I Love Lucy (1951–1957): Season 5, Episode 7 - The Ricardos Are Interviewed - full transcript

("I Love Lucy" theme song playing)

ANNOUNCER: And now, "I Love Lucy."

(applause)

(theme song fading out)

Hi.

Hi.
Hi.

Going to go to the movies?

Oh, no, thanks, we can't.

No, I have a business appointment.

Guess what, he signed with Associated
Artists today.

Who are they?



"Who are they?"

Ha! Just the biggest talent agency

in the business, that's all.

Oh, Rick, that's great.

Well, congratulations, Rick.

You know, the funny part about that
is,

before I went to Hollywood,

I couldn't get in the front door of
their office.

And since I come back, they came
after me.

Well, a trip to Hollywood

sort of made celebrities out of all
of us.

I'm a very important person

since we came home.

Really?



Yes, sir.

Nowadays when I go to the meat market

and order hamburger,

the butcher grinds it right in front
of my eyes.

Yeah, you know, if I wanted to go to
the store

without collecting a crowd,

I'd have to wear dark glasses and
walk down an alley.

Well, that's a lot of trouble, isn't
it?

I don't know.

I haven't tried it yet.

(doorbell buzzing)

Hey, that must be Johnny.

ETHEL: Oh, we'll duck out.

No, stick around.

Stick around.
I'd like you to meet him.

All right, okay.

Johnny, I want you to meet my wife
Lucy.

How do you do, Mr. Clark?

Hello, Lucy, how are you?

These are my friends Fred and Ethel
Mertz.

Mrs. Mertz, Hello, how are
you? Mr. Clark.

Mr. Mertz. Hi, Mr. Clark.

I'm sorry I'm late.

I was having dinner with Bing,

and we had a few problems we had to
iron out.

Oh, uh, Mr. Clark, pardon me, but
when you left him,

did you shake hands with him?

Yes.

Ethel, I just shook the hand

that shook the hand of Bing Crosby.

I shook it, too.

Well, I was first.

You were a whole hand later.

Sit down, Johnny.

You must forgive Lucy.

She's a little star-struck.

Star struck? Well, you'd better get
over that, Lucy,

because before long,

your husband is going to be one of
the biggest stars

this country has ever known.

Really?

Absolutely.

Well, gee.

Sit down, John.

I saw Dick and Oscar at the Stork
tonight.

They're considering you for their new
show.

Oh, no kidding.

Yeah, and I think I've got you
planted

on the Ed Sullivan Show for next
month.

No kidding.
Boy.

And Ed Warren wants you

on his Face To Face TV show.

Ed Warren?!
Yeah.

You mean, millions of people

will be seeing us right here in our
own home?

That's right.

Oh, gosh!

Oh, isn't that wonderful!

Honey! Honey!

Yeah?

We're not on tonight.

I'll tell you in plenty of time.

Oh, well, that's good,

because I want to get new draperies,

slipcover all the furniture

and we'd better repaint the
apartment.

No, that won't be necessary, Mrs.
Ricardo.

No, that won't be necessary, Mrs.
Ricardo.

Well, I just want everything to look
nice and cheery.

Well, it's gonna take more than

a coat of paint to make this dump

look like anything.

Ricky, you can't be seen on Face To
Face

in a, in a crummy joint like this.

Now, uh, wait a minute now, Johnny.

I forgot to mention something about
the Mertzes.

Yeah, we own this crummy joint.

Well, listen, there's no offense.

It's just that we're building Ricky
up

as a colorful, exciting, new
personality,

and he's got to live like a star
should.

You know, in some place like...

well, like a Park Avenue apartment.

Penthouse even.

Here, I, uh, I brought along some
apartment house brochures.

Well, look them over.

Well, I like it here.

So do I.

I'll have you know that this is

one of the finest apartment buildings
in New York.

If not the finest.

These walls are solid.

Fred.

Solid as a rock.

They don't build them like this
anymore.

No, they haven't built them like this
for a hundred years.

Now, just a minute, Johnny.

The Mertzes are our best friends

and we've lived in this apartment for
15 years

and we're gonna stay right here.

I didn't mean anything, Ricky,

and I'm sorry if I offended anyone.

It's just that I'm thinking about
your career.

He can have just as big a career
living here

as he can in some Park Avenue
penthouse.

That's right.
All right, all right.

Have it your own way.

I'll see if I can't get another angle

on that Ed Warren show and call you
in the morning.

Okay.
Good night, Lucy.

Good night, Mr. Clark.

Good-bye.

