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papermoonloveslucy · 6 months

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THE FACE IS FAMILIAR… BUT I CAN’T PLACE THE NAME!

Same Actor / Different Character ~ Part 2: “The Lucy Show"

It used to be quite common for actors to be cast in multiple roles on the same series. Not in principal parts, certainly, but in supporting and minor characters. Lucycoms were no exception. Although the world created by these shows was representative of reality, the characters who populated them often gave viewers Deja vu.

For the purposes of this discussion, we won’t include background performers (aka extras) as they were nearly always drawn from the same pool of actors. Also, those who played multiple characters need to have at least one of them identified by name.

MARY JANE CROFT

Croft (a veteran of "I Love Lucy") was introduced to viewers as Audrey Simmons in 8 episodes from episode 8 in 1962. When the show's location was changed to Los Angeles, Croft also changed - into Mary Jane Lewis, which was her legal name during her marriage to producer / director Elliott Lewis. When Vivian Vance left the cast, and Lucy failed to fill her 'second banana' spot, Croft's role became increasingly more integral to the show. The second MJ was seen in 31 episode, including the series finale.

CAROLE COOK

A protege of Ball's from the Desilu Playhouse, Cook was introduced as Thelma Green in five episodes set in Danfield. Unusually, during that time she also played Betty Jo Hanson at "Lucy's College Reunion" (1963). Perhaps the episodes were aired out of filming sequence. When the show moved West, she played socialite Mrs. Valance for three episodes, and a variety of other characters (large and small) in 11 more.

ROY ROBERTS

Roberts was best known as Bank President Mr. Cheever, a role he played in 14 episodes starting halfway through season five and including the series finale. But he first appeared as the Admiral in "Lucy and the Submarine" (1966). Roberts was likely typecast as Mr. Cheever after playing a similar role on "The Beverly Hillbillies" from 1965 to 1967.

MARY WICKES

Wickes was a great friend of Lucille Ball's. While she only made one appearance on "I Love Lucy", she was seen much more frequently on "The Lucy Show". In her first appearance she played a character named Mary Wickenhauser, Wickes' birth name. It wasn't long before she was back as Fran, one of the Danfield volunteer firefighters, in three episodes. When the series went to LA, she was Lucy's Aunt Gussie in two episodes, followed by one-offs Miss Winslow, Miss Hurlow, and Aunt Agatha. In total, she played 6 characters in 9 episodes over 6 seasons! And that's just on one series!

LUCIE ARNAZ

Before she joined the cast of "Here's Lucy" as a series regular in 1968, Lucy's daughter was given opportunities to perform on "The Lucy Show", although in small roles. In Danfield she was seen as Chris's friend Cynthia in several episodes. In LA, she played several different teenagers in five episodes.

HERB VIGRAN

Vigran started out as Dr. Jacoby, the umpire of Danfield's softball team, in two episodes. He went on to play a variety of others: a doctor, a vet, a postman, and a computer salesman that was referred to as "Mr. Vigran"!

DOROTHY KONRAD

Konrad used her own first name as a member of the Danfield Volunteer Fire Brigade in two episodes, then used her last name as one of Lucy's college alumni in another. She also played bank secretary Mrs. Hutton, and babysitter Mrs. Fletcher.

JOAN SWIFT

Swift was most often seen using her own first name as a Los Angles co-worker of Mrs. Carmichael's. She also played an airline passenger, a French maid, and characters named Laurie and Dottie.

KAREN NORRIS

Norris was seen in six episodes, each time as a different character, but all with dialogue. Her most significant role was as Babette Edwards, a woman about to have her sixth child in "Lucy and Viv Play Softball" (1963).

LEW PARKER

Parker played Joan Crawford's agent, a movie producer scouting Frankie Avalon, Phil Harris' music producer, Mr. Mooney's lawyer AND his psychiatrist! In some episodes he used his own first name, in others he used his own last name.

PARLEY BAER

Baer Started his "Lucy Show" life playing the man who sells Lucy Clementine the sheep. He went to be seen as two judges, an army colonel, and a doctor. Is it any wonder he was one of the most familiar faces on television?

