Getting Ready – I Love Lucy season 4, originally aired 12/13/1954
Getting Ready begins with Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance) and Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball) lamenting that they will never see each other again, after Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) becomes famous in Hollywood. After some tears being shed, they come up with the idea of the Mertzes coming along. Fred Mertz (William Frawley), being his typical skinflint self, doesn’t want to help pay for gas or other car expenses, since the car will go the same distance whether or not he and Ethel are in the back seat. After a tense moment, all is worked out and they’ll all be going to Hollywood together.
For the big trip out to California, Ricky decides to buy a used car. Fred decides to help, and buys an ancient wreck for $300 from an “old friend”. In an inspired moment of property comedy, the car’s headlight falls off when it’s touched, as does the fender, etc. Ricky refuses to pay for the car, and insists that Fred return it and get his money back.
Since they’re afraid that Fred won’t be able to get his money back, Lucy, Ethel and Ricky call the “old friend” pretending to be a movie studio looking for that particular make of antique automobile. When Fred returns, he tells them the story of how his old friend was eager to give him back his money … too eager, in fact. Fred makes him tell him the story about the “Hollywood producers”. And after Fred paid him an additional $100, his ‘friend’ sold him the “producers” telephone number.
Getting Ready is available as part of the season 4 I Love Lucy DVD collection.
Funny quotes from Getting Ready – I Love Lucy
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): This whole thing is my fault. Something I said that started this whole mess.
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): What’s that?
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): “I do.”
Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance): Two sentimental idiots.
[Lucy and Ethel start crying over the thought of not seeing each other]
Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance): [starting to cry]: Now cut that out!
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) [trying to say that he’s a bigger skinflint than Fred]: My flint is skinnier than his.
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): What are you? The Cuban television network?
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): Yes. CBS. The Cuban Broadcasting System.
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) [with false Irish brogue on top of his Cuban accent]: Faith and begorra, that is good news!