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papermoonloveslucy · 6 years

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MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE OFFICE

S6;E16 ~ January 14, 1974

Directed by Coby Ruskin ~ Written by Fred S. Fox and Seaman Jacobs

Synopsis

Harry sells the business, but immediately has regrets. When the new boss (Don Porter) gets everyone arrested for running a bookie operation, Lucy and Kim scheme to get the agency back for Harry.

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter), Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter / “Mrs. Pierpont Skyler of the Pasadena Skylers”)

Guest Cast

Don Porter (Ken Richards) previously played Mr. Devery on “The Ann Sothern Show” (1958-61), a Desilu production. In 1958 Lucille Ball guest-starred as Sothern’s friend Lucy Ricardo who tries to play matchmaker between Devery and Sothern’s character Katy. He had also appeared on Sothern’s previous show, “Private Secretary” (1953-57). In 1974, Porter appeared with Ball in Mame, playing snooty Mr. Upson, father of her nephew Patrick’s intended, Gloria. Later that same year, Porter appeared with Lucille Ball again in the teleplay “Happy Anniversary and Goodbye.”

George Chandler (Winston Shelby) made five films with Lucille Ball between 1938 and 1946. His final TV appearances was in 1979 having accrued more the 450 screen credits. He is probably best remembered as Uncle Petrie Martin on “Lassie” (1954-56).

Shelby says that his business is selling household appliances through the mail, but he is actually acting as a bookie.

Billy Sands (Billy, left) played Lucy’s milkman in both “Lucy’s Lucky Day” (S4;E15) and “Lucy’s Punctured Romance” (S4;E22). Sands began his professional acting career in 1946 when he appeared on Broadway with Spencer Tracy in Robert Sherwood’s Rugged Path, but he eventually became a television character actor who appeared regularly as Dino Papparelli on “The Phil Silvers Show” and as ‘Tinker’ Bell on “McHale’s Navy.” John Wheeler (Hank, right) was yet another actor Lucille Ball worked with on the movie Mame. Other musicals include the TV version of Wonderful Town in 1958 (his screen debut) and Sweet Charity (1969). In both cases he was in the New York stage productions and came to Hollywood to work on the screen versions.

Dave Morick (Plainclothes Police Detective) played police officers on various television shows. He was frequently seen as a background player on “Hogan’s Heroes” (1966-71).

Neil (Mrs. Skyler’s Kitty Cat, uncredited) was brought up on milk.

Bentley the chauffeur (the lion’s handler), and two uniformed policemen appear uncredited and have no dialogue.

The title is a paraphrase of the catch-phrase “Meanwhile, back at the ranch.” The expression originated as a stock subtitle in silent movies and at first the reference to the ranch was literal. Later, as the phrase became a cliché, it was used more and more loosely and with a growing sense of mockery or levity.

Lucy says a depressed Harry looks like a recruiting poster for Forest Lawn. Forest Lawn Memorial Park (aka Cemetery) is located in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. Due to the many celebrities buried there and the tourists that visit their graves, it has gained a reputation as a “theme-park necropolis.” When Lucille Ball died on April 26, 1989 she was buried at Forest Lawn, but three years later was moved to the family plot at Lake View Cemetery in Jamestown, New York. George Chandler (Mr. Shelby) is entombed at Forest Lawn’s Glendale location, the first of their six properties.

When Harry shows up at the newly-purchased office, the frosted glass doors now read “Richards Employment Agency” and “Ken Richards Manager.” However, the iconic wall sign saying “Unusual Jobs for Unusual People” subtitled “Carter’s Unique Employment Agency” still remains.

Porter warns Lucy that he doesn’t appreciate humor. He says “If I had wanted a funny secretary, I would have hired Phyllis Diller.” Master impressionist Jim Bailey played comedienne Phyllis Diller in “Lucy and Jim Bailey” (S5;E9).

Porter is frustrated by Lucy’s filing system (a joke that hasn’t been mined very often recently) and tells her to find him the Bradshaw file. The name Bradshaw was often one used by Gale Gordon in his dictation as both Mr. Mooney and Harrison Carter. In “A Home is Not an Office” (S5;E4) Harry is looking for the Bradshaw file and Lucy has filed it under ‘G’ because Mr. Bradshaw reminds her of Cary Grant. In this episode, Lucy has filed it under ‘H’ because when she first met Mr. Bradshaw he told her about his weekend in San Francisco, and Lucy associates the city with the song “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

Sitting at a tiny typing table instead of his stately desk, Harry says he feels like “Napoleon at Waterloo.” Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) was a French statesman and military leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution. He was Emperor of the French until his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Harry played the ‘spirit’ of Napoleon (and Lucy is wife Josephine) at a séance held by Helen Hayes in “Lucy and the Little Old Lady” (S4;E17, above).

During a meeting of “the office force”, Mr. Richards tells Harry that the way he drums his fingers while talking on the telephone is exceedingly irritating. This was the same bad habit Ricky Ricardo was accused of by Lucy during “In Palm Springs” (ILL S4;E26, above). Richards also asks Lucy if there’s any way for her to “dim” her hair!

Hank explains how the book-making racket works. When callers state the model number of the 'appliances’ they want to order, they are actually gambling on horse races.

First number = amount of bet

Second number = race number

Third number = horse number

Numbers 1, 2, 3 = win, place, show

They field telephone calls from Mssrs. Clark, Frasier, McGee, Santiago and Thomas, to name a few. These names could be completely random on the part of the writers, or they could have had some significance.

When Billy asks if anyone speaks Spanish, Lucy says that she does. She may be just saying so to earn the $100 bonus for the most 'orders’ because Lucy Carter has never demonstrated proficiency with any language in the past. She says goodbye by saying “Que sera sera!” This is French and most connected with the Doris Day tune “Que Sera Sera” (1956).

This is the last episode shot for “Here’s Lucy,” but it was decided not to use it as the series finale. The last shot, of Lucy, Harry and Kim, toddling off into the 'sunset’ certainly feels like a Hollywood ending.

Harry also sold the Unique Employment Agency at the end of season five for $25,000. This is the same price Harry got from Mr. Richards.

Kim disguises herself as a stereotypical little old lady named Mrs. Skyler, of the South Pasadena Skylers. In “Lucy and the Ex-Con” (S1;E15), Wally Cox disguises himself as a little old lady named Mrs. Perkins, of the Pasadena Perkins’. The connection between elderly women and the California city doubtless is derived from the hit song “The Little Old Lady from Pasadena” (1964) sung by Jan and Dean.

This is the second time that a live lion has been seen on “Here’s Lucy.” The first was in “Lucy in the Jungle” (S4;E13).

Souvenirs! When Harry sold the business to Mr. Richards, he neglected to take his precious barometer, something he told Lucy to carefully pack when he first sold the business in “Lucy and Harry’s Memoirs” (S5;E24).

Kitty Litter! When Bentley the chauffeur (actually the lion’s trainer) is about wrestle with 'Neil’, Lucie Arnaz says “Show them how cuddly and kitty he is” which doesn’t make grammatical sense. No doubt that the presence of a live lion on set had everyone a bit distracted. [The snake held by Lucie Arnaz in the above promo shot belonged to her! It does not appear in the episode.]

“Meanwhile, Back at the Office” rates 4 Paper Hearts out of 5

This episode probably should have been the series finale - it feels like a finale. Lucie Arnaz does a wonderful comic turn as the stereotypical little old lady - something her mother would have done 20 years earlier.

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