| "" episode | ||||
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| Season 2, Episode #24 #59 in Series | ||||
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| Air date: | May 4, 1953 | |||
| Written by: | Bob Carroll Jr. Madelyn Davis Jess Oppenheimer | |||
| Directed by: | William Asher | |||
| Production code: | 2-24 / 059 | |||
| Episode guide | ||||
 IMDB
|
The Indian Show | |||
| Episode chronology | ||||
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| "Lucy Hires a Maid" | "Lucy's Last Birthday" | |||
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The Indian Show was the 59th episode of I Love Lucy, also the 24th episode aired in Season 2 of the series. The episode, was directed by William Asher, originally aired on CBS-TV on May 4, 1953.
Synopsis
Ricky is planning an Indian number for his nightclub act, and assumes that motherhood has ended Lucy's show business ambitions. No such luck, as Lucy persuades the girl singer in the number to switch places with her.
Plot
Even though Lucy said she'd be content staying home with the baby once he was born, she wants back in Ricky's act. She ends up sneaking in the Native American-themed show, complete with Little Ricky on her back in a papoose!
Trivia
Trivia
- This is the only episode of the show that can be considered very politically incorrect and/or racist. But for the time the show was made, only having one episode with racist stereotypes is a marvel in and of itself. Lucy was very much for accepting minorities, what with marrying a Cuban and long enforcing her African-American maid, Harriet, the right to stay in white-only hotels. However, parts of this episode are still very inappropriate in this day and age, most notably Fred's "reservation" joke. Also, as is always the case with racism, the minority is made out to be the bad guy who does harm to the white man. In the book Lucy and Ricky were reading, a picture was painted of how the Native Americans were savage beasts who would kill innocent pioneers. Of course, nothing was mentioned about we forcibly took the Native Americans' land and killed them off with European disease...
- Ricky and the Mertzes sing "Pass That Peace Pipe."
- Lucy gets Little Ricky to laugh for the first time when she makes a funny face. Sadly, Little Ricky won't replicate the laugh for his father.
Scene excerpt
- Ricky: Those Indians you used to have in this country- the stories about them would really make your blood cuddle!
Fred: "Cuddle"?
Ricky: Yeah, "cuddle."
Fred: Oh, "cuddle." I thought you meant like in that song, "Curdle Up a Little Closer."
- Fred: (about his Native American costume) How do you like-um?
Ricky: Stink-um!
- Ricky: I thought [being in show biz] had left your mind?
Lucy: Well, it had, but you opened the door, and it flew right back in!
- Fred: (referring to Lucy wanting to be in the act after her supposed "swan song") That swan's got a little ham in it!
- Ricky: I'll give you one good reason [you can't be in the show]- you're a mother.
Lucy: I have just as much talent now as I had before the baby was born.
Ricky: That makes TWO good reasons!
- Ricky: (singing to tune of "By the Waters of the Minnetonka") Come here!
Lucy: (singing and shaking her head) Uh-uhn-ah!
Starring
- Lucille Ball ... as Lucy Ricardo
- Desi Arnaz ... as Ricky Ricardo
- Vivian Vance ... as Ethel Mertz
- William Frawley ... as Fred Mertz
Guest starring
- Richard and Ronald Lee Simmons ... as Ricky Ricardo, Jr.
- Frank Gerstle ... as Short Indian
- Jerry Hausner ... as Jerry
- Richard Reeves ... as Tall Indian
- Carol Richards ... as Juanita