder Her continues to develop the dynamics between Lucy and Ricky and Lucy and Ethel, which is key for how the show will develop as we go along. If you are interested in seeing the episode, it is included in two formats: I Love Lucy: The Complete First Season (http://www.amazon.com/Love-Lucy-Complete....97198253&sr=1-4) or I Love Lucy: The Complete Series (http://www.amazon.com/I-Love-Lucy-Comple....97198253&sr=1-1), depending on how much Lucy you may want or be able to afford.

Next time, another tale of tomorrow.

The Jack Benny Program: Guest - Dorothy Shay & Bob Crosby

The Jack Benny Program: Guest Starring Dorothy Shay and Bob Crosby

Originally broadcast on CBS on Sunday, November 4, 1951 at 7:30 PM ET.

Plot: There really is none here, it’s basically the traditional Jack Benny show with music acts hosted around some skits.

Analysis: Where do I start on this one? It’s so difficult to really analyze a show like this because, much like with the contestants on You Bet Your Life and later guest stars on The Tonight Show, it is going to be different with every episode and humor is, after all, subjective.

As for Benny, well, what can be said beyond that he was probably one of the most influential comedians of the 20th century. Born in 1894 in Chicago, he started studying and playing the violin when he was six years old. By 1911, he was in vaudeville theaters with varying success and partners over the years until the entry of the United States in World War I. Benny would serve in the U.S. Navy and continue to play to entertain until, as the story goes, he had a bad performance and was forced to ad-lib his way out of it, which led him to add comedy to the act.

After the war up until 1932, Benny would continue to play vaudeville until he was given a shot at hosting a variety show on the radio. Shifting networks and sponsors, Benny would be on the air almost continuously from 1932 until 1955, pulling down some of radio’s highest ratings throughout this period. In 1950, he was given a television contract for five specials. By this year, 1951, he had been extended to an episode every six weeks for the 1951-1952 season. Strange as the structure may seem, this was the only way Benny could appear on television and still do his weekly radio broadcasts.

A few words on our guest stars, if I may, and I will adopt this policy for all featured guest stars on these variety and talk shows going forward: Dorothy Shay, born in Florida in 1921, was trained as a classical singer, but sang with her natural Southern accent songs based on rural settings when they proved to be more popular. We’ll be seeing more of her as television rolls along, so, as they say, stay tuned for that. As for Bob Crosby, yes, this is Bing Crosby’s brother, whom you may have heard of. Bob was born after Bing in 1913 and had a voice at least as good as Bing. Bob Crosby would perform with various groups as a front man from the 1930s forward and, like Bing, would pick up his own radio show between 1943 and 1950. He would continue to do guest shots like what we saw here in early television until landing his own television show in 1953. I am not sure if we will be seeing more of him or not, so I will play it save and leave it at that.

The Bottom Line: Like I said, humor is subjective in scenarios like this. Some may find it hysterical, some may wonder what the big deal is. Regardless, it is one of radio’s biggest names on television and that, by itself, is significant in showing the movement of radio to television.

The episode of the Jack Benny Program can be found on The Best of Jack Benny from Mill Creek Entertainment (http://www.amazon.com/Best-Jack-Benny/dp....97357409&sr=1-1). This is a very inexpensive collection with a lot of classic Benny that I will be referring back to as we go along. Unfortunately, we have yet to have an “official” release of Jack Benny television material, so groups like Mill Creek and Timeless Media are all we have, although more does exist, but is being held back for a variety of reasons. One may hope that someday we will see more.

Next time, more Lucy.

I Love Lucy: The Diet

I Love Lucy: The Diet

Originally Broadcast on CBS on Monday, October 29, 1951 at 9 PM ET.

Plot: Lucy wants to be in Ricky’s show when his regular dancer quits, but has to lose 20 pounds to fit the costume.

Analysis: This is great fun to watch as Lucy’s physical comedy is on full display here, between trying to fit the costume and trying to lose the weight, her timing is just fantastic to watch. One does wonder whatever happened to Butch given I do not think we ever saw the Ricardos' dog after this episode. Must have joined Chuck from Happy Days in “college.”

