2010 Lucy-Desi Days Fan Appreciation Weekend

The headliner on Saturday, May 29th during the 2010 Lucy-Desi Days Fan Appreciation Weekend will be Lucille Ball impressionist, Suzanne LaRusch! Suzanne will be bringing her one-woman show to Jamestown, "An Evening with Lucille Ball: 'Thank You for Asking,'" Directed by Lucie Arnaz, this amazing program is crafted in the spirit of the amusing lectures Lucille Ball gave throughout her career.

It's the Lucy the whole world loved, from "Ricardo" to "Mame", but, more importantly, it's an evening with the closest thing to the real Lucy, as you've never seen her before.

For more information or to register, visit http://www.aneveningwithlucilleball.com/.


Suzanne LaRusch was a Hollywood baby, the daughter of a propmaster, herself a child actress who appeared in her first commercial when she was 18 months old. Yet she credits her mother’s roots in upstate New York with giving her the ability to channel the star of “I Love Lucy” in her one-woman show, “An Evening With Lucille Ball: Thank You for Asking.”  Read more:
http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/weekend/2270492,051410-Lucy.article

Traversing the bridge between Lucy Ricardo and Lucille Ball, the production welcomes audiences into the never-before-published backstage stories that catapulted Ball to unprecedented fame, as well as into the tumultuous marriage that would eventually endure public scrutiny. LaRusch recently caught up with ShowBiz Chicago to discuss the process of delving into the famous red head’s life, both behind and in front of the rose-colored camera.  Read more:
http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/10663/theater-interview-lucy-were-home-with-performer-suzanne-larusch

“I love taking my experiences, good or bad, and sharing them if it makes the world a better place. And I had a bad experience with my losing my mother at what I thought was too early (an age),” said Arnaz. Read more:
http://timesnews.net/article.php?id=9023073

Featured interview with Suzanne Larush from Showbiz Chicago. "When I started out I did my homework as any actor would, watching many of her tapes, interviews, and episodes of the “I Love Lucy” show that I began to know backwards and forwards. I studied her make-up and mannerisms. My mother was born and raised in Buffalo, New York and Lucille was born and raised about sixteen miles south of there in Jamestown, and I realized that my mother had very similar mannerisms to Lucille. It may be regional, and I caught that early on. So when I would exaggerate my mother’s mannerisms and voice inflections, people thought it was dead-on Lucy. So I found learning points like that along the way." Read more:
http://showbizchicago.com/lucy-were-home-in-conversation-with-suzanne-larusch/

For more information on the 2010 Lucy-Desi Days Fan Appreciation Weekend and for schedule information, tickets, or for accomodations, visit the Lucy-Desi website at: http://www.lucy-desi.com/festival/festival_info.html

I Love Lucy Returns to Hallmark

Hallmark previously removed I Love Lucy from there scheduling but now they are bringing it back!

In a last minute schedule change, beginning Wednesday, April 28 (yes, tomorrow!), I Love Lucy returns to the schedule airing weekdays from 9am-12pm, replacing Martha Stewart programming and an hour of Touched by an Angel.

I Love Lucy will start with the episode "The Girls Want to Go to a Nightclub" on Wednesday morning at 9am. And in more good I Love Lucy news, the previously scheduled marathon that we announced has now been extended! The marathon will still run this coming Sunday (May 2), but now from 6am-4am instead...yes 22 straight hours! Previously it was slated for 9am-4am. Good news indeed! But hopefully the weekday morning block lasts a while! Stay with us if anything changes.

I Love Lucy – The Movie and Other Great Rarities Out Today on DVD

In 1953, three classic first season I Love Lucy episodes (“The Benefit,” “Breaking the Lease,” and “The Ballet”) were edited together with newly-filmed connecting scenes to create a feature-length film. The film had only a single “test” screening in 1953 and was then put back on a shelf, in a mislabeled can, and was lost for half a century.  It was discovered in the Paramount vault in 2001 and this is the first time it will be seen again!

