First Stop – I Love Lucy season 4, episode 111 – originally aired 1/17/1955
Starting out on their trip to California, Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) wants to log as many miles as possible, while the others complain of hunger. Eventually, they stop at the One Oak Cafe and Cabins, where they meet the proprietor, Mr. Skinner. After a humorous menu routine, they all get the ‘house special’ – stale cheese sandwiches. Paying the outrageously high fee of $4.80. Including 80 cents ‘entertainment tax’ as Mr. Skinner plays the banjo and sings worse than Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball). Upset with the ‘service’ the group leaves, vowing to never return.
However, due to deceptive signs posted along the highway, they eventually do return, and spend a night in Mr. Skinner’s cabin, paying the princely sum (in 1955 dollars) of 8 dollars – per couple. The cabin has one bed (with comically weak springs – another great comedy prop) and a bunk bed.
What Mr. Skinner has neglected to inform them is that the cabin is directly next to train tracks. And each time the train goes by, the vibrations move the bed all around the room. Finally, they can’t take it anymore, and decide to leave in the middle of the night. Only to have burglar alarms go off, and their steering wheel being “missing”. But Mr. Skinner is willing to sell them another steering wheel for only sixteen dollars. The amount that they would have had to pay if they’d stayed in the cabin all night.
This episode is available as part of the Season 4 DVD of the I Love Lucy series.
Quotes from I Love Lucy – First Stop
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): We’ll stay right here.
Fred Mertz (William Frawley): In Lower Slobovia?
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): We’d like a cabin.
Mr. Skinner: I’ve only got one.
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): You’ve only got one left?
Mr. Skinner: Only got one. It’s all I ever had!
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): I wonder if this bed stops in Chicago.
Mr. Skinner: What’ll it be?
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): I’ll have the steak sandwich, rare, with the french fries.
Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance). Oh, steak sandwich, I’ll have that too.
Fred Mertz (William Frawley): I’ll have the same.
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): Me, too.
Mr. Skinner: We’re all out of steak sandwiches
Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance): Oh, you are? Gee, I had my mouth all set for one.Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Well, I think I’ll have the roast beef, rare, with a baked potato.
Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance): Roast beef, that’s for me.
Fred Mertz (William Frawley): I’ll vote for that.
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): Make it four.
Mr. Skinner: We’re out of roast beef, too.
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): Well, let me see here, uh, hey that fried chicken with biscuits sounds good.
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Any point in running that chicken around the table?
Mr. Skinner: All out.
Trivia about I Love Lucy – First Stop
- This is technically the first television show to show a married couple (Lucy and Ricky) sharing the same bed; Fred and Ethel become the second couple, in this same episode.