A brief look at Desi Arnaz now, if I may. Something that needs to be noted up front is, as funny as Lucy is, I am not certain it would have worked nearly as well if she did not have as good a straight man as Desi was. We will see some examples of Desi and his brand of comedy in later seasons. It is enough to note that, like his character on I Love Lucy, he emigrated from Cuba to the United States in 1933. Picking up English along the way, he found work in show business where he met Lucy on the set of Too Many Girls in 1940, marrying shortly thereafter. He was drafted for US Army service in World War II, but suffered a knee injury prior to enlistment. He did complete his training, but due to the injury was stationed mainly working for the United Service Organization until the end of the war. After the war, he would tour with his orchestra while Lucy worked on radio and pictures until the opportunity to work with Lucy on television came along and the rest we all know by now.

As is part of the notes by now, if you want to have an idea how the show originally looked as originally broadcast, the original opening is included as an extra on the DVD, so simply watch that first, then jump to the beginning of the episode after the opening.

The Bottom Line: Funny, but not hysterical. The Diet is an entertaining half hour between Lucy’s antics and Ricky’s reactions. If you are interested in checking out the show, you have two choices: either I Love Lucy: The Complete First Season (http://www.amazon.com/Love-Lucy-Complete....97198253&sr=1-4) or if you want it all, I Love Lucy: The Complete Series (http://www.amazon.com/I-Love-Lucy-Comple....97198253&sr=1-1). The Complete Series may be more expensive, but it is a more efficient way to get the show if you are planning on doing the whole show.

Next time, a radio institution comes to television.

Tales of Tomorrow: Test Flight/Blog Status

Did you all miss me?

Sorry about the inconsistent blog posts, but working on college classes can sometimes get in the way. So, what I'm going to try and do now is when I have some days off is build up as many of these reviews as I can and post them when I find a moment or two. For me, nothing is more important then maintaining the quality of the blog and I simply will not post if I do not think it is up to my standards.


I also got some news that, in the not too distant future, season sets of The Gene Autry Show, which we discussed some posts back, will be coming out. This is something I was always worried about, being forced to backtrack. To be honest though, with so many shows I did not get a chance to cover (Suspense, The Lone Ranger, Howdy Doody and so on), I really do not mind a chance to take another pass. I know there are people out there who are dying to get to eras that are more familiar to them and I cannot begrudge them that. One way to look at this is an opportunity to expand horizons and give older shows that you may not have known about a chance. That is, after all, the entire point of the blog: to introduce the history of television through any and all broadcasts and get a snapshot of what the world was like not so long ago.


OK, covered all that. I do expect to update the blog with some more regularity as long as I have time so I do request patience if I am gone a while. I will not abandon the blog anytime in the future, I can promise you that.


So... to business and our next show:

Tales of Tomorrow: Test Flight

Originally broadcast on ABC on Friday, October 26, 1951 at 9:30 PM ET.

Plot: One of the world’s richest men is determined to be the first man in space, no matter what it costs him.

Analysis: After the Thunderbird quality of an I Love Lucy, it’s almost archaic to go back to Tales of Tomorrow, which feels like a Model T by comparison. Technically, the show has always had some issues and that is to be expected for the ambitions of the stories on a bi-weekly basis, but they seem to show up more by contrast. That being said, knowing how the show is usually plotted, you can guess where we’re going with this pretty quick since this show loves to throw curve balls and shock endings.

I talked about Lee Cobb once before, in connection with the Red Channels scandal that was brewing at the time. This is our first chance to see him as an actor and, once you get him away from bewildering techno-babble, he delivers a very competent performance. Then again, it is not much of a stretch that once someone has a fortune and control to pursue a passion no matter what might happen. The only drawback is you know at some point, he’s going to make a mistake and we’re all just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

The Bottom Line: As long as you know going in there are limitations because of the time period and the occasional technical mistake, this isn’t bad. Test Pilot is the traditional cautionary tale of ambition and reaching too far, especially when the bill comes due. If you want to check it out, it’s included with twelve other Tales of Tomorrow episodes on Tales of Tomorrow: Collection One (http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Tomorrow-Col....3424148 &sr=1-1). No matter where you shop for it, it is not too expensive.

Next time, more laughs with Lucy.