(door shuts)

Gee, I'm...
I'm sorry, Fred.

Oh, that's all right.

This apartment has been insulted by
bigger men than him.

Yeah, building inspectors.

Imagine us living in a big, fancy
apartment.

I like it here.

So do I.

Don't you worry, Fred.

We're never gonna leave this crummy
joint.

LUCY: Oh!

We're not worried about that.

We're going to the movies.

We'll run along.
See you tomorrow.

Okay, good-bye.
Okay.

Don't forget-- tomorrow night we play
bridge, huh?

All right, see you later.
We won't.

I'm not sure I like your new agent.

Oh, honey, he doesn't know any
better.

Us in a Park Avenue penthouse.

Sheesh!

"Four bedrooms, four bathrooms and a
library."

What would we do with all that room?

Hmm.

"Private terrace."

Hmm. Well, that would be nice for
little Ricky.

"Daily maid service." Whoa.

How much do they want for all that
swank?

They start at $11,000 a year!

For us they end there, too.

I'll say.

Hoo-hoo.

I would kind of like to take a look
at one

just to see what it's like inside,
you know?

Just forget it.

Yeah.

Hi, honey.

Well, hi.
Where have you been?

It's after 8:00.

I know. I'm sorry.

Rehearsing a new show, you know,
takes a lot of time.

Yeah. You have any dinner?

Yeah, I had a bite at the club.

Hey, guess what I did today?

What?

I looked at one of those Park Avenue
penthouses.

I just wanted to see what it looked
like.

It was a $11,000 humdinger.

Boy, you should have seen it.

A tremendous living room, view of
Central Park

and the softest carpet.

They were this thick.

I didn't see my feet for half an
hour.

Made this place look like the city
dump.

Now, Lucy...

Relax. I found out a terrible thing.

It wasn't comfortable over there.

I guess I'm the city-dump type.

Well, my pocketbook thanks you.

I must have looked like the city-dump
type, too.

Mrs. Skyler-- she's the manager over
there--

she wasn't even gonna show me the
place

until I told her who you were.

(wry chuckle)

I'll tell Fred and Ethel you're here.

Okay, I'll clean up.

I'll be right out.

Okay, fine.
We'll be right over.

Ricky's home.

Let's go over and play some bridge.

Well, come on, what's the matter with
you?

Oh, I was just thinking about last
night

and how Lucy and Ricky told his agent

they'd never move out of here.

They're such wonderful people.

Yeah, you're right.

They really are.

They're the kind of people

that give people a good name.

They're the best friends we ever had.

That's for sure.

We got to get them out of here.

Yep, we got to...

What?!

We got to make them move out of here.

And lose perfectly good tenants?

Oh, now, Fred, for once, will you
think with your heart

instead of your wallet?

I don't know what you're talking
about.

They don't want to move.

Sure they do, and they should,

but they don't want to hurt our
feelings.

We can't let friendship stand in the
way of Ricky's career.

He doesn't belong in a place like
this.

He belongs in a big, beautiful,
wonderful apartment.

You know, you're right,

but how are we gonna get them to
move?

Well, we'll have to be subtle about
it

so they won't catch on.

Yeah. We can burn the building down.

Fred, are you crazy?

No, I'm insured.

Oh, Fred.

Now, let's see.

How does a landlord get a tenant to
move out?

Well, suppose we give them a lot of
bad service--

no heat, no repairs.

Think that'll work?

It hasn't for 15 years.

No, we got to think of something
else.

How about, uh...

Well, we could pick a fight.

What, what about?

Well, we could pick one about, um,
about the bridge game.

You know how sensitive Lucy is about
her bridge playing.

Good. Come on.

Now, Fred, Fred, don't weaken.

Remember, it's all for friendship.

Okay, come on.

What's keeping them?

(knock at door)

Whoa, since when do you knock?

Hi. Sorry I was late.

Come on, let's get going.

Hurry up. Sit down.

Come on, sit down.

Come on.

No, we just came over to tell you

not to count on us for bridge.

Uh, yes, uh, we've made other plans.

Well, how come? You know this is our
regular bridge night.

Well, maybe it's time for a change.

What do you mean?

Well, I guess you'd better come right
out

and tell them the truth.

The fact of the matter is,

we don't want to play bridge with you
anymore.

What?!

Why not?

Well, to put it as charitably as
possible

and not wanting to hurt anyone's
feelings,

you are lousy bridge players.

Now, just a minute!

Oh, now, Ricky, you're not so bad,

but there's some excuse for you:

You learned how to play in Cuba.

