Classic TV Video: Rare "Lucille Ball/Desi Arnaz Show" episode, starring Tallulah Bankhead.

[pacalo]

This is one of my favorite episodes, so I looked it up to watch it on YouTube & was pleasantly surprised to find this. The video is of the first 15 minutes of the episode & includes scenes that I haven't seen before, parts that were cut for syndication & also the moments when Desi & Lucy addressed the audience/tv viewers at the beginning & end of the show. The visuals were new for me, too.

Tallula Bankhead stole this show -- her deadpan-delivered lines & acting made this a favorite of mine.

First, watch the video, then below the embed I'm going to add some interesting "facts" (take with a grain of salt) about the circumstances behind the scenes that I found online.

The part that gives me a belly laugh is after Fred drops the rolls on the floor. Tallulah's acting is superb, from the moment Fred drops the rolls to her especially-hilarious response.

Enjoy:

Here's the interesting backstory:

Tallulah Bankhead made a guest appearance on the hour-long Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour in December of 1957, replacing originally scheduled guest Bette Davis, who had cracked a vertebrae in a fall at her home.

(...)

Ms. Bankhead was a formidable, over-the-top personality, one of those old-school, "Dahhhhhling" actresses, but her drinking and drugging was pretty much constant and her health was failing by this point.

(...)

When it came time to finally shoot the episode, Tallulah was blinded all right - but not by hairspray. It was obvious to everyone on the set that the legendary actress had been drinking. Desi recounted: "I was terrified. I kissed her quickly, wished her luck, and walked away, hoping against hope..."

(...)

"I planned all sorts of things to cover for her when we actually shot the show," Lucy admitted later. "Well, when we did the show, Tallulah sailed through every scene magnificently - but I didn't."

http://www.tvparty.com/lucy.html

[Graybeard]

1. She was a very accomplished comedienne.

It's really a shame that Tallulah made so few films and TV appearances. The ones that we do have are all gems.

A wonderful actress and very funny comedienne. Even her last film, the awful Die! Die! My Darling (1965) is a treat to watch. (She is so at ease before the camera. She moves like a ballet dancer.)

Thanks for the clip.

[pacalo]

2. Her throaty, loud voice was terrifying in that movie

& all the characters were creepy. Harry creeped me out the most, particularly when he walked up the stairs jingling the car keys, expecting a show of gratitude from the hostage.





Glad you enjoyed the Lucy/Desi clip!

[narnian60]

3. In the edited version they leave out the part where Tallulah

says she is allergic to strawberries. This is important info for later in the episode. I hate it when they cut out parts of shows in order to show more commercials.

[elleng]

4. WOW! No one like Tallulah!

[graham4anything]

5. This is priceless. Talullah was something else. Like Dietrich in some ways(who is one of my faves.)

She was great, and stole the picture too, in Hitchcock's Lifeboat
a real claustrophobic movie if ever there was one.