Rarities include:

• Lucy Goes To Scotland
• A TV Academy PSA
• The Series Premiere Opening
• An Animated Commercial 

Just a few weeks ago, another Lucy DVD was released, "Lucy Calls the President".  This was a CBS Special from 1977. This special was more or less, a bittersweet Lucy Show reunion as it featured most of the regulars from that show. This was also the final appearance of Lucille Ball with Vivian Vance. Vivian had already been diagnosed with Breast Cancer and was receiving chemotherapy treatments and had suffered a stroke, which left her face partially paralized, just a few months prior to filming this special. This was also the last time Lucille worked with Mary Jane Croft and Mary Wickes. Lucy had also just lost her mother, DeDe four months prior to the shows airing, in July, and was visibly distraught at her mother's absence in the audience.

Lucille Ball plays, Lucy Whittaker, who decides to call President Jimmy Carter during his weekly radio show and bring up a topic of local Indiana civic importance. He tells her he will be in her area, and will visit her to discuss the matter. Later, the plan is changed to a dinner with the President at Lucy's house, and everyone she has ever known demands to be invited. Lucy finds herself in many situations from chaos in the kitchen to cases of mistaken identity.

Be sure to order your copy today from the links provided here or you can order from the Everything Lucy Store!

I Love Lucy May Marathon on Hallmark

I Love Lucy didn't work on The Hallmark Channel as a regular series on the actual schedule, but it seems the classic sitcom has worked in marathons as Hallmark has scheduled another marathon! They will air the marathon on Sunday, May 2, 2010 from 9am-4am...17 straight hours of Lucy! The last time Hallmark aired a marathon was back in February on President's Day. This marathon kicks off with the episode "Fred and Ethel Fight" at 9am. Below is the full episode schedule for this marathon. Get ready to spend this Sunday with Lucy all-day!

The Hallmark Channel's I Love Lucy Marathon Schedule:

9:00 am - 9:30 am "I Love Lucy: ""Fred and Ethel Fight"": To gain Ricky's sympathy after a fight, Lucy pretends to have been hit by a speeding bus."

9:30 am - 10:00 am "I Love Lucy: ""Pioneer Women"": The Mertzes and the Ricardos bet they can live the same pioneer existence as their ancestors."

10:00 am - 10:30 am "I Love Lucy: ""The Freezer"": Lucy and Ethel install a battered meat locker in the basement, and Lucy learns the hard way how cold it is - she gets locked inside!"

10:30 am - 11:00 am "I Love Lucy: ""Lucy Does a TV Commercial"": Lucy is hired to do a TV commercial for Vitameatavegamin health tonic. After four takes she's happy, but not very peppy."

11:00 am - 11:30 am "I Love Lucy: ""Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio"": Lucy is so impressed at Ricky's correct answers to a radio quiz show that she gets him on the show as a contestant."

11:30 am - Noon "I Love Lucy: ""Lucy's Schedule"": Ricky is determined to teach Lucy the importance of punctuality, so he puts her on a rigid time schedule."

Noon - 12:30 pm "I Love Lucy: ""Ricky Thinks He is Going Bald"": Ricky's receding hairline is giving him much concern, so Lucy decides to give him scalp treatments."

12:30 pm - 1:00 pm "I Love Lucy: ""Job Switching"": Ricky and Fred think doing housework is much easier than earning money. Lucy and Ethel feel the opposite. So the boys try doing the housework while the girls attempt to hold down a job at a candy factory."

1:00 pm - 1:30 pm "I Love Lucy: ""Tennessee Ernie Visits"": Tennessee Ernie Ford shows up in the big city with his guitar and a letter of introduction to the Ricardos."

1:30 pm - 2:00 pm "I Love Lucy: ""Tennessee Ernie Hangs On"": Ernie is still boarding at the Ricardos."

