MovieChat Forums > I Love Lucy (1951) Discussion > Lucy is Envious

Lucy is Envious

posted 2 years ago by Garyandfilm (548)
8 replies | jump to latest

Love this weird little offering from season three. Lucy wants to impress rich school chum Cynthia Hartcourt by donating five hundred dollars to the latter's charity. Ethel gets shamed into doing likewise. In trying to raise this money, the daffy duo agree to the stunt of appearing on top of the Empire State building as female space aliens to promote the release of a sci fi movie.

Fair enough. But FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS apiece??? Come on! Aside from being too "on the nose" in scripting (the pay being exactly what they need), there is no way they would've been paid such an amount for this, especially in 1954.

I'm well aware of these promo ads in Variety, as I had out-of-work actor friends who did similar stunts in the 1980s, and they were paid maybe 50 bucks.

Since I'm too lazy, anyone want to volunteer to do an inflation adjustment to find out what that five hundred bucks would translate into in 2023 dollars?

[–] jcnyclv (1633) 2 years ago

Absolutely hysterical episode, however, Lucy didn't originally pledge $500. In her mind, it was $5.00 until Cynthia told her how grateful she was that Lucy was planning to donate $500. Lucy tried to say it wasn't $500 and Cynthia said something to the affect of OMG $5,000??? Lucy said no, so Cynthia, laughing, said well you couldn't mean just $5.00!!! That's exactly what she meant but was now so humiliated she said of course not, $500 it is. Then Ethel is shamed into the same thing.

This is one of my favorite episodes. I've loved the show since I was a little kid (a very long time ago). The one thing about Lucille Ball that I've always admired is that she would do anything - absolutely anything - for a laugh! Her antics are legendary!

I can't do an inflation adjustment though. 🙂

[–] Garyandfilm (548) 2 years ago

The fact that Lucy didn't originally pledge $500 has zilch to do with the point of my post. Good grief.

[–] jcnyclv (1633) 2 years ago

Oh you took it wrong. I didn't mean to criticize at all, I was just recapping how Lucy was shamed into the donation amount, it was hysterical. There was absolutely no malice meant in my comment and I'm very sorry if you took it that way.

[–] Garyandfilm (548) 2 years ago

No perceived malice, it's just that so few people post replies these days and your response opened by splitting hairs. My point in posting is that there's no way these two would've been paid $500 each for this (and the PR company would've NEVER approved of the two walking along the OUTSIDE of the fencing. If even one of the women fell to their deaths the resulting lawsuit from Ricky or Fred would've been astronomical).

Trivia: this was one of Ball's least favorite episodes.

When released to syndication, TV Guide, perhaps not knowing how to describe this ep in limited copy, simply wrote, "Lucy decides to become a beautiful person." Terrible description of this offering!

[–] jcnyclv (1633) 2 years ago

Sorry again, I didn't mean to split hairs, just to elaborate on a very funny situation.

They probably wouldn't have been paid that much for what they did but it's I Love Lucy, which half the time is fantasy and situations that would never happen in real life.

You're right about TV Guide's description of this episode, it's bizarre!

[–] AndrewHNPX2 (120) 2 years ago

I wonder what the reason was that Ball disliked the episode so much. It's pretty out there, but I've always enjoyed it, especially the references to the infamous War of the Worlds broadcast.

[–] Garyandfilm (548) 2 years ago

Ball was not alone. Many fans have posted how much they dislike this offbeat ep, mainly back in the old IMDB boards.

What I like is that new viewers would have absolutely no idea where this offering will take them. To me, it gets points for not being about Lucy crashing Ricky's act or guest star of the week, which would become an increasing crutch throughout the rest of the series, non-stop in the hour-long shows.

And btw, how genuinely CREEPY - even by today's standards - are Ricky and Fred's alien costumes!!!

[–] [email protected] (6082) 2 years ago

Gary- I decided to "cheat" and check out one of those on-line inflation calculators. It said that in 1954 $50 would be worth about $500 today. The $500 that Lucy and Ethel pledged would've had the buying power of over $5600 today!

I never understood some of the prices on ILL. For instance, Lucy's $50 hats. Back in those days a shop girl or factory worker took home that amount in their weekly pay.

Yet in The Business Manager (one of my favorites), the groceries seemed right on target with current prices. I love to add up the total cost of Ethel and Mrs. Trumbull's grocery orders. Their total bills seem so cheap compared to today.
When Ethel first asks Lucy to pick up a few things at the market, she wants half and half and a pound of ground round (and something else, I forget). She hands Lucy two dollars. Today a pint of half and half is $1.50 at the local grocery store. And ground round...forget it!! I'm almost a vegetarian these days.

The first half of the episode "Women from Mars" is pretty funny and typical Lucy with all her pride and showing off in full force. But hanging outside the top of the Empire State Building, yes, the insurance company would never allow it.