Chris’ New Years Eve Party

Chris’ New Years Eve Party - The Lucy Show season 1, originally aired December 31, 1962
Lucille Ball imitating Charlie Chaplin in "The Lucy Show"

Chris’ New Years Eve Party – The Lucy Show season 1, originally aired December 31, 1962

Chris throws a New Year’s Eve party and doesn’t want Lucy and Viv there. But when Chris’ New Years Eve Party is a flop, she needs them to come to the rescue.

Comedy highlights

  • Chris, trying to subtly tell her mother that she wants to throw her New Years Eve Party. By herself. Without her mother’s help. Which Lucy simply doesn’t get, until she become less than subtle.
  • Lucy and Viv, at a restaurant, teaching their young sons how to dance the Fox Trot
  • Then, the boys reciprocate by teaching them to dance the Watusi!
  • To rescue Chris’ failing party, Lucy and Viv (with Harry’s help) put on a silent movie sketch, with Lucy as Charlie Chaplin! A good impersonation. Clearly the highlight of the episode.

Charlie Chaplin Sketch

Chris’ New Years Eve Party - The Lucy Show season 1, originally aired December 31, 1962

Clearly, the highlight of the episode. Chris has sent Eddie to get Lucy & Viv to come back to the party, since half the boys don’t know how to dance, and the other half are too shy. So, they come back to the house, and put on a PTA sketch they’d done previously. A silent sketch, with Lucy impersonating Charlie Chaplin the little tramp.

“He” comes into a cafe, where a flapper (Viv) is sitting at a table — and she promptly ignores Charlie. As does the overly tired waiter (Harry). Until the flapper realizes that she didn’t bring any money! Now she notices Charlie, flirts with him, and gets him to buy supper! There’s a lot of Chaplinesque routines and slapstick. At the end, Charlie doesn’t have the money to pay the bill either! And the flapper’s angry boyfriend shows up! So as everyone’s fighting, Charlie wraps the flapper’s long necklace around the three other peoples’ neck, and walks out!

Cast of characters

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Professional clown for over 25 years - happily married, with 5 children and 1 grandson