KATHLEEN FREEMAN

1964 was a big year for Freeman, who appeared on "The Lucy Show" five times in four different characters. She was known by her own first name in two episodes, but also played Olga the cook, Mrs. Putnam the maid, and Mrs. Blake the nurse.

GARY MORTON

Morton was Lucille Ball's real-life husband, and also a producer on "The Lucy Show". His first role (not surprisingly) was as Lucy's boyfriend, named Gary Stewart. As a stand-up comedian, he was able to handle dialogue and was cast in three more small roles, one time using his real surname. In the end credits, he used his birth name Morton Goldaper. Speaking of Lucy's boyfriend...

KEITH ANDES

Andes had played Lucy's love interest on Broadway in Wildcat (1960), so it wasn't a reach for him to do it again on "The Lucy Show." He played Bill King on two episodes set in Danfield. In Los Angeles he was back as Lucy's love interest, but this time named Brad Collins. Collins is an airline pilot, just like Lucy's boyfriend in Danfield, Harry Connors (Dick Martin). Collins was also the surname of Viv's steady boyfriend, Eddie (Don Briggs), back in Danfield.

LOU KRUGMAN

Krugman was one of Lucille Ball's favorite performers. He was instantly recognizable as the film director coping with Lucy Ricardo and her ungainly headpiece. On "The Lucy Show" his first appearance was as a Chemistry teacher named Dr. Adrian Vance (after Vivian, of course). He played a music producer named Barney Miller (no relation to the TV detective), and finally returned to playing a film director, again coping with Lucy as she watches John Wayne film a western.

JONATHAN HOLE

Hole made his first appearance with Lucille Ball in 1966, playing a department store manager named Mr. Collins. That same year he was Mr. Haskell, a Palm Springs hotel manager where Lucy and Carol sing. Finally, he used his first name to play Jonathan Winslow, father of three rambunctious chimps babysat by Lucy.

RETA SHAW

Shaw was a popular character actress from film (Mary Poppins), stage (The Pajama Game), and television ("The Ghost and Mrs. Muir"). She was seen as 3 different characters on "The Lucy Show" starting as a girthy granny at the fairgrounds when "Lucy Misplaces $2,000" (1962). In "My Fair Lucy" (1964) she was dominating Dora Dunbar, wealthy socialite. Finally, she played Mrs. Foley, owner of a roadside stand selling maps to the stars homes when "Lucy Goes to a Hollywood Premiere" (1966).

HARVEY KORMAN

Korman is best remembered from his hilarious work on "The Carol Burnett Show", but he was also worked with Carol's mentor, Lucille Ball, playing 3 roles on "The Lucy Show." First he was Mr. Slater, manager of a day camp where "Lucy and Viv are Camp Cooks" (1964). The next year he was twitchy stockbroker Mr. Phillips. During the series' first LA episode, Korman played Major Grayson, who is in charge of a military academy.

PAUL WINCHELL

Paul Winchell was best known as a ventriloquist and the inventor of an artificial heart (seriously). In 1966 he played himself on "Here's Lucy," also showcasing some of his most famous creations. The following year he was cast as Doc Putnam, a little old man, in a two part musical episode "Main Street USA". He was barely recognizable. The role required him to sing and dance, which led to a falling out between his daughter and Lucy. She felt that Lucy was working him too hard and being exceptionally cruel.

KASEY ROGERS

Rogers is best remembered for playing Louise Tate on “Bewitched” from 1966 to 1972. For Lucy, she played Miss Cavanaugh, manager of a flight attendant training school attended by Lucy and Carol (Burnett). In the final season, she played Miss Carroll, secretary to Phil Harris.

LLOYD CORRIGAN

Corrigan appeared in two films with Lucille Ball before joining her on the small screen as Mr. Holly of Holly Cleaners on the first season of "The Lucy Show". He returned to play gentleman crook Carter Harrison (a name that when reversed is given to Gale Gordon's character on "Here's Lucy" and the unnamed proprietor of a Los Angeles Christmas Tree stand.

TED ECCLES

Teddy Eccles was the second child actor to play Arnold Mooney. When Mr. Mooney and Lucy moved to Los Angeles, their children were hardly ever discussed. So Eccles was given the roles of cadet Harold, and Barry the choirboy.

