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Lucy’s Mother-in-Law - I Love Lucy season 4, originally aired November 22, 1954

Lucy’s Mother-in-Law begins with Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) being overjoyed with the news that his mother is finally coming to visit from Cuba. His wife Lucy (Lucille Ball) is both excited and nervous at the prospect of meeting her mother-in-law, since Lucy doesn’t speak Spanish, and her mother-in-law doesn’t speak English. In the meantime, Ricky is auditioning a mind-reading act at his club, and in a very funny bit Lucy is there and is used as the ‘random member of the audience’ when the mind reader’s assistant asks her for her age—and Lucy isn’t about to reveal her birth year! It turns out that the act is done courtesy of a hidden microphone.

Back at the Ricardo’s apartment, Lucy thinks that she’s ready for her mother-in-law’s visit—until her best friend Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance) stops by and gets her nervous about the possibility of her mother-in-law going over the apartment with a fine tooth comb, and as they are in the midst of cleaning Lucy’s mother-in-law arrives. Lucy panics, and shoves everything in sight into the closet, which leads into a comic moment (reminiscent of Fibber McGee’s closet) when everything falls out when Lucy goes to hang up her mother-in-law’s coat. But first, the language barrier needs to be crossed, leading to several funny moments, not the least of which is when Ricky comes home and begins acting as translator between the two Mrs. Ricardos, and gets mixed up—translating English to Lucy and Spanish to his mother!

Later on, it turns out that Lucy’s nervousness is ruining her mother-in-law’s visit, as Lucy has ruined her dress and lost her in downtown New York City. Worst of all, some of their Spanish-speaking friends are coming to the apartment later, and Lucy will be a fish out of water as the only person there who doesn’t speak Spanish. Remembering the mind-reading act from Ricky’s club, however, she develops a plan—she will wear the microphone with the Spanish-speaking mind reader hidden in the kitchen, translating and speaking back to her over his wireless equipment. All seems to go well, until the call comes in, courtesy of Ethel, that the mind-reader’s daughter has given birth to his first grandchild, and he dashes out! After a funny moment with Ethel trying to fill in, Ricky finds out what is going on, and calls Lucy out to the kitchen. Rather than being upset, however, Ricky’s mother is touched by how much Lucy was willing do do for her, and all ends happily.

Lucy’s Mother-in-Law is available on the fourth season DVD of I Love Lucy, as well as on I Love Lucy : the Complete Series.

Funny quotes from Lucy’s Mother-in-Law - I Love Lucy season 4

Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance): (bursting into Lucy’s apartment) Lucy! Lucy! Lucy, she’s here! She’s here!
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Who’s here?
Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance): Ricky’s mother. I just saw her gettin’ out of the cab.
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): How do you know it’s Ricky’s mother?
Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance): She tried to pay the cab driver in pesos.

Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Oh, Ethel, you don’t think Ricky’s mother’s coming all the way from Cuba just to check on my housekeeping?
Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance): Why not? Fred’s mother comes all the way from Indiana once a year just to look under my rug. Brother, if I thought she’d stay at home, I’d send her the rug and a box of dirt.

Assistant: When is your birthday?
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): August 6th.
Assistant: August 6th, what?
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): August 6th, period

Trivia for Lucy’s Mother-in-Law - I Love Lucy season 4

When speaking to the magician’s assistant, Lucy reveals that her birthday is August 6th ("period"). This is Lucille Ball’s actual birthday.

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About the Author

Tom Raymond, aka. Raynbow the Clown, is a professional clown working out of Madison, Wisconsin, and is available for ministry events, conventions and conferences.

Posted by Tom Raymond, aka Raynbow on 01/03 at 08:19 PM
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