Lucy is Jealous of Girl Dancer – I Love Lucy Season 1, originally aired December 17, 1951
The green eyed monster
Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance) comes over to talk to Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball) in mid-morning, while Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) is still sleeping. Ethel, after some hemming and hawing, shows Lucy an item in the gossip column of the newspaper about a band leader, ‘R.R.’, who’s romantically entangled with one of his showgirls. Lucy rightly dismisses it as a publicity stunt. But after Ethel leaves, the seeds of doubt begin to grow, and when Lucy goes to wake up Ricky she beats him with the rolled-up newspaper. Ricky tries to convince her that there’s nothing between him and the new showgirl Rosemary, and has to leave for rehearsal. At rehearsal, he accidentally steps on Rosemary’s costume while rehearsing ‘Jezebel‘, and he has her put the torn lace into his coat pocket so that he can have Lucy repair it later…
Suspicions “confirmed”
When he goes home for lunch, Lucy has made his favorite dish, Arroz con Pollo (chicken and rice) to make up for her earlier suspicions. All seems well until Ricky goes a little too far in ‘bragging’ about how hurt his feelings are that he didn’t even go to rehearsal … Until Lucy spies the black lace in his pocket and her suspicions flare up again. After a short fight, Ricky storms out. Stepping over Ethel, who fell over when Ricky opened the door while she was eavesdropping. Not having caused enough trouble, Ethel suggests that Lucy infiltrate the show that night, and catch Ricky ‘in the act.’
About that wig
Lucy does so, disguised in a black wig and outfit, sticking out like a sore thumb since she doesn’t know the routine. She leaves the club and races home in order to get there before Ricky. Ricky, however, realizes what’s been going on, and after teasing Lucy with her own black wig, he reassures her of his true love.
Funny quotes from Lucy is Jealous of Girl Dancer – I Love Lucy season 1
Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance): Look, honey, you don’t have to pretend with me. I come to you this morning not jut as a landlady, not just as a friend, but a shoulder at which to weep during this time of crisis.
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Well. I think you’ve been twisting those curlers too tight.
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): [about the item in the paper] Oh Ethel, it’s just a publicity story. Ricky is trustworthy, fine, honest, and loyal.
Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance): Well if he was brave, clean, and thrifty he’d be a Boy Scout. Cat’s eye patrol, of course.
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): Honey, you can trust me. I’m as faithful as an old dog.
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Yeah, Old Rover.
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): You know, the funniest thing happened at the club tonight.
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Oh?
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): A strange girl got into the chorus line. She was terrible too! [he walks into the closet] She was really ugly and had the worst figure I’ve ever seen. And she didn’t know any of the steps at all!
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): How could a thing like that possibly happen?
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): I haven’t got the slightest idea!
[walks out of the closet wearing the long black wig Lucy wore in the show; Lucy screams]
[Ethel falls on the floor when Ricky opens the door.]
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Come on in, Ethel.
Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance): I was just polishing the doorknob.
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): I suppose you heard everything.
Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance): No honey, not a thing.
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): I just quarrelled with Ricky.
Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance): I don’t blame you. Who does he think he is going around tearing girl’s black lace blue jeans?
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Didn’t hear a thing, huh?
Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance): Well I might’ve caught a word here and there.
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): [about Rosemary’s outfit] It’s great if we don’t get raided.
Trivia about Lucy is Jealous of Girl Dancer – I Love Lucy
- This is the first episode that showcased Lucy’s fear of losing Ricky to another woman
- Lucy makes Ricky Ricardo’s favorite meal, Arroz con Pollo (chicken with rice). Which was also Desi Arnaz’ favorite meal.
- Desi Arnaz does a rendition of El Cumbanchero and dances with Rosemary to ‘Jezebel‘.