r/ILoveLucy

My first job in show business was as a "runner" for a big TV producer whose series had just sold to syndication for $200,000,000. The office was in a prominent building on Sunset Blvd on the edge of Beverly Hills where lots of older actors and producers maintained an office.

The first two months I was there, the producer, his wife, and their friends were in Southern France for the summer. With him not around there wasn't much to do besides get lunch for his assistant, his bookkeeper, and me. The high point of my week was driving to the bank on Beverly Drive to deposit $20,000,000 checks.

One interminably boring afternoon the producer's assistant, probably in an effort to give me something to do, suggested I go next door to Lucy's office and introduce myself to Wanda, her longtime secretary. "Lucy's office is next door to ours?!"

Wanda couldn't have been nicer. "Lucy isn't in today. Try back tomorrow and if she's in, you can meet her," she said with a big smile. And so every day or two for the next few weeks, that's exactly what I did. And every time, "Sorry, she's not in. Try again tomorrow."

Suddenly the producer got back from France and blew into the office like a tornado. There were a lot more errands which basically consisted of me going to Tiffany's to pick up the gifts he'd buy everyone. The parking attendant in the basement got a watch, so did the building super, even I got one as a Christmas gift. And lunches, lots and lots of lunches. He hated eating out, so I'd pickup takeout on a daily basis. One afternoon everyone wanted Nate'n Al's, so the order was called in for noon. At about 11:30 I left to pick it up.

Our office was at the end of a long hallway, and the elevators were slow. When I heard the ding, I had exactly 9 seconds to get there. Just as I picked up my pace I looked up and saw her. Lucy! Walking right towards me! She was tall, very imposing, wearing a brown suit with a brown low brimmed hat. In the seconds it took for us to meet in the middle of the hallway, I thought of everything I might say. "I grew up watching you, on my grandfather's lap!" "I know every episode by heart!" As she was about to reach me, this was my moment. But then I lost my nerve, too intimidated to say any of those things. All I could muster was a friendly, "Hello!" Lucy smiled, and in what can only be described as what a Camel unfiltered cigarette might sound like if it could talk, "Hello!" And then we walked past.

After that day, I stopped going by to see Wanda. I don't even think Lucy came in at all after that. I'd hate to think I had something to do with that.

My first job in show business was as a "runner" for a big TV producer whose series had just sold to syndication for $200,000,000. The office was in a prominent building on Sunset Blvd on the edge of Beverly Hills where lots of older actors and producers maintained an office.

The first two months I was there, the producer, his wife, and their friends were in Southern France for the summer. With him not around there wasn't much to do besides get lunch for his assistant, his bookkeeper, and me. The high point of my week was driving to the bank on Beverly Drive to deposit $20,000,000 checks.

One interminably boring afternoon the producer's assistant, probably in an effort to give me something to do, suggested I go next door to Lucy's office and introduce myself to Wanda, her longtime secretary. "Lucy's office is next door to ours?!"

Wanda couldn't have been nicer. "Lucy isn't in today. Try back tomorrow and if she's in, you can meet her," she said with a big smile. And so every day or two for the next few weeks, that's exactly what I did. And every time, "Sorry, she's not in. Try again tomorrow."

Suddenly the producer got back from France and blew into the office like a tornado. There were a lot more errands which basically consisted of me going to Tiffany's to pick up the gifts he'd buy everyone. The parking attendant in the basement got a watch, so did the building super, even I got one as a Christmas gift. And lunches, lots and lots of lunches. He hated eating out, so I'd pickup takeout on a daily basis. One afternoon everyone wanted Nate'n Al's, so the order was called in for noon. At about 11:30 I left to pick it up.

Our office was at the end of a long hallway, and the elevators were slow. When I heard the ding, I had exactly 9 seconds to get there. Just as I picked up my pace I looked up and saw her. Lucy! Walking right towards me! She was tall, very imposing, wearing a brown suit with a brown low brimmed hat. In the seconds it took for us to meet in the middle of the hallway, I thought of everything I might say. "I grew up watching you, on my grandfather's lap!" "I know every episode by heart!" As she was about to reach me, this was my moment. But then I lost my nerve, too intimidated to say any of those things. All I could muster was a friendly, "Hello!" Lucy smiled, and in what can only be described as what a Camel unfiltered cigarette might sound like if it could talk, "Hello!" And then we walked past.

After that day, I stopped going by to see Wanda. I don't even think Lucy came in at all after that. I'd hate to think I had something to do with that.

Where do you think Lucy got access to random children? In "Be A Pal" and "Lucy Plays Cupid" did she just put out a random ad "Need to borrow some kids for the night I'll give them back when I'm done." Just a funny thing I thought about. What do you think???

Was just watching the episode in Hollywood where Lucy wears a tweed Don Loper outfit. Don Loper plays himself and I was thinking maybe he was the first gay person to be on TV that didn't even try just a small bit to play the part as straight? And I guess others had thought of this too? https://www.elisarolle.com/queerplaces/ch-d-e/Don%20Loper.html

I‘ve started watching ILL this past week and been enjoying it so far, brings genuine laughs from me. But the main reason I decided to check it out is because I find Ricky/Desi really attractive. However, I feel sort of conflicted about both the character and actor. For Ricky, he obviously loves Lucy and I‘ve seen clips of him being a good father to Little Ricky. But I just got through the episodes where he attempts to drug Lucy with the sleeping pill and spanks her. I think the former is more egregious since the latter felt more like a joke to show that Lucy was acting childish so she gets reprimanded like one. I still acknowledge the time period it was released in and how standards have changed overtime.

For Desi, the main thing I’ve heard is that he was unfaithful to Lucille which led to their divorce but still remained close friends afterwards. I don’t think he was a bad person per se, but of course cheating isn’t a good thing to do. For me, it’s a bit hard sometimes to separate the actor from the character they play when you are reminded of the stuff they’ve done (again, I don’t think Desi was a bad man, just flawed).

Maybe I’m just trying to get rid of any guilt for crushing on this hot Cuban DILF. 😵‍💫

Watching the show, I've never really considered Ricky to be a talented vocalist, especially not strong enough to be the headliner at a nightclub. Do you all think he was a good singer?