Ricky and Fred Are TV Fans – I Love Lucy episode 66, season 2, originally aired 6/22/1953
On the same night every week, Ricky and Fred watch the boxing matches on TV. And every week, Lucy and Ethel are totally ignored. Getting tired of it, the girls head out to the local drugstore to call home, where they’ll ask to speak with Lucy. In the hopes that the boys will realize that they’re gone, and how much they’re ignoring the girls. The plan doesn’t work, however. When Lucy calls home, Ricky sets the phone down, yells out for Lucy, and returns his full attention to the TV set, never realizing that Lucy was gone.
Ignored again …
Having used her change for the phone call, and needing to make another phone call, Lucy asks the person behind the counter at the drugstore for change. However, the fight is on the TV there as well, and both the druggist and a police officer are as engrossed in the fight as Ricky and Fred. Exasperated, Lucy tries to get change from the cash register by herself … and is arrested by the police officer!
At the police station
At the station, the girls are being booked by Sergeant Nelson. He’s played Frank Nelson, best known for his roles on the Jack Benny show, and became a regular on I Love Lucy in the fifth season. Sergeant Nelson doesn’t believe their story … Until the arresting officer goes over to the Ricardos apartment and sees it exactly as they described. The boys are still so engrossed that they never realize that the police officer was there. Once Sergeant Nelson realizes that he’s made a mistake, the girls are free to go … And they go home, with the boys still watching the fight. Moments later, the fight is over, and the boys gush over their wonderful wives, who never even complained once about being ignored!
Ricky and Fred Are TV Fans is available on the season 2 I Love Lucy DVD collection.
Funny quotes from Ricky and Fred Are TV Fans
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): I’ll tell you who I am! Have you ever heard of Ricky Ricardo?
Frank Nelson: How nice to meet you, Mr. Ricardo.
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): My hair is naturally red. Isn’t it, Ethel?
Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance): Uh, look, Lucy, let’s not add perjury to our other changes.