But Lucy-- whee!

She may bring back mah-jongg.

Look who's talking--

the queen of the ace trumpers!

Well, if you want to get nasty about
it,

I thought we knew each other well
enough to be honest.

Oh, well, if you want to get honest,
let's go.

I've got plenty of ammunition.

You are possibly one of the worst...

Now, just-just wait-wait-wait,

wait-wait a minute, wait a minute.

Why don't you put your money where
your big mouth is?

Why don't you stay and play for
money?

Real money.

Ha! Fred play for money?

I'm not the cheapskate in this group.

Meaning I...?

Meaning you!

You're tighter than the skin on your
congo drum.

Now, now, now, now, don't bug your
eyes out at me.

Save that for your movie fans if you
have any.

(shrieking)

This is the thanks we get for
sticking it out

for 15 long years in this
termite-ridden deep freeze.

If you don't like it here, nobody is
twisting your arm.

Yeah, go ahead.

Go ahead and what?

Go ahead and move out.

Well, that's all we had to hear.

That's just what we're going to do!

Good riddance.

And the sooner the better.

Don't worry, we're getting out of
this tenement

before it's condemned by the Board of
Health.

Good, and you can't make it soon
enough for us.

That's right!

Ha!

Ha!

Oh! I'm going to start packing right
this minute.

Oh, no, you're not.

Why not?

Those two crazy, wonderful people.

What are you talking...?

What-what-what, what's...
You deserting to the enemy?

No, honey. Don't you see?

They were acting like that because
they love us.

Well, I'd hate to think how they'd
act

if they couldn't stand us.

Now, honey, they think that if I stay
here,

it's going to ruin my career.

Oh.

Sure. So they, they, they acted like
that

so we'd pick a fight

and move to one of those fancy
apartments

that my agent was talking about.

Oh, Ricky, you're right.

When did you catch on?

Listen, any time that Fred Mertz

tells one of his steady-paying
tenants

to move out, there's something fishy
somewhere.

Oh, Ricky, they're so...

Oh, I could just cry.

Boy, I'll bet they'll move out
tomorrow.

Tomorrow? They may even go tonight.

Yeah, they might.

Did you see Lucy's face when I told
her

what a horrible bridge player she
was?

Did you hear Ricky when I told him

what a cheapskate he is?

(laughing): Yeah.

(crying): Oh, I miss them already!

Yeah, me, too.

Now... now we'll have to get somebody
else

to play bridge with us.

Yeah, and the way we play, that's not
gonna be easy.

No, it's not.

What's your Aunt Martha's phone
number?

Gramercy 3-8-0-9-8.

(sobbing)

What are you calling Aunt Martha for?

Well, she always wanted to rent an
apartment

in our building, and I thought

we might let them have the Ricardos'
apartment.

Fred, how can you think of money at a
time like this?!

In my sorrow, do I know what I'm
doing?

Hello?

I'll take it.

Hello, Aunt Martha?

This is little Ethel.

Listen, do you and Uncle Elmo still
want an apartment

in our building?

I think we're going to have a
vacancy.

The Ricardos.

Well, they haven't told us the exact
date,

but I could let you know.

Oh, that's nice.

Okay, I'll call you, Aunt Martha.

Bye.

She'll take it.

That's fine.

I miss Lucy already!

Oh, now, honeybunch, don't start
crying.

She's the best friend I ever had.

Now, come on, honey, snap out of it.
Come on.

Oh, I can't help it.

That's the nicest thing anybody ever
did for anybody.

I know, I know. Look, we'll just go
over there

and we'll tell them that we
appreciate

what they're trying to do,

but that we're not going to move.

Oh, honey, we can't do that.

They mustn't know that we know what
they're trying to do.

I guess you're right.

Well, I'll tell you what.

Look, I'll, I'll apologize for
starting the fight.

I'll tell them it's all my fault.

Well, all right, and I'll tell them

that I'm gonna start taking bridge
lessons.

Hey, that's good.

Okay. Come on, let's go.

(phone ringing)

(sniffling)

Hello?

Oh, yes. How are you?

It's Ethel's Aunt Martha.

Oh, uh...

Well, just a minute.

How tall are you?

5' 11?". Why?

5' 11?". Why?

Well, yes, he fits in it.

Fits in what?

Oh?

Oh.

Well, uh, we don't know the exact
date,

but it's gonna be much sooner than
they expected.

Yes. Well, we'll let you know.

All right. Good-bye.

How do you like that?!

What?

