I Love Lucy (1951–1957): Season 1, Episode 35 - Ricky Asks for a Raise - full transcript

Hurry up, honey.

The Littlefields will
be here any minute.

Well, how do I look?

Oh, you look wonderful, dear.

Oh, fine.

How could I look wonderful?

I have on an old house dress
and haven't even done my hair.

Well, why not?

Well, I thought maybe

if I didn't look too good,

it would help things along



when you ask Mr. Littlefield
for that raise tonight.

Now, Lucy...

Maybe I ought to
suck in my cheeks

so he'll think we don't
get enough to eat.

Now, you listen to me, honey...

Hmm?

Look, I don't want you to try

any of your crazy
stunts tonight.

Honey, you promised me

you were going to
ask him for a raise.

I will, I will!

I just don't want you
to go pushing me into it.

Ricky, if you're afraid
to ask for a raise,

you're never going to get it.



I'm not afraid; I'll do it.

Well, what are you going to say?

Let's rehearse.

Rehearse? Sure.

You can't leave a
thing like this to chance.

Now, look, I'll pretend
I'm Mr. Littlefield,

and you pretend you're you.

Now, we've finished dinner.

Mr. Littlefield is full of food

and he's leaning back,
weak, bloated and vulnerable.

Ricardo, my boy, your
wife sure is a good cook.

Go ahead, Ricky, here's
where you speak up.

Uh... uh...

Mr. Littlefield...

Yes, my boy,
what's on your mind?

Uh... I was wondering...

Yes?

You couldn't give me any more
money next year, could you?

Well, that ought to
sweep him off his feet.

Well, honey, if he
wants to give me a raise,

that will do it.

Honey, nobody ever wants
to give anybody a raise.

You have to demand it.

Now, look, you
be Mr. Littlefield,

and I'll be you. Go
ahead, sit down.

You're Mr. Littlefield.

All right.

My boy, that was a good meal.

Well, Mr. Littlefield,

I want to talk to you
about my new contract.

How much of a
raise am I getting?

How much?

Yes, how much?

You know, Mr. Littlefield,

I have to decide
whether to stay with you

or accept one of my
many other offers.

I don't have any other offers.

Oh, well, honey, I know that,

but Mr. Littlefield
doesn't know it.

Now put yourself
in his place. Think.

How would you react, honestly?

Well, Mr. Littlefield,

are you going to
top those other offers

or do I quit? What do you say?

Don't quit, my boy.

I'll give you the raise.

See?

Hey, I got the raise!

That's right.

What do you know?

How about that? Yeah...

I just hope that Littlefield

sees thins that lowgically.

Don't worry;

he'll see "thins"
that "lowgically."

Come on, let's
go into the parlor

and wait for the fly.

Oh, that was a wonderful dinner.

Your wife certainly
knows how to cook, Ricky.

Oh, thank you. Mm-hmm.

Phoebe, I want you to get

Mrs. Ricardo's recipe
for that cheesecake.

It was delicious.

Yes, Alvin. I'd love it,
Lucy, if you'll give it to me.

Oh, I'd be glad to.

I'll write it out
before you leave.

Did you say something?

No, no, but Ricky has
something to ask you,

don't you, dear?

Uh...

Oh, no, not really. It can wait.

No, go ahead, dear.

Yes, Ricky, what is it?

Well, um...

Mr. Littlefield...

Yes?

Mr. Littlefield, you and I

are going to have to
have a talk very soon

about my new contract.

And there's one
thing I have to know

and I have to
know it right away.

What's that?

You couldn't give me

any more money
next year, could you?

Well...

as a matter of fact, Ricky,

I've been thinking over the
idea of giving you a raise.

Yes?

And my boy...

it's out of the question.

Why?

Well, the nightclub business
isn't what it used to be...

Taxes have come up,
things are more expensive.

So, you can see
that I'm in no position

to give you any more money.

Oh, yes, sir, absolutely,

it's out of the question.

You want any more
coffee, Mrs. Littlefield?

Ricky, I guess you're just
going to have to accept

one of those other offers, then.

"Other offers"?

Yes, Ricky wasn't
going to say anything...

He's so loyal, you know...

But other clubs have
been clamoring for him.

Really?

Oh, Oh, I wouldn't
say that they're...

Just the other day
a club owner called...

