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papermoonloveslucy · 6 years

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LUCY'S GREEN THUMB

Unaired Episode {originally scheduled for broadcast December 6, 1986}

[Photos © Getty Images]

Directed by Marc Daniels ~ Written by Mark Tuttle

Synopsis

Lucy's energy drink breakfast is so unpalatable that the entire family dump it into a potted plant. When they come home, the plant has tripled in size. Realizing that Lucy may have invented a new miracle fertilizer, the pressure is on for her to recreate the concoction. But when Lucy can't recall the recipe, Curtis's dreams of fame and fortune wilt.

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Barker), Gale Gordon (Curtis McGibbon), Ann Dusenberry (Margo Barker McGibbon), Larry Anderson (Ted McGibbon), Jenny Lewis (Becky McