Here's Lucy (original) (raw)
THE LUCY SHOWS - PART THREE
If The Lucy Show was far-fetched, then Here's Lucy (1968-1974) bordered on the abstract. This show must have been taking place in an alternate universe!
Co-starring Lucie Arnaz (and Desi Arnaz, Jr. for the first three seasons), this is one of the most bizarre television series ever - classic Lucy routines aimed at a young and old audience simultaneously. Still, it's usually a delight to watch - very colorful and extremely "square" even for its time.
Here's Lucy is a time capsule of generation gap 'laughs' - so bad, it's often hilarious.
From You Tube - promo for Here's Lucy:
Almost every episode had a different celebrity guest-star, usually playing themselves. To accommodate the frequent guests, the new format has 'Lucy Carter' working for the Unique Employment Agency run by her 'Uncle Harry' (Gale Gordon).
Mary Jane Croft returned as Lucy's friend Mary Jane, and Vivian Vance continued to make her yearly guest appearances.
Only a few episodes of Here's Lucy truly stand out as excellent (like season openers with Flip Wilson and Burton & Taylor) but if you enjoy watching Lucy, who cares?
Lucille Ball's (almost continuous) 23 year run ended in 1974, when CBS canceled Here's Lucy - though it was widely reported in the press that Lucy decided to quit (the show finished the 1973 season at number 15 - the 1974 season at number 29).
More realistic comedies like The Mary Tyler Moore Show and the various Norman Lear series were what the public wanted in the Seventies.
CBS aired reruns of Here's Lucy during their morning schedule for a few months in 1977.
NEXT: LUCY'S 1980's COMEBACK GOES AWRY Life With Lucy
The Lucy Shows: I Love Lucy / Lucy Show / Here's Lucy / Life With Lucy
Here's Lucy: Lucille Ball Behind the Scenes
Interview with Lucy's Biggest Fan
Lucy's Voice Goes To Hell
Lucy's voice went from a chirpy, girlish voice in 'I Love Lucy' to a rough hoarseness in her last series 'Life With Lucy'. This was due in part to her long-time smoking habit.
Just listen to the difference between this Here's Lucy audio clip from 1970, and this clip from Life with Lucy which ran in 1986.
Lucille Ball was 75 years old when she started her last, ill-fated series. Gale Gordon, her long-time television nemesis from 'The Lucy Show' and 'Here's Lucy', was 80. Sounds like he did a bit of smoking himself.
MORNINGS WITH LUCY
CBS began airing The Lucy Show reruns at 10:00am weekday mornings in the mid-sixties. Here's Lucy repeats replaced The Lucy Show in the 1970s. Lucy's run on weekday mornings ended November 4, 1977.