I won't mention any names...

And offered Ricky
twice as much money

as you're paying him.

It wasn't twice as much.

Oh, no, no, that's right,

it was three times as much.

But Ricky said, "No, no,
no, if it's at all possible,

I want to stay with
good old Mr. Littlefield."

Didn't you, Ricky?

Oh, yes, yeah, yeah...

My zact words.

His "zact" words.

Well, that's very flattering.

Well, you understand,
Mr. Littlefield

I don't want to leave.

I want to stay right where I am.

I don't want, I don't want
to go anyplace, you know.

I'm happy there.

But the... the people...

They're, they're offering
me so much money,

I mean, I, uh...

I-I don't know what
else to do, you know.

I see, I see your problem.

Uh, how many such
offers have you had?

Four. Twelve.

Um, uh...

I got eight more this morning.

Oh.

Well, Mr. Littlefield?

Oh, this is a very
difficult decision.

Very difficult, very difficult.

You've been wonderful
for the Tropicana.

We... we have a fine
personal relationship...

Yes?

I can't stand in
your way, my boy.

Take one of those other offers.

Onward and upward

and you'll get to
the top of the heap.

But Mr. Littlefield,
you don't understand.

If you don't give
Ricky that raise,

you'll lose him, he'll quit.

I understand perfectly.

Oh, you do?

We'll give him one
more chance, dear.

Uh... Mr. Littlefield,

are you sure you don't
want to change your mind

and snap him up
before it's too late?

No.

No?

No?

No! N-O.

All right, I quit. K-W-I-T!

All right.

All right.

All right.

All right!

And don't think you're
going to get my recipe

for cheesecake, either!

What?

Lucy. What?

What's the meaning
of this? What?

This ad in the paper says

that Xavier Valdez
and his orchestra

are opening at the Tropicana
Club Thursday night.

Isn't Ricky there anymore?

No, thanks to a certain
bigmouthed redhead.

What are you talking about?

Well, the other night,

Ricky told Mr. Littlefield

that he had to have
a raise or he'd quit

and I egged him onto it.

And?

That was some of the
rottenest egging I ever did.

Oh, Lucy, how's Ricky taking it?

Just terrible...
He's done nothing

but mope around the
house for two days...

Won't even get
out of his pajamas.

Hi, Ethel. Hi.

Oh, hi, Ricky.

I'll get your breakfast.

No, no, thank you, thank you.

I want to get downtown.

Oh, that's the spirit, Ricky.

Don't let this get you
down... get out and fight.

You'll be bringing home a
check again any day now.

That's right; I'm on my way

to the unemployment
office right now.

Well, how does it feel to
be married to an also-been?

An "also-been"?

He means a has-ran.

Gee, it's pitiful, Ethel.

I got to do something
about getting his job back.

Well, maybe this Xavier
Valdez won't work out

and Mr. Littlefield
will be forced

to ask Ricky to come back again.

Wouldn't it be wonderful

if nobody showed up
for Xavier's opening?

It would take a miracle, though.

Yeah...

Wait a minute!

What?

I feel a miracle coming on!

What do you mean?

Listen, there are 75
tables at the Tropicana.

What if I called as
75 different people

and made 75 reservations

and then at the last
minute got 75 headaches

and couldn't make it?

Hey, that might work out.

Sure, the place would be empty.

I'm going to call the
Tropicana right now.

Tropicana Club.

Hello, this is Mrs.
Worthington Proudfoot.

I'd like to make a reservation
for Thursday evening.

Oh, fine, Mrs. Proudfoot.

You are our first reservation.

Oh, how charming.

Charming, yes.

I'd like a table
for eight, please.

Yes...

Yes, you're welcome.

It worked!

Who'll I be now?

Say, listen, Ethel,
why don't you go down

and make reservations
on your phone?

That way we'll tie up the line,

and nobody else will
be able to get a table.

That's a good idea. Okay.

I think I'll be a
celebrity this time.

I'll check with you later.

Okay, honey.

Hello, Tropicana, darling?

I'd like a reservation
for Thursday, darling.

Yes, I'd like one of
those darling little tables

underneath those darling
little palm trees, darling.

Yes, darling...

Good-bye.

Hello, Tropicana.

Yes, we have a
nice table for two.

De la chopa.

Thank you.