HAL SMITH

Smith was best known as Otis the drunk on "The Andy Griffith Show," filmed at Desilu. For "Lucy" he played Mr. Wilson, one of the dads on an all-dad (plus Lucy) camping trip, and tuba-toting Mr. Weber in the two episodes set on "Main Street" of Bancroft.

WILLARD WATERMAN

Former "Great Gildersleeve" on radio, Waterman played TV host Greg Gregory in “Lucy and the Plumber” (1964), followed by Tex Critter at the dude ranch in "Lucy the Rain Goddess" (1966).

DICK PATTERSON

Patterson was a Broadway performer who played the "doctor" in "Lucy and the Beauty Doctor" (1966). The "doctor" was actually a TV host for a hidden camera show. He returned seven months later to play Marty King, director of Danny Thomas’s television show.

DORIS SINGLETON

Doris had originated the role of Carolyn Appleby on "I Love Lucy". On "The Lucy Show" she first played Ruth Cosgrove in "Lucy and Art Linkletter" (1966). Her character name was the real-life name of Milton Berle's wife, who would actually appear in season five as herself! Singleton returned to the series when "Lucy Gets Her Diploma" (1967) using her own first name. Doris (the character) has very little to do with the plot. Her scene might have been originally meant for Mary Jane but reassigned to Singleton due the indisposition of Croft.

RUTA LEE

Lee made her big screen debut in MGM’s Seven Bride for Seven Brothers in 1954. She was seen in many Desilu shows, finally acting opposite Lucille Ball on “The Lucy Show” as “Lucy’s Substitute Secretary” (1967). That same year she played herself opposite the aforementioned Ruth Cosgrove-Berle!

JACKIE COOGAN

One of the first child actors in Hollywood, Coogan is best remembered as Uncle Fester on "The Addams Family." He was mentioned on "I Love Lucy," but finally meets her face to face as Lieutenant Ruggles in "Lucy and the Military Academy" (1963). Five years later he was back as Mr. Burton, manager of a drive-in hamburger stand when "Lucy Gets Involved" (1968).

JAY NOVELLO

Novello started acting with Lucy on her radio show and was also seen on "I Love Lucy." In this series he plays Mr. Bundy, candy shop owner and safe cracker , and (1963) Tony DiBello, owner of an Italian Restaurant (1964) where Lucy takes her millionaire date.

OTHERS WHO HIT A DOUBLE

Jack Benny (Harry Tuttle / Himself)

Lyle Talbot (Mr. Stanford / Howard Wilcox)

Dan Rowan (Colin Grant / Dan McGowan)

Barbara Morrison (Mrs. Walker / Mrs. Winkler)

Cliff Norton (Mr. Bentley / Ike)

Tommy Farrell (Pete Murdock / Harry)

Jack Collins (Rocky / Ernie)

Howard Caine (Harold / Paul Roney)

Byron Foulger (Fred Dunbar / Mr. Trindle)

Eddie Quillan (Mr. Vincent / Briggs)

Elliott Reid (Ross Dowd / Dr. Oscar Kurtzman)

Phil Vandervoort (Alan / Tommy Watkins)

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oldshowbiz · 2 years

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1955.

Totally obscure comedy team Bennett and Patterson

#tidelands #houston #texas #who the fuck #walter brennan #louis nye #Dick Patterson

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mikeluciraphgabe · 7 days

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Part 17 masterpost

#Batman twitter au #batfamily #batman family #batdad #batfam #bruce wayne #jason todd #duke thomas #damian wayne #dick grayson #stephanie brown #cassandra cain #tim drake #robert patterson #batman and robin #the batman

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warren-keplers-funk-band · 10 months

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colour wheel challenge except it's specifically characters i headcanon as transmasc

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fae-fairy777 · 9 months

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Hear me out

Robert Patterson Batman

In the beginning of the Batman movie Bruce is reading his mission reports. And as stated in the movie it’s been 2 years since he started his night life. So he’s still young I’d say maybe 25. very edgy still very emo man if I do say so.

Could you imagine some time in the future the batboys stumble upon there mission reports and never let him live it down.

Dick: (puts on eye liner) they think I’m in the shadows…but I am the shadows.