2:00 pm - 2:30 pm "I Love Lucy: ""California, Here We Come!"": Lucy and Ricky are all ready to start their trek to California when complications develop: Lucy's mother decides to join them."

2:30 pm - 3:00 pm "I Love Lucy: ""First Stop"": After a long day of non-stop driving, the Ricardos and the Mertzes pull into a run-down cafe somewhere near Cincinatti."

3:00 pm - 3:30 pm "I Love Lucy: ""Tennessee Bound"": Lucy's rush to get to California lands the Ricardos and the Mertzes in jail in Bent Fork, Tennessee, the home town of their favorite ""peapicker"", Tennessee Ernie Ford."

3:30 pm - 4:00 pm "I Love Lucy: ""Ethel's Home Town"": The Ricardos and the Metzes arrive in Ethel's home town: Albuquerque, New Mexico. Lucy, Ricky, and Fred are jealous when the townfolk give Ethel a big welcome."

4:00 pm - 4:30 pm "I Love Lucy: ""L.A. at Last!"": Arriving in Hollywood, Lucy goes star hunting at the Brown Derby, and finds William Holden in the next booth."

4:30 pm - 5:00 pm "I Love Lucy: ""Don Juan and the Starlets"": Ricky leaves Lucy at home and goes out for an evening of publicity with five gorgeous starlets."

5:00 pm - 5:30 pm "I Love Lucy: ""Lucy Gets in Pictures"": Lucy finally gets her chance - she lands a part as a showgirl in a major MGM musical."

5:30 pm - 6:00 pm "I Love Lucy: ""The Fashion Show"": Lucy is determined to have a beautiful Don Loper gown for her very own."

6:00 pm - 6:30 pm "I Love Lucy: ""The Hedda Hopper Story"": Desi's agent concocts a publicity stunt designed to land Ricky in Hedda Hopper's celebrity gossip column."

6:30 pm - 7:00 pm "I Love Lucy: ""Don Juan is Shelved"": When producer Dore Schary decides to shelve Ricky's film, ""Don Juan,"" Lucy schemes to create public demand for Ricky's talent."

7:00 pm - 7:30 pm "I Love Lucy: ""Bull Fight Dance"": Asked to appear in a Spanish dance number on Ricky's ""Heart Fund"" show, Lucy envisions herself as an exotic Senorita. But Ricky has something altogether different in mind."

7:30 pm - 8:00 pm "I Love Lucy: ""Hollywood Anniversary"": Ricky has forgotten the date of their anniversary, but he has a scheme to convince Lucy that he knew it all along."

8:00 pm - 8:30 pm "I Love Lucy: ""The Star Upstairs"": Lucy poses as a bellboy to gain entrance to movie star Cornell Wilde's hotel room."

8:30 pm - 9:00 pm "I Love Lucy: ""In Palm Springs"": Upset by a quarrel with their husbands, Lucy and Ethel leave for a weekend in Palm Springs, where they encounter Rock Hudson."

9:00 pm - 9:30 pm "I Love Lucy: ""The Dancing Star"": Carolyn Appleby, a friend of Lucy's visiting from New York, wants to meet some of the stars that Lucy has befriended, starting with Van Johnson, who is appearing at the Ricardos' hotel."

9:30 pm - 10:00 pm "I Love Lucy: ""Lucy and Harpo Marx"": Lucy promised Carolyn Appleby she'd produce some real Hollywood celebrities. Now she's got to deliver."

10:00 pm - 10:30 pm "I Love Lucy: ""Ricky Needs an Agent"": Lucy pretends to be Ricky's agent and tries to bluff a studio executive into casting Ricky in a film."

10:30 pm - 11:00 pm "I Love Lucy: ""The Tour"": Lucy and Ethel take a bus tour of movie stars' homes in Beverly Hills, and Lucy winds up picking grapefruit in Richard Widmark's back yard."

11:00 pm - 11:30 pm "I Love Lucy: ""Lucy Visits Graumans"": Lucy discovers that the cement slab with John Wayne's footprints in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater has come loose."