Hello, Tropicana.

Yes, Mrs. Thompson.

J-Just... one minute, please.

Oh... Hello, Mrs. Bennett?

Y-Yes, would you hold
for a second, please?

Yes, Mrs. Thompson.

All right, Mrs. Bennett,
all right, all right.

That's right,
that's four at 8:00.

Eight at 10:00.

Ten at...

Oh... I'm sorry...
I'm very sorry.

I'm very sorry...

No, I didn't mean you.

Mrs., uh, Mrs.,
uh... Mrs., uh...

Oh! Mon dieu!

Thank you. Thank you very much.

We'd be delighted to see you.

Good-bye.

Well, how's everything
going, Maurice?

It-It-It's amazing,
Mr. Littlefield.

We opened the book for
reservations two hours ago,

and we are completely,
completely sold out.

Splendid, splendid.

You know, I... I
cannot understand it.

This is the first time
this has happened

in the history of the club.

It's quite clear to me:

I finally hired
someone with talent.

Hello, Tropicana Club.

No, I'm very, very sorry,
we are all booked up,

we are completely sold out.

Yes, yes.

But it's impossible,
madame, that's impossible.

Oh, well, are you sure

that you don't have
just one little table

for Scarlett Culpepper?

Oh, well, I am sorry.

Is that so?

Well, I declare.

Well, bye now.

Whew!

Oh, brother...

I can't make one
more phone call.

My finger's all
worn down to a nub.

You won't have to;
they're all sold out.

Good.

Harry and Bess
Truman got the last table.

Hey, this'll make Ricky
look pretty good, huh, Fred?

Well, I don't know if it
will make Ricky look good

but it will certainly make
the other guy look bad.

Hey, that's right, Ethel.

We have to make
Mr. Littlefield realize

that those people
aren't showing up

because Ricky
Ricardo isn't there.

Oh, yeah.

How?

Gee, I don't know.

I guess we'll just have to
go in and sit down at the table

and then everybody
get up and walk out

when we find out
Ricky isn't playing there.

Oh, no, we'd be recognized.

Well, not necessarily.

Depends on how we're fixed up.

Sure, we could all be disguised.

Yeah.

But, Lucy, one table
of people walking out

isn't going to mean anything.

Well, maybe we could go
out and come back again

a couple of times or something.

How?

Well...

Wait a minute.

What?

I got a pal that's a
quick-change artist.

Hal King!

Yeah, and I'll bet

he'd let us borrow
all his trick wardrobe.

Well, call him up!

What are you
waiting for? Come on!

Well...

everything all set?

Yes, sir, everything is fine.

Ah, wonderful, wonderful.

In a few moments,
this room will be filled

with 300 jolly, fun-seeking,
money-spending revelers.

Psst, psst, they're,
they're beginning to arrive.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Do you have a reservation?

Mrs. Worthington
Proudfoot and party.

Oh, yes, yes. Table 29.

Yes, yes.

This way, please.

Charming place.

They changed the decor here.

Is, uh, this satisfactory?

Oh, yes, everything's
fine, thank you.

You know, my dear, you're
going to be very impressed

with this chap Ricky Ricardo.

Very remarkable
chap, Ricky Ricardo.

Oh, I'm sorry, madame.

What about?

Uh, Ricky...

Yes, Ricky Ricardo
is not here anymore.

Oh, but we have

that world-famous
entertainer Xavier Valdez.

No Ricky Ricardo?!

But we only came here
to hear Ricky Ricardo.

Certainement.

If the Ricardo chap isn't
here, we may as well pop off.

Indeed.

Um, um...

Oh, please, please, please wait.

You'll enjoy Xavier Valdez.

He's a lot more clever
than Ricky Ricardo.

Please!

Really...

no one is more clever
than Ricky Ricardo, peasant.

Where is everybody?!

Well, I don't know.

There was that one group
over there, but they walked out.

Yes, yes, I know, I know.

Good evening.

Mrs. Miriam Chumley and party.

Oh, certainly, table 27.

Ah, this way, please.

Good evening.

Righto, righto.

Hiya.

Good evening.

The rest of my
party ain't here yet.

Do you have a reservation?

Do I have a reservation?

Ah-ha!

Of course I have a reservation.

17 people, that's all.

McGillicuddy.

McGillicuddy...