Tim: (puts bangs in face) 2 years of nights has turned me into a nocturnal animal.

Jason: (using a blanket as a cape) I must chose my targets carefully.

Barb: (gravely voice half way laughing) IM VENGEANCE!

#batman #emo batman #robert patterson #batfamily #dick grayson #tim drake #barbra gordon #jason todd #bruce wayne #wayne family adventures

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fabioquartararhoe · 6 months

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so i’m not the only one who thinks that the stewards hate fabio

#fucking cunts #and patterson can suck my dick #fabio #fabio quartararo #motogp

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ginervacade · 9 months

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If anyone has a prompt for me to write with either Julie and the Phantoms or Batfam I will be eternally grateful.

#batfam #julie and the phantoms #dick grayson #jason todd #jatp #batman #tim drake #reggie peters #dc #batfamily #julie molina #luke patterson #alex mercer

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ocandrew1 · 5 months

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BOXING IMMORTALS: IN TRAINING

#muhammad ali #jack dempsey #yoko gushiken #willie pep #dick tiger #floyd patterson #ezzard charles #sonny liston #sugar ray leonard #rocky marciano

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garadinervi · 11 months

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«dé-coll/age», Bulletin aktueller ideen, No. 5, ‘Happenings-Stücke-Partituren‘, 1966 [Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN]. Contributions by J. Beuys, C. Bremer, H. Christiansen, L. Gosewitz, D. Higgins, A. Kaprow, F. Mon, B. Patterson, G. Rühm, B. Vautier, W. Vostell, J. Hidalgo, J. Cortés, T. Marco, W. Marchetti

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seatsaverheartbreaker · 3 months

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Just realised I resonate with all the mirrorball characters in my fixation shows… not sure what to do with this information

#1am thoughts #Mirrorball #Baxter Radic #summer Torres #Kate Wallis #Dick Grayson #Anthony Lockwood #Lucy Carlyle #Annabeth Chase #Sarah Cameron #amerie wadia #luke patterson #and I’ve never been natural #all I do is try try try

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papermoonloveslucy · 1 year

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LINE!!!

Lucille Ball: Scripts, Cue Cards, and Teleprompters

As a film star, Lucille Ball only had to memorize dialogue in short, bite-sized chunks. On radio, Lucille and her cast-mates read from scripts. But on television, in a realistic situation comedy, Ball needed to memorize a full thirty minute script a week!

CUE CARDS & PROMPTERS & SCRIPT SLIPS!

Credit for developing the cue card (sometimes derisively called ‘idiot cards’) is genereally given to John Barrymore, who had them tucked in out-of-the-way places during his stage performances in the 1930s.

Ed Wynn placed cue cards in the orchestra pit when he worked in vaudeville, then brought the practice to television with “The Ed Wynn Show” (1949-50), on which Lucille Ball got her first taste of the new medium, and was introduced to the concept of cue cards.

Wynn’s cards were prepared by Barney McNulty (1923-2000), known as the ‘King of Cue Cards’. He went on to form a company named Ad-Libs, a cue card company whose clients included many early TV stars, including Lucille Ball. McNulty later praised Ball for her cue card savvy:

“Hardly anyone realizes that the madcap redhead has cue cards on the set!”

McNulty claimed to have flipped cards for the “I Love Lucy” pilot episode. But “I Love Lucy” was quite different from shows starring Milton Berle, Ed Wynn, and Bob Hope, who did not use the convention of the fourth wall. Ball and her cast were performing a realistic teleplay that required them to make eye contact with their fellow actors, not look to cue cards. For this reason, cue cards were virtually unknown during “I Love Lucy.” Of course, there were exceptions...

For her Vitameatavegamin spiel in “Lucy Does A TV Commercial” (1952) every slurred word and syllable was written in the script. To be letter perfect, and just to be on the safe side, Ball had cue cards set up in case she forgot her lines. Performing physical comedy in front of a live audience gets less laughs after the first take. Plus, re-takes were time consuming and expensive. It was hardly necessary. Lucy didn’t miss a beat and nailed it in one take.