Aunt Martha wanted to know how tall
you were

so she could tell if Uncle Elmo would
fit into our bathtub.

Huh?

The Mertzes have already rented this
apartment to them.

Well, I'll be darned.

They knew what they were doing right
along.

They had already rented this place!

How do you like that?

Iy mira que creyendo lo que fuera
mejor amigo mio!

Yeah.

Oh, come on, Ethel, snap out of it.

We did what we had to do and that's
that.

(ringing)

Hello.

Yes, this is Mrs. Mertz.

Mrs. Skyler?

Uh, yes, the Ricardos have lived in
our building for 15 years.

Yes, they've been very good tenants.

Oh, she did?!

Oh, it is?

Yes.

Yes, I can recommend them very
highly.

You're welcome.

Well!

Who was that?

That was a Mrs. Skyler,

the manager of a Park Avenue
apartment building.

What did she want?

Lucy was over there today looking at
an apartment.

What?!

Oh, boy they planned to move out all
the time.

They just pretended they didn't want
to leave here.

Those dirty double-crossers.

I ought to go right over there

and blacken one of those bugged-out
eyes of Ricky's.

Let's go over there tell them what we
really think of them.

Come on.

Hi.

That agent.

Say, I'm glad I bumped into you two.

I was just on my way over to the
Ricardos'.

Ed Warren says it's fine to do the
show from here.

From this crummy joint?

Well, now, please, I apologize for
that.

Now, we have a new angle.

Instead of Ricky living in a fancy
apartment,

we're gonna show how success hasn't
changed him--

how even though he's a big star,

he refuses to move

from his simple and comfortable, old
apartment--

and his two best friends, the
Mertzes.

You're both gonna be on the show with
him.

That's all very interesting.

It's at 8:00 tomorrow night.

The only reason we got on is 'cause
somebody canceled.

Well, thank you very much, Mr. Clark,

but I wouldn't be on a show with
them.

Now just a minute, Ethel.

You tell the Ricardos we'll do it.

Okay.

Fred, what's the matter with you?

What's the matter with you?

How many chances do we get to be on
Face to Face?

Besides, who am I to deny 50 million
people

the opportunity of seeing Fred Mertz?

And his wife.

Well...

And what about the advertising

for the building?

I bet we could get double rentals

for every apartment in the house.

Fred, I'll say this for you: You
never hold a grudge.

Thanks.

If there's money involved.

Nothing doing, Johnny.

We just don't want to do a television
show

with the Mertzes.

But, Ricky...

Look, if they want to go on
television,

let them go on with Aunt Martha and
Uncle Elmo.

Yeah.

Aunt Martha and Uncle Elmo?

What's that, a kid's show or
something?

Never mind.

We just don't want to do a television
show with them.

But it's all set.

Ed Warren expects them on the show.

You've got to do it with them.

I don't got to do nothing!

Now, listen, Ricky, I've got a lot of
important people

out there tomorrow night watching
you.

Dick and Oscar-- they want to hear
you sing.

Ed Sullivan.

Well...

Look, honey, if it's important to
your career,

I guess we can stomach the Mertzes
for half an hour.

After all, we never have to see them
again

once the show is over.

I guess you're right.

Good. Then it's all settled.

I'll see you tomorrow night, Rick.

All right.

That a boy.

Now, don't be nervous, Ricky.

Just-just pretend like it's just any
other night

in your living room.

Well, hold on.

Hey, these, these chocolates, they
look terrible.

I think the light is melting them.

I'd better go change them, huh?

No, no, no. We don't have time.

Nobody will see them.

I'd better get out of here.

I'll go over to the Mertzes

and watch it on their TV set.

Okay.

Did you call us?

No. It isn't time.

Get back. Get back.

Good luck, kids.
Good luck.

Are you nervous?

No.

20 seconds.

Oh. Hello, Ed.

Honey, we're not on yet.

I know.
I'm just rehearsing.

Oh.
Oh... oh, hi, Ed.

Mm.

Oh. Oh, hello, Ed.

Oh. Oh, Ed.

How are you?

Five seconds.
Oh.

Lucy...

Hi, Ed!

No, honey...

And here we go!

ANNOUNCER: And here is Edward Warren.

Currently, making feminine hearts
flutter

all across the country

is a charming Cuban named Ricky
Ricardo.

He recently made his first Hollywood
film

and out there they are calling him a
second Valentino.

Ricky lives with his charming,
red-haired wife

in this converted brownstone
apartment house

on East 68th Street.

Hello, Ricky.

Hello, Ed.

Ed, I'd like you to meet my wife,
Lucy.

