Still in Love with Lucy
by Thomas Watson
Dear Lucyfans,
Down Memory Lane...
Will admit to having felt a little melancholy this past Saturday when I flipped the calendar and saw that it was November 19. That was Lucy and Gary Morton's wedding anniversary, and for years that meant sending them a card, gift or other remembrance. Later, when I worked with them, I discovered many other fans did the same. It was truly a "red letter" day in the Morton household.
Perhaps the most memorable of Lucy's anniversaries for me was that of 1986 -- just a few days after we learned ABC was cancelling Life with Lucy. It was their 25th anniversary and Gary gave her a beautiful necklace and a huge bouquet of flowers. She loved both gifts -- but also playfully scolded Gary for having spent money on the flowers. (She hated the idea of buying cut flowers that would just wilt in a day or two!) Of course, that didn't stop her from showing them to everyone who came into the house that week!
The day after their anniversary, Gary drove down to Palm Springs to play golf and to get the house open for Thanksgiving. Lucy stayed in town to tape a week's worth of Password shows (with Ann Dusenberry and Betty White), and to take part in a Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters' luncheon honoring Gale Gordon. (She'd be joining Gary in a few days.)
The PPB luncheon turned out to be a "Gale love fest," and Lucy got to catch up with such old friends as Eve Arden, Richard Crenna and Mary Jane Croft (all of whom appeared with Gale in Our Miss Brooks), plus other performers, writers and industry people Lucy had not seen in years.
After the luncheon I took Lucy back to her house in Beverly Hills, where we were met by Hap Ernstein, a writer for the Washington Times. Hap wanted to talk about her recent TV project -- and about the Kennedy Center Honor she was scheduled to receive in early December. But something more important was on Lucy's mind -- Desi Sr. was suffering the final stages of cancer down in Del Mar, and Lucy, often in tears, worked his name into the conversation throughout the interview. "Without Desi," she repeated time and again, "there'd have been no Lucy."
Watching Lucy maneuver herself through these few days -- from her anniversary with Gary... to playing a TV game with friends... to saluting a favorite co-star... to speaking candidly about her relationship with Desi -- was unto itself an education in class. She was a warm and wonderful lady, and I feel honored to have known her.
"Yours, Mine and Ours"
Speaking of memories... I sat with Bernie Weitzman (longtime head of business affairs for Desilu) at another PPB luncheon last week. He commented on all the ads he'd seen for the new "Yours, Mine and Ours" movie due out later this week. (It is not really a remake of Lucy's film -- but has a similar storyline.) Bernie recalled, "It took us over 6 years to make the original."
"In 1961, someone showed Desi a magazine article about the Beardsley family, and he thought it would make a great movie for Lucy," Bernie remembered. "I made the deal, and Desi asked Bob and Madelyn to write the script. Well, the script they prepared was wonderful, but it played more like a two-hour 'Lucy Show' than a feature film. It just wasn't right for the big screen. Then Lucy got busy with her new weekly series, and we set the movie idea aside. A few years later we tried again with another writer -- and this script was awful. Lucy hated it, and began to cool to the whole idea. She'd stayed in contact with the real Helen North, and one day Lucy called me and said that Helen had been asking when we were going to do the film. Lucy asked if we shouldn't just give up the rights and let the family offer the story elsewhere. I said, 'Lucy, we've invested over $100,000 in that project. If we just give it back, the stockholders will string us up!' So we waited a while, and finally Mel Shavelson (who'd worked for Bob Hope, among others) became available. He said he'd try his hand at another script if Lucy would commit to doing it. She said yes, Mel wrote a wonderful screenplay -- and it turned out to be the most successful feature Lucy ever made. Everyone made a fortune!"
Lucie Brings "Laughter" to Los Angeles
As mentioned here last week, Lucie Arnaz will host the second in a series of "Legacy of Laughter" discussions Saturday, December10, at 8PM at the Howard Fine Acting School Theatre in Hollywood.
Tickets are now on sale at $35 each, via the Lucy-Desi Center in Jamestown. For complete information, visit their web site at:
"Legacy of Laughter" explores the vast world of laughter -- how to create it, perform it, how to use it in one's work and daily lives, and the healing powers it has always held. The first discussion was held last month at the Lucy-Desi Center in Jamestown, NY.
Joining Lucie in the December 10 event will be special guests Marc Cherry (creator-writer of "Desperate Housewives"); Sam Denoff (writer-producer of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and "That Girl"); Sherry Hilber (who created "RX Laughter," a research and health initiative at UCLA, a program that utilizes the healing power of humor); and one or two others, still to be confirmed. NOTE: Madelyn Davis, originally scheduled to appear, will not be able to attend.
Bob Mackie Auction
Costume sketches and other memorabilia from designer Bob Mackie will be offered for auction tomorrow, Tuesday, November 22, at Christie's in New York City. Included are many of the sketches for costumes worn on The Carol Burnett Show, The Sonny and Cher Show, etc. Among the Burnett Show items is a sketch for the "Catherine the Great" and "butterfly" outfits that Lucille Ball wore in early episodes:
For complete information, visit the Christie's web site at:
Have a great week everybody!
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