On December 14, 1953, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were the first to use a new teleprompting system developed by their producer, Jess Oppenheimer, although it was not the first in-camera system. Fred Barton had developed one as early as early as 1948. A forerunner to the modern video teleprompter, Oppenheimer’s “through the roll system” was later granted a US patent.

Lucy and Desi did not use it for the main show, which that night was “Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined”. Oppenheimer did not like that it obstructed the view of the live audience, but it was used for the Philip Morris commercials, which were filmed without an audience. The sponsors wanted their message clearly communicated, so it was important that the script be delivered verbatim. With the memorization of a weekly script, Lucy and Desi did not need the burdon of also memorizing commercial copy.

In “Lucy’s Mother-in-Law” (1954) the Ricardo closet door is wide open and it looks like there is a cardboard box of used cue cards stored in there! Even if they weren’t used on “I Love Lucy,” they might have been scared up from the Desilu prop room to “dress” the closet.

Bob Hope was notorious for his regular use of cue cards. When he guest-starred as himself on “I Love Lucy” in 1956, he read his lines from cue cards. It was prop man Jerry Miggins who was in charge of holding them for Hope.

When “I Love Lucy” morphed into its hour-long format, cue cards were sometimes used, especially when the tensions of a failing marriage and running Desilu took Lucy and Desi’s time away from script memorization and busy guest stars did not have the time for extensive rehearsals. The above photo was taken during rehearsals for “The Star Next Door” (1957).

When Lucy launched “The Lucy Show” in 1962, she was also trying to run Desilu. Along with her adminsitrative duties, she still had to find time to learn a 30-minute script every week. She was also a newleywed and mother of two children, so time was precious.

Tony Mendez, who famously flipped cards for David Letterman and often appeared on camera as well, was interviewed by New York Magazine in 2001 and recalled how he got started in the business:

It seems that Lucille Ball was not the only one relying on cue cards. According to Mendez, Lucy merely needed a prompt, but Vivian needed the entire line!

In fact, the DVD extras for “The Lucy Show: Season One” include footage of Vivian using cue dards to do the show’s in-character commercials. They are positioned just behind Ralph Hart’s head!

Lucy was was still adamant that her cast try and memorize their lines. When Charles Lane (banker Barndsdahl) stumbled over his dialogue, impatient Lucy used this as a reason to replace him. In reality, this may have been just the “for publication” story of what was actually Ball’s long-held desire to cast Gale Gordon. When the series began, Gordon was under contract to “Dennis the Menace” and couldn’t commit to Lucy. As soon as he became available, however, Lucy was not about to het him get away again - even if it meant dismissing Lane.

By “Here’s Lucy” - Ball’s third TV sitcom - she was using cue cards more often than not - espeically if the episode demanded a lot of rehearsal of music and dance.

Tommy Tucker was the name of the “Here’s Lucy” cue card coordinator. Tucker and Lucy enjoyed playing word games together during lulls in shooting. As a tribute to him, the toy vendor played by Wally Cox in “Lucy Sublets the Office” (1972) was named Tommy Tucker. Tucker was interviewed for the short film “Lucy Meets The Burtons: A Comic Gem” which is included on the “Here’s Lucy: Season 3″ DVD.

Coincidentally, one of the guest actors in this episode was Richard Deacon. His eyes can frequently be seen looking at the cue cards.

Another guest actor who’s eyes were usually seraching for the cue cards is Lyle Talbot, who played Harry’s lawyer in “Lucy Takes Over” (1970).

Not being an actor, Lawrence Welk’s eyes often distractingly glance over at the cue cards for his lines during his appearance on “Here’s Lucy” (1970). He smiles at his own jokes, and anticipates rather than reacts.

The webiste ‘Everything Lucy’ points to “The Bow-Wow Boutique” (1973) as when Lucille Ball started to rely almost exclusively on cue cards. Ball said that one of the hardest things to do was to erase the previous week's script from her mind to make way for a new one. After all, she was walking around the same set every week, having dialogue with the same people.

Filming a promotional spot with Bobe Hope, Ball squints at distant cue cards and quips,

“Well, let’s use the bigger ones. I can see the little ones, but why the hell not use the bigger ones?”