11:30 pm - Midnight "I Love Lucy: ""Lucy and John Wayne"": Lucy and Ethel have made off with the cement slab of John Wayne's footprints. Now the police are called in to investigate."

Midnight - 12:30 am "I Love Lucy: ""Lucy and the Dummy"": MGM asks Ricky to help entertain executives at a studio party. Ricky has plans to go deep sea fishing, but as far as Lucy is concerned, ""the show must go on."""

12:30 am - 1:00 am "I Love Lucy: ""Ricky Sells the Car"": Ricky sells the car and buys train tickets for the trip back East, but he forgets about Fred and Ethel."

1:00 am - 1:30 am "I Love Lucy: ""Pioneer Women"": The Mertzes and the Ricardos bet they can live the same pioneer existence as their ancestors."

1:30 am - 2:00 am "I Love Lucy: ""The Freezer"": Lucy and Ethel install a battered meat locker in the basement, and Lucy learns the hard way how cold it is - she gets locked inside!"

2:00 am - 2:30 am "I Love Lucy: ""Lucy Does a TV Commercial"": Lucy is hired to do a TV commercial for Vitameatavegamin health tonic. After four takes she's happy, but not very peppy."

2:30 am - 3:00 am "I Love Lucy: ""Job Switching"": Ricky and Fred think doing housework is much easier than earning money. Lucy and Ethel feel the opposite. So the boys try doing the housework while the girls attempt to hold down a job at a candy factory."

3:00 am - 3:30 am "I Love Lucy: ""Tennessee Ernie Visits"": Tennessee Ernie Ford shows up in the big city with his guitar and a letter of introduction to the Ricardos."

3:30 am - 4:00 am "I Love Lucy: ""Tennessee Ernie Hangs On"": Ernie is still boarding at the Ricardos."

Here's Lucy Season 3 DVD

The complete third season of HERE'S LUCY (1970-71, CBS-TV) features all 24 color episodes uncut and digitally remastered for superior quality, plus a wealth of new and never-before-seen special features. Guest stars include Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Carol Burnett, Vincent Price, Sammy Davis Jr., Rudy Vallee, Jack Benny, Art Linkletter, Buddy Rich, Wally Cox and Vivian Vance.

Last week we reported that the folks at MPI Home Video are scheduling Here's Lucy - Season 3 on DVD for June 15th. Today the studio made it official, with an announcement that confirms the release date and the $29.98 SRP cost of the 4-disc (960 minute) set. Video is full frame, and audio is English mono. Below is a list of the extensive bonus material mentioned at MPI's official website, including a bonus crossover episode of Make Room for Granddaddy titled "Lucy Carter, Houseguest", starring Lucille Ball as her Here's Lucy character!

• New video intros to each episode by Lucie Arnaz, Desi Arnaz Jr. and others
  
• New Featurette: Lucy Meets The Burtons - A Comedic Gem
  
• Make Room For Granddaddy episode "Lucy Carter, Houseguest", with Lucy guesting as her Here's Lucy character
  
  • Including new intro by series actress Marjorie Lord (not seen in 40 years)
• Let's Talk To Lucy - 1965 radio interview with Doris Day
  
• On The Set - behind the scenes footage with set designer commentary
  
• Lip-Sync Lucy segment with Lucy actress and friend Carole Cook
  
• Lucy Footage From Jack Benny Special
  
• Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr. with Robert Young
  
• Lucy's Home Movies from Hawaii, with family and Vivian Vance
  
• Lucy's Golfing Home Movies
  
• Desi Arnaz Jr. on Art Linkletters' House Party TV show
  
• Here's Lucy episodic syndication promos
  
• Original series sponsor billboards
  
• Lucie Arnaz commercial
  
• Here's Lucy Slide Show
  
• Series Production Files, narrated by Lucy's secretary
  
• English Subtitles

Suggested retail price is $29.98, but you can pre-order it from Amazon at a discount.