Oh... hello, Ed.

Hello there, Lucy.

Ricky.

Ricky.

Yes, Ed?

Ricky, now that you have made that
picture,

your career is really zooming, isn't
it?

Oh, yes. It's been wonderful.

A lot of wonderful things have
happened

in the past few months.

How did you find Hollywood?

Huh?

I say, how did you find Hollywood?

Oh, Hollywood was wonderful.

It was really great.

You know, I... I'd been working in...
in nightclubs, you know,

for the past few years.

It was different, you know, working
without an audience.

Uh, Ricky, do you like working to an
audience better?

Well, I don't know if I like it
better or not.

It's just that it's different, you
know,

and then, of course, when you...

when you go to the preview and... and
there it is,

and there's nothing you can do about
it, you know?

I imagine... I imagine that that
preview was pretty exciting

for everybody concerned.

How about that, Mrs. Ricardo?

(mumbling)

What?

(mumbling)

I-I say...
I say, the preview

must have been pretty exciting for
everybody.

(mumbling)

Yes, it was very exciting, Ed.

We can hardly wait for...

(mumbling): ...going to a preview.

We're very excited

and we can hardly wait for the
picture to open.

Neither can I.

Ricky, I understand that-that you
have an unusual situation

in that you are best friends with
your landlords.

Oh, yes. Fred and Ethel Mertz.

They're our very best friends.

Would you like to meet them?

Yes, Ricky, I would.

All right.

I'll see if I can get them.

Fred and Eth...!

Ed, this is Fred and Ethel Mertz.

Hello, Ed. I'm Ethel.

Hello, Ethel.

Hi there.

Hi there, all my pals out in
Steubenville, Ohio.

Hi, you guys down in Joe and Bill's
Barber Shop, hi.

Fred, Fred...

ain't this something?

He's not used to these things.

Ricky.

Yes?

I hope you won't mind my telling
this,

but I understand from your agent

that he wanted you to move into a
swanky penthouse,

but you refused.

Oh, yes.

Yes.

We've lived here for 15 years

and we wouldn't move for anything in
the world.

(coughing)

Anything wrong, Ethel?

I found that hard to swallow.

Well, Fred, Fred

Ricky's attitude must make you very
happy.

It certainly does,

and we hope they never leave.

That's wonderful.

He'd be a fool if he did.

He's getting reasonable rent and a
wonderful apartment

and plenty of service and-- oh, by
the way,

if any of you folks out there

need a good apartment, just give me a
ring.

Ricky... Ricky...

Yes, Ed?

How about a song?

Oh, I'd like...
Sure, very happy to.

It's right back there.

All right.

If my friends here would help me out
with it

we'd like to do it

like we do in our pleasant musical
evenings at home.

You ready?

Oh, yes.
Yes.

We'll do "Rancho Grande."

Here we go.

(playing guitar)

Alla en el rancho grande

Alla donde vivia

Yeeha!
Ooh-hoo!
Yeeha!

Pretty sneaky advertising on Ricky's
program.

Habia una rancherita que alegre me
decia

Que alegre me decia

Yoo-hoo!
Yeeha!

We know you were going to move.

(loudly): Te voy hacer tus calzones

Yeeha!

Comos lo que usa el ranchero

We weren't planning to move.

Yeah.

Te los comienzo de lana

Mrs. Skyler called.

(loudly): Te los acabo de cuero

We weren't serious about moving.

Not much.

She wasn't!

Ha!

What do you mean, "ha"?

Just what I said-- ha!

Aunt Martha called.

We found out the apartment was rented
right from under us!

I didn't call Aunt Martha

until you said you were leaving.

Vienen aqui, estan preteniendo...

She said she didn't call Aunt Martha

until we said we were leaving.

Didn't you want us to leave?

No, we didn't want you to leave.

We don't ever want you to leave here.

Well, honey, we didn't want to leave,
either.

I wouldn't be happy with anybody
else.

Lucy... Lucy...

Oh, oh, Ethel...

(clamoring)
Oh, Ricky...

Ricky... Rick...

Oh, oh, Fred...

I don't want to go anyplace.

Fred... Lu...
Lucy... Fred....

RICKY: I want to be here for the rest
of my life.

Good night and good luck.

("I Love Lucy" theme song playing)

ANNOUNCER: The part of Ed Warren was
played by Elliot Reid.

Johnny Clark was played by John
Gallaudet,

and the director was Monty Masters.

"I Love Lucy" is a Desilu Production.

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz

will be back next week at this same
time.