Miss McGillicuddy.

Oh! Yes, indeed, yes.

Maurice, Maurice! Yes.

Miss McGillicuddy's
table, number 11.

The rest of her party
will be here shortly.

This way, please,
Miss McGillicuddy.

Hiya, Maury.

Fine, thank you.

How are you?

Fine.

This is your table right here.

I guess I'm a little early.

You know, this is
my favorite club.

Y'all always put on a good
show here. I always say that.

I always tell everybody
that. You should hear me.

I always say, "You
never get let down

if you go and see
Ricky Ricardo."

That's what I always say.

Oh, but, uh, Ricky Ricardo
is not here anymore.

Ricky Ricardo
ain't here no more?!

Well, I'm getting out
of this crummy dump.

Oh, but if you please...

Please, save your breath.

I beg your pardon.

Did I hear you say

that Ricky Ricardo
isn't here anymore?

Yeah, how do you like that?

Well, I don't like it at all.

Oh, please, please, please,

I assure you if you stay,

you won't be disappointed.

Ha!

My good man, is Ricky Ricardo

appearing here tonight or not?

Well... no.

That's all.

Let me use your telephone.

Please, Mrs. Chumley,
no, if you just...

Say, buster, who's the stupe

that let Ricky Ricardo
slip through his fingers?

You?

Well... yes.

Oh, brother.

Hello, Mary.

This is Miriam. I
just called to tell you

not to bother to come to
the Tropicana Club tonight.

Ricky Ricardo isn't
appearing here anymore.

Yes, I knew you'd want to know.

Oh, no, no, please.

Cancel Mrs.
Ackerman's reservation.

But Mrs. Ackerman has a
reservation for 30 people!

I know.

That a girl, Crumley.

Here we go, up and at 'em.

Oh, but ladies, ladies...

You're jolly well
stupid, you know.

Now, do not
worry, Mr. Littlefield.

After all, they
looked rather strange.

Maybe they did look strange,

but they were paying customers.

Hello.

Ah...

Oh...

Oh, it's you.

What's the matter, Alvin?

Well, where is everybody?

They're all out
washing their hands.

Isn't this opening night?

Aren't you sold out?
What happened?

Oh, please, please

stop asking so many
questions, Phoebe.

Here, here, sit down.

Pretend you're
enjoying yourself.

Hmm?

Well, at least smile.

Ohh...

Uh... good evening.

Do you have a reservation?

Oh, of course we
have a reservation.

Don't we have a reservation?

Oh, dear!

Hazel, look!

Oh...

Countess Blueblichki,

Ricky Ricardo isn't
playing here tonight.

Ricky Ricardo is
not here anymore?

Well, Mr. Ricardo finished
his engagement here.

Well, where is he
playing? We'll go there.

Yes. Yes.

Well, that does it.

Maurice, get Ricky
Ricardo on the phone.

If I don't get him
back, I'll go bankrupt!

That's a very smart
move, my man.

Yes, yes. When you get
Ricky Ricardo back here,

we'll be back again.

Good-bye.

Come, girls.

Gee, I wish Ricky
would come home

or phone or something.

Didn't his note say he'd phone?

No, it just says... it says

"Mr. Littlefield called
and wanted to talk to me.

I think he wants
to hire me back."

Oh, hiya, folks!

FRED and ETHEL: Hi, Ricky.

Hi, honey.

How's everybody?

We got your note. What happened?

Oh, Lucy, you should
have seen what happened.

No kidding.

Listen, I went down
to the Tropicana, Yeah.

And there wasn't one single
solitary soul in the place.

No?

And not only that,
but Maurice told me

that the few
people that came in,

as soon as they found
out that I wasn't there...

out they went.

Fantastic.

My goodness.

Boy!

Well, I guess I didn't realize

how popular I am.

What did Mr. Littlefield say?

Does he want you back?

Does he want me back?

I'll say he does.

He offered me
twice as much money

as I was getting before.

Really?

When do you start?

I dun't.

You "dun't"?

What do you mean?

Well, why should I work for him?

If I'm that popular,

I can write my own
ticket anyplace in town!

Oh, no!

Mr. Littlefield was
played by Gale Gordon

Mrs. Littlefield by Edith Meiser

and William was played
by Maurice Marsac.

I Love Lucy is a
Desilu Production.