CHEAT SHEETS, SCRIPTS & CUES

Sometimes, a script - or a few pages of script - made it onto the set. A close-up of the Swiss cheese sandwich in “First Stop” (1955) shows a couple of pages of script on the table. A few lines have even been crossed out!

In “Lucy in the Music World” (1965) the verbose but funny album names were taped to the back of the record sleeves!

“He Wears a Hubcap for a Halo” (about a teenage girl whose boyfriend got run over by a police car)

“I've Got Tears in My Ears from Lying on My Back in My Bed While I'm Crying Over You”

“I Lost You to the Arms of Another” (about a girl whose boyfriend goes skin diving and gets tangled up with an octopus

In “Lucy, the Matchmaker” (1968) Mr. Morton (Dick Patterson) reads Harry’s computer dating punch card. His match’s number is written on the card in red marker and the ink has bled through to the other side! Perhaps Patterson had trouble memorizing the number correctly?

PROTESTING CUE CARDS

Sometimes the materials that were used to create the cue cards were also used for other purposes. They were the perfect size for protest signs when “Lucy Goes on Strike” (1968).

The distinctive all caps handwriting in bold black ink was a hallmark of cue card writers.

At the end of season five of “Here’s Lucy” in 1973, Ball had decided to end the series. She filmed an ending to the final episode where she hangs an “Out of Business” sign on the door of the Unique Employment Agency. But at the last moment, CBS convinced her to do a sixth season, so the ending moment was re-filmed with Lucy tacking a sign reading “Temporarily” above the “Out of Business” sign. The addional sign was obviously made from the same cardboard used for the cue cards - and by the same hand.

By the season six finale of “Here’s Lucy,” “Lucy Fights The System” in 1974, it was obvious that Ball was nearly completely dependent on the cue cards. Luckily, the storyline was basically carried by Lucie Arnaz, and Lucy’s scenes were mainly sitting at her desk.

During her final series, “Life With Lucy” (1986), it was well known that Lucille Ball read her lines from cue cards. She was 75 years old and in failing health, so it is an understandable accommodation.

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oldshowbiz · 6 days

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Obscure comedy team Bennett and Patterson

#who the fuck #dick patterson

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myvinylplaylist · 9 months

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The Astronauts: Go...Go...Go!!! (1965)

RCA Victor Records

#my vinyl playlist #the astronauts #jon patterson #richard otis fifield #robert graham demmon #dick sellars #brad leach #rca victor records #classic rock #surf rock #garage rock #rock n roll #pop rock #60’s rock #60’s music #record cover #album cover #album art #vinyl records

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trying414 · 1 year

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Okay so I turned on Julie and the Phantoms (don't get me started, I'm still pissed it was canceled), and Sunset Curve could literally be the batbros. In the first song (not as you get deeper into the show, because then it all gets muddled personality wise), action and appearance wise Luke fits Jason, Reggie fits Tim, Alex fits Dick (ignoring the blonde obviously), and Bobby would be Damian (he's the most stoic, don't lie).

EDIT: OMG WAIT CASS CAN BE JULIE BECAUSE SHE DOESNT TALK BEFORE THE BOYS AND JULIE HAS ISSUES SINGING BEFORE THEM

#julie and the phantoms #jatp #batfam #batbros #batman #sunset curve #jason todd #luke patterson #alex mercer #dick grayson #damian wayne al ghul #bobby wilson #tim drake wayne #reggie peters #julie molina #cassandra cain

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innytoes · 2 years

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More Triffid AU thoughts because apparently the book stuck with me even though I read it like 15 years ago.

-So Reggie wakes up to his brother screaming that he can’t see, and freaks out, and rushes to get help only to open the door and it’s chaos outside because pretty much EVERYONE can’t see. His parents are gone (or did they even come home?). He does the first thing he can think of: put Stevie on his bike and ride to the Molinas, dodging and serving blind pedestrians along the way.

-The band was supposed to have a Meteor Watch Party, which Reggie missed, but it is very convenient because everyone is already in one place. They quickly piece together what happened, because Reggie (who slept through the meteor shower) is the only one who can see.

-Reggie and Carlos quickly retrofit their zombie apocalypse plans. He feels bad raiding a grocery store, even worse raiding the pharmacy, but Alex needs his inhalers and if this isn’t temporary, things could get very bad very fast.

