MovieChat Forums > I Love Lucy (1951) Discussion > Lucy Makes Room For Danny

Lucy Makes Room For Danny

posted 4 years ago by Garyandfilm (548)
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This is one of only two Lucy/Desi Comedy Hours that I enjoy (the other, of course, is the hilarious Tallulah Bankhead offering).

First, like the Bankhead ep, all the action takes place in Conneticut. Secondly, as much as I'm certain Arnaz would've rather had Danny Thomas portray himself as yet another (yawn) guest star, he was trapped into Thomas portraying "Danny Williams", as Lucy and Ricky guest-starred on Make Room For Daddy a few years earlier. Anyway, it worked, as this is a solid and very funny hour, with Ball doing some of her best work.

But having watched this last night, I wondered how this could've been a great chance to have had Charlie and Caroline Appleby as the New Yorkers renting the Ricardo home for two months. It would've been fun watching Lucy barging in on Caroline, telling her what to do and not do. Hy Averback may not have been the "star" Thomas was, but he was still a skilled an accomplished comedic actor. And God knows Doris Singleton was eons more gifted than Marjorie Lord.

If only just this one time Desi could've had the guts to scale this show down a notch and just have the regular characters for the hour.

[–] steven1660 (146) 4 years ago

That would have been GENIUS. I can't imagine how funny it would have been to have Caroline take over Lucy's house. Even though I do like the Danny Thomas episode also. I really wish there would have been a episode with Caroline in Connecticut. I feel like if they had done another full season of half hours, Caroline most definitely would have shown up. I really wish they would have done another season...or two of the half hours, they could have scaled down the amount of episodes they did, only doing 18 or 20 per year, but it is what it is.

[–] Garyandfilm (548) 4 years ago

And can you imagine how much more powerful it would've been (historically) if Caroline walked in and found CHARLIE nuzzling Lucy's neck??? I mean, Caroline couldn't handle it when Lucy hated her Chinese furniture!! I also would've gotten a kick out of watching the talented Hy Averback play this scene (I'll ignore the fact that he was also cuter and sexier than "banana nose").

[–] steven1660 (146) 4 years ago

Oh my god, I almost forgot about that part of the show! Caroline would have flipped out. That would have been hysterical! Too bad it didn't happen!

[–] [email protected] (6082) 4 years ago

I barely recall the Danny Thomas episode. But it would have been wonderful to see the Applebys instead.

It would have been juicy fun to see frenemies, Lucy and Caroline, mix it up in the country. They had so much history together. Every scene would have been meaningful and hilarious.

I had the vaguest recollection of Marjorie Lord as Danny's wife Kathy. My mom used to watch the show when I was very little. A few years ago I received a gift of a DVD of an old sitcom. I forget which one! But it included a bonus episode of Make Room for Daddy. Marjorie Lord was a good looking lady, but she was NO comedic actress. She seemed only there so Danny Thomas would have someone to talk to when he came home. She had virtually no comedy skills at all.

[–] Garyandfilm (548) 4 years ago

You're missing out by not having recently seen the Danny Thomas hour. It truly is a gem and contains some of Ball's best work on the whole series. It truly stands out from the other hour-length offerings (as does the Bankhead show). Lucy's reactions to Danny nuzzling her neck (he thinks it's Lord), are indescribably funny.

Best moment: Lucy's shocked reaction when she discovers Lord has discovered her and Danny. Pure comedic genius. If it's on YouTube, you should check it out.