Lucy Goes to the Hospital – I Love Lucy episode 57, season 2, originally aired 1/19/1953
Lucy Goes to the Hospital is the climactic episode where Lucy is finally going into labor. Where Ricky, Fred, and Ethel have planned, prepared and rehearsed the event until they are a well-oiled machine. Only to forget everything when the moment arrives, including Lucy! A very funny episode, well-deserving its’ status as a comedy classic.
And, as you can see from the photograph, Desi Arnaz is in the middle of performing “Voodoo” at the Tropicana when the call comes in and he has to go to the hospital – still in costume and makeup!
Quotes from I Love Lucy – Lucy Goes to the Hospital
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball) : [pregnant Lucy tries to convince Ricky not to worry about her, and go to the club for his opening night] Now, Ricky, it’s the only sensible thing to do. I insist that you go to the club.
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) : Oh, all right, honey, if that’s what you want me to do, I’ll… I’ll go to the club. Hey, honey, will you do something for me?
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Anything, dear, what is it?
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) : [checking his watch] Well, look, I don’t have to be at the club until 8:00. That gives you three and a half hours.
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): [with a touch of sarcasm] I’ll do the best I can!
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) : As a matter of fact, you know, I don’t go on stage ’til 9:00. I can get there in fifteen minutes, fifteen minutes to make up… you can have ’til 8:30.
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Thank you!
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball) [entering from the bedroom]: Ricky, this is it.
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz), Fred and Ethel [after a short pause, suddenly panicked]: This is it!
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) : [in the hospital ‘waitings fathers room’, as he calls it, Ricky meets Mr Stanley, who is calmly reading a magazine and eating an apple] My wife is gonna have a baby.
Mr. Stanley: Oh.
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) : Are you ‘specting?
Mr. Stanley: Yep.
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) : You don’t seem very excited.
Mr. Stanley: Nope.
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) : Is this your first?
Mr. Stanley: My last!
Fred Mertz (William Frawley): [Upon learning that another new father has nine girls]: Hey, you can always start a girl’s softball team!
Trivia about I Love Lucy – Lucy Goes to the Hospital
- Music performed on this episode included “Voodoo” — explaining Ricky’s outfit at the hospital.
- This episode had more viewers than the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, and than President Eisenhower’s Inauguration.
- TV Land ranks this as episode #59 out the 100 most memorable television moments.
- This is not Desi Arnaz Jr. in the episode — in fact, Desi Jr. never portrayed himself on the series.