I Love Lucy’ Brings Two Comedy Legends Together in One of the Best Episodes
The mirroring scene between Lucy and Harpo is iconic but requires a lot of practice.
Since its inception, the sitcom has been the backbone of American television. The format may have changed over the years, but the genre has endured. While recent hits like Young Sheldon and Modern Family have made history on the modern front, no show has been more groundbreaking than I Love Lucy. Starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz as Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, the hit series revolutionized the early days of television and created some of the most memorable moments in history.
To this day, it remains one of the most-watched shows of all time, thanks to its broadcast and streaming success. After producing 180 episodes over six seasons, plus 13 one-hour sequels titled The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, just about everyone in the world has a favorite episode. From the famous chocolate factory prank in the episode “Job Switching” to the beloved “We’re Having a Baby” segment, it’s hard to narrow down the show’s “best” moment. But without a doubt, one of the most memorable episodes came in Season 4, when the Ricardos, along with Ethel (Vivian Vance) and Fred Mertz (William Frawley), went to Hollywood. Lucy caused quite a stir when she met some of the biggest stars of classic Hollywood. For most, her most infamous encounter was with John Wayne, but her most satisfying was the one when she met Harpo Marx. Endlessly funny and beautifully executed, it remains one of the most beloved moments on TV. However, bringing the pair together was a much more difficult task than most people realize.
The wife of a bandleader constantly tries to become a star – despite her lack of talent – and gets herself (and her best friend) into the most difficult situations.
It wasn’t easy getting Harpo in ‘I Love Lucy’
By the time I Love Lucy came out, the Marx Brothers were already beloved stars. In fact, they had worked with Ball on the 1938 film Room Service back in her days under contract with the studio. Given all the stars who had been in I Love Lucy and Ball’s previous association with them, one would assume that it wouldn’t have been difficult to get Harpo to appear. However, the beloved Marx brothers faced some personal issues that made casting difficult.
We Wouldn’t Have Star Trek Without Lucille Ball
The ‘I Love Lucy’ star played a key role in shaping the future of the sci-fi series.
In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Harpo’s son, Bill Marx, recalled that his father had recently suffered a heart attack. Despite being only 67 at the time, Marx had retired from the entertainment industry and moved to Palm Springs, according to Woman’s World. But with the episode written specifically for him, Bill Marx said his father’s doctor cleared him to perform. But securing Marx was only half the battle. The actor had to do quite a bit of work over the course of the half hour, and there was a lot of physical comedy thrown into the story.
‘I Love Lucy’ Is a Physical Challenge for Harpo Marx
Although he’s playing himself, Marx’s appearance in I Love Lucy wasn’t easy. The episode sees Lucy trapped after lying about the truth in letters she sends to her friend, Carolyn Appleby (Doris Singleton). Believing that Lucy is now close to many Hollywood celebrities, Carolyn heads to Los Angeles. Lucy sets up a fake celebrity-meeting afternoon at the hotel before Ricky and Fred run into Harpo. They ask him to go upstairs and help Lucy. When he arrives, Lucy is disguised as Harpo. She hides, allowing Harpo to perform. According to Yahoo’s interview with Marx’s son, the physical demands of the episode were not insignificant, given Harpo’s condition.
In the scene, Marx takes his famous harp and plays “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” before standing up, chasing Carolyn, and throwing her over his shoulder. But, despite Harpo’s health, he still performed the stunt. As his son is quoted as saying: “When people watch the show,