-He realises this when he’s nearly kidnapped by a cop who can’t see anymore, who tries to hold him at gunpoint and force him to be his guide. (He throws a can of beans at a car, making the alarm go off and distracting the cop, and hightails it out of there, figuring out pretty quickly that letting anyone know he can see is a very, very bad idea.)

-Luke 100% is the first to stop freaking out because they can still play music, right?

-Over the next few weeks, things both get very bad (fires, car accidents, desperate people) and then very quiet. Reggie spends time raiding more stores for supplies (sometimes with the help of Luke or Ray, though he hates the idea of putting Ray in danger when he has kids to worry about).

-He also goes around to all of their family’s houses. His parents are nowhere to be found, but he packs up some stuff for him and Stevie. Tía Victoria isn’t home, and the hospital she works at is such chaos that Reggie quickly flees.

-He never, ever tells Luke what he found on the Patterson’s street. And he makes sure that if they ever regain sight, Luke will never, ever see it either.

-He visits Flynn’s family, and they seem to be doing more alright than the other survivors he’s passed that are still in their homes. Probably because Flynn’s mom has been blind for most of her life already. The first thing Flynn says when she realises Reggie can see is: Reggie, give it to me straight.... does my outfit clash? (And if Reggie has a little hysterical breakdown at that, well, he’s earned it.) Eventually, they all agree to move in together, because it’s safer to stick together.

-Alex’ parents and family aren’t home, but he said to check at the church as well, which he does. He’s surprised to find that there are a number of sighted people at the church, so he lingers at the open door and stares blankly at a spot on the wall and listens to the sermon. When he starts hearing words thrown around like ‘gods will’ and ‘women of breeding age’ and ‘repopulation’, he decides it’s time to get Alex’ sister out of there really fast. He speeds back to the house to get Alex (since he’s not sure if Olivia would come with him if without that).

-When Alex arrives, Reggie carefully leads him to Olivia. Alex tells his folks he’s taking Olivia, and that there isn’t shit they can do about it, because they can’t see. (Olivia is more than happy to go with them if it means not being a baby incubator.) They get out, leaving Alex’ parents behind wondering if Alex can see (he can’t, but with some silent directing by Reggie he could fake it). They did agree beforehand if anything were to happen, Reggie would grab Liv and run.

-100% Alex made sure his parents thought that The Gays were Immune, which probably put a spanner in the whole cult thing the people at the church were trying to set up.

-The amount of anxiety Alex goes through, not only being blind but now being solely responsible for his sister, it’s pretty intense. Especially when you can’t just run away and hide or go for a walk alone to clear your head. There’s a lot of frantic drumming.

-Ray teaches Reggie how to drive, even when blind. He’s mostly working off muscle memory, listening to the sound of the engine, and hoping Reggie’s good enough at steering to not hit anything. They don’t need to go fast, but being able to drive means fewer trips to the supermarket. (Also, when Alex eventually bangs through one of his drums and freaks out, Luke and Reggie go get him a new one. A blind Luke in a music store is a Bad Idea and he’s banned from subsequent trips unless he promises to hold Reggie or Julie’s hand the entire time.)

-Eventually life quiets down, which is both good and horrific if you think about it long enough. They move Flynn’s family into the Molina house. They start checking all the houses and figuring out who is still there, who is gone. Reggie buries more bodies than he cares to remember. But it’s better than his friends tripping over them in the streets.

-Then, the triffids break out of their farms and it’s like the apocalypse all over again.

-After a few years they do have things pretty under control. They’ve fenced off a large part of the neighbourhood. The only other survivor in the fence is an old lady that Reggie goes to check on every day, until he doesn’t have to anymore. She wrote him a note in frightening good penmanship for someone who couldn’t see, that he didn’t need to feel bad, but that her meds ran out a long while ago and she was ready to go meet her husband.

-Every week they patrol the fences and set fire to any mature triffids they find. Who would have thought anyone would trust Luke with a flamethrower, let alone a blind Luke?

-Flynn’s dad used to be an electrician and they rig up some was to get power and collect and purify water.

-The sheer feels of Ray teaching the boys how to shave without being able to see. (Luke complains about having to until Julie is like: no kisses until you get rid of that itchy upper lip. He turns around real fast after that.)

