Bicycle from I Love Lucy Pilot Show on Display

The Rapaports add another treasure to the Lucy-Desi Archives. The world’s smallest bicycle as Seen on “I Love Lucy” is now on display at Desilu Playhouse in Lucy’s hometown.

In March of 1951, Pepito Perez rode the world’s smallest bicycle in the pilot of what was to become the most widely viewed series ever on television. As “Pepito the Spanish Clown”, he again rode this tiny two-wheeler in episode 52 of “I Love Lucy”, “Lucy’s Showbiz Swan Song”, that first aired on December 22, 1952.

Thanks to the continuing generosity of Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center benefactors Bill and Mary Rapaport of East Amherst, New York, this historic prop is now one of the artifacts in the Lucy-Desi Museum’s collection. A special case has been constructed to exhibit it, and visitors to the Desilu Playhouse can now see it in all its tiny glory! The Desilu Playhouse is the “I Love Lucy” museum in the Rapaport Center in Jamestown, New York, Lucille Ball’s hometown.

A long-time friend of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Perez was responsible for helping develop Lucy and Desi’s 1950 vaudeville act that toured the country to prove to CBS Television that the American public would accept the redhead and the band leader as a comedy team.

This bicycle is the most recent gem from the estate of Pepito Perez that the Rapaports have contributed to the Lucy-Desi Center. Others are two costumes that Pepito wore in “I Love Lucy” -- a 13-piece clown outfit and a lion tamer ensemble complete with safari hat and bullwhip -- and the frog costume William Frawley wore in “Little Ricky’s School Pageant”, episode 163, that aired for the first time on December 17, 1956. The Rapaports also donated Lucille Ball’s first Hollywood contract to the Center.

In expressing the Lucy-Desi Center’s appreciation, Executive Director Ric Wyman noted, “We were overwhelmed with Bill and Mary’s generosity in initially making the Desilu Playhouse possible. Their continuing support means that the thousands of fans who’ve already visited Jamestown’s two museums will be able to enjoy wonderful new treasures when they return. The Rapaports have more than earned the enormous gratitude of all of us at the Center and fans everywhere.”

Lucy and Ethel Mattel Doll Has Arrived

The long awaited news on the Lucy and Ethel Mattel Barbie has arrived! It's just as I had predicted on this blog - it's Lucy and Ethel in Episode #69, "Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress".

It was just released to retail stores including Walmart today! As all Lucy fans know, this is a hilarious episode where Lucy and Lucy wind up buying and then wearing the same dress during a televised talent show for their Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League.

Be sure to check out our "Everything Lucy" store and order your duo through Amazon.com in order to support our site and this Blog!

Also as you know, the second Lucy doll this year is from the Pilot episode where Lucy plays Pepito the clown. This doll will be available in October 2007.

ATourist in Her Own Hometown

An article in The Post-Journal of Jamestown, NY is written by someone who grew up in the 80s and watched Lucille Ball's I Love Lucy in syndication. She travels through Jamestown discovering why all the tourists are flocking there every year.

Taking the time to wander in your own hometown can teach you about local history and also remind you of things you may have forgotten. I encourage everyone to became a tourist for a day.

Lucille Ball Movie Collection Out Today!

For all those Lucille Ball fans - the long awaited Film Collection that includes Mame is out in retail stores today!

The Lucille Ball Film Collection, as reported here last month and previously in March contains six of Lucille Ball Films! Critics Choice (1963), Dance Girl Dance (1940), Du Barry Was a Lady (1943), The Big Street (1942), Best Foot Forward (1943), and the long awaited DVD release of Mame (1974).

Several reviews are in on the Film Collection. A review by Sarah on Collider.com states "for those who can see her beyond her signature character, the Lucille Ball Film Collection goes highly recommended."

Another review by Peter Nelhaus for Screenhead says "The older films should be of greater interest to film fans."

Also out today on DVD is the national release of another Lucille Ball film, "Best Foot Forward". This had been previously released last year as well as an Amazon.com exclusive and was reported here.

Last month, "Without Love" starring Lucille Ball was released as part of the Katharine Hepburn Collection. Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn are the star players in this 1945 movie. Lucille Ball co-stars in this film as Katherine Hepburn's cynical secretary, Kitty Trimble. Randall Byrn gave the review on this Box Set for BC Magazine.

Next month in July, "Easy to Wed" which starred Lucille Ball will be available as part of the Esther Williams Box Set. Currently this film is not slated to be released separately from this set. The box set will include "Bathing Beauty," "On an Island With You," "Easy To Wed," "Neptune's Daughter" and "Dangerous When Wet." None of these films have been previously released on DVD.

Be sure to order your DVD copies of all these releases through the "Everything Lucy Store" at youns.com to support our site and this blog!

Lucille Ball's Snail Waiter Dead at 92

Maurice Marsac, who played the French Waiter in the episode Paris At Last died of cardiac arrest May 6th in Santa Rosa, California. He was 92, born March 23, 1915 in La Croix, France, Marsac played many roles as a waiter in his long career.

His role in the Lucy episode is unforgetable, it's one of my favorites. He serves Lucy escargot, which she does not realize is snails. When he brings them to her, she comments "Waiter, this food has snails in it." When she learns that this is what escargot is, she then says, "Well, I might be able to eat them if I had ketchup." A fiasco erupts and she winds up in jail (not for the escargot but for counterfeit francs).

Another episode of "I Love Lucy" that Marsac appears in is Ricky Asks for a Raise. In this episode he also played the headwaiter in Ricky's Tropicana Club.

You can read more about Marsac's passing in the LA Times.