BASIC PLOT TYPE for this now iconic series. It was rendered a cut above the pack by the unusual twist of having Little Ricky's birthday party having a special visitor in George Reeves as Superman. In a sense, it was a natural as Mr. Reeves was doing personal appearance tours in the off season of filming the ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN TV Series.
THE MAIN CRISIS that occurred in the episode came when Ricky, Sr. (Mr. Arnaz) failed to secure Reeves' commitment for the kiddie party due to Superman's being scheduled to fly (in a plane) to Terre Haute, Indiana. Lucy intervenes and failing to get a male substitute in a makeshift costume, took it upon herself to pinch-hit for the pinch-hitter.
SOME TOTALLY IN character bits of business transpire as Lucy, being in costume, goes through a litany of appropriate gags. Trapped on a narrow ledge and then accidentally locked out of the apartment building, she finds laugh producing interplay with a flock of lethargic pigeons, a rain storm and a nervous elder couple looking to be perspective tenants for Fred & Ethel Mertz.
ALL IS WELL when the Man of Steel "rescues" her and all is ended up with a fade-out gag tat went something like:
Superman: "You mean you've been married to her for 15 years?"
Ricky: "Yes!"
Superman: "And they call me Superman!"
THE CAST OFG this, our favourite I LOVE LUCY Episode included George O'Hanlon, star of the JOE McDOAKES Series of theatrical short subject comedies from Warner Brothers/Vitaphone. Also doing a short appearance was Madge Blake, who, less than a decade later, would portray Aunt Harriet Cooper on the BATMAN TV Series.
THE ONLY DISAPOOINTMENT that we have here is that the production company (Desilu) could have/should have done a little to credit George Reeves as guest star. Our suggestion would have been having a freeze frame intro at the opening featuring a studio portrait and verbally giving him credit.
THE MAIN CRISIS that occurred in the episode came when Ricky, Sr. (Mr. Arnaz) failed to secure Reeves' commitment for the kiddie party due to Superman's being scheduled to fly (in a plane) to Terre Haute, Indiana. Lucy intervenes and failing to get a male substitute in a makeshift costume, took it upon herself to pinch-hit for the pinch-hitter.
SOME TOTALLY IN character bits of business transpire as Lucy, being in costume, goes through a litany of appropriate gags. Trapped on a narrow ledge and then accidentally locked out of the apartment building, she finds laugh producing interplay with a flock of lethargic pigeons, a rain storm and a nervous elder couple looking to be perspective tenants for Fred & Ethel Mertz.
ALL IS WELL when the Man of Steel "rescues" her and all is ended up with a fade-out gag tat went something like:
Superman: "You mean you've been married to her for 15 years?"
Ricky: "Yes!"
Superman: "And they call me Superman!"
THE CAST OFG this, our favourite I LOVE LUCY Episode included George O'Hanlon, star of the JOE McDOAKES Series of theatrical short subject comedies from Warner Brothers/Vitaphone. Also doing a short appearance was Madge Blake, who, less than a decade later, would portray Aunt Harriet Cooper on the BATMAN TV Series.
THE ONLY DISAPOOINTMENT that we have here is that the production company (Desilu) could have/should have done a little to credit George Reeves as guest star. Our suggestion would have been having a freeze frame intro at the opening featuring a studio portrait and verbally giving him credit.