-Willie was locked in the basement as punishment by his shitty evil foster dad. When Caleb figured out what was going on the next day, and that people who didn’t see the meteors could still see, you better believe he made sure to cuff Willie or tie him up so he couldn’t escape and use him to his advantage.

-Eventually Willie manages to escape, possibly by luring Caleb over a cliff or to a triffid or something.

-Willie settles in to the Molina-Taylor homestead pretty easily. He’s fed properly, they let him skate around the abandoned streets, Carlos even helps him build a ramp. He can see Reggie is nearing a breaking point and takes over some of his tasks.

-Every evening Reggie helps Flynn find the clothes she wants to wear. When Willie comes back with clothes from his raiding-outside-the-neighbourhood trips, he always makes sure to describe them to Flynn in detail so she knows what she’s wearing. He gets her the most fashionable clothes he can find.

-Don’t think about Ray getting sick and getting a fever, and Reggie insisting he’ll stay up with him because he’s the only one who can read the thermostat (besides Willie, who was out all day trying to find meds and is exhausted.) Don’t think about people trying to tell him they’ll just wake him for the reading and he’s already doing so much.

-Don’t think about Reggie shouting ‘He’s my dad too!’ at Julie before immediately apologising, because of the yelling, because of course it’s not the same and he isn’t really...

-And Julie just hugs him and tells him of course Ray is his dad too, but he’s stretching himself too thin. They compromise, Reggie will stay with him until his fever breaks.

-As the teens grow into adults, there are some very serious talks about Privacy. It starts with rotating who gets to sleep out in the studio. Eventually, Julie and Luke move into the house next door, possibly with Flynn (and a good pair of earplugs). They tear down the fence between the two properties for easy acces. Maybe even build a tunnel connecting the two.

-Mr and Mrs Taylor across the street. They’d move back to their house, but it’s too far down the block to be safe. Still, everyone spends a few days moving around furniture to get the house to their liking.

-Alex, Reggie and Willie don’t move out, though they might move into the studio loft. Sometimes when needed, Reggie or Willie will sleep over at one of the other houses. But Alex is way too anxious to learn a whole new layout of a whole new house, and he doesn’t want to leave Liv alone, even though tells Alex it’s fiiine, she’s practically an adult now, Lex. (”You are sixteen! That is not an adult! I don’t care if it is the apocalypse!”)

-After the first successful beach trip, they maybe take a few more in larger groups. Not too often that it becomes a routine, because leaving their home defenseless is a bad idea. But for very special occasions, they do.

-It is a very awkward conversation when Julie is like: hey Reggie can you do me a favour and tell me if this has one line or two lines? Yeah thanks that’s what I thought so anyway I’m pregnant. And Reggie is like WHY DID YOU JUST SHOVE SOMETHING YOU PEED ON AT MY FACE before realising what this means and then he’s ecstatic and calling dibs on godfather and second-coolest uncle (after Carlos of course.)

-Luke and Julie 100% had a discussion where the went back and forth between ‘should I take a pregnancy test and ask Reggie or Willie’ vs ‘do we just not say anything and hope nobody bumps into Julie until Reggie or Willie very awkwardly brings up her giant stomach’ but in the end they decided they probably needed to tell people because of the whole ‘eating for two’ and ‘Willie can you please go and steal some pregnancy vitamins’ thing.

-They all live happily ever after except for the whole triffid apocalypse thing.

#julie and the phantoms #triffid au #I am not writing a thing #reggiexalexxwillie #juliexluke #rosie molina-patterson is born able to see and blablabla hope for the future #eventually Willie brings home a nice girl he met for Flynn and possibly a puppy for Reggie that the train as a guide dog for Alex #liv and carlos totally start dating and alex is very much Not Okay with it until Julie is like: what do you have against my little brother??#and he's like: NOTHING I JUST DON'T THINK LIV IS OLD ENOUGH TO DATE #and Liv is like: Alex I'm nineteen and you had TWO BOYFRIENDS at that age you dick #just ray molina proud grandfather of all his (adopted) grandchildren #grandma and grandpa taylor across the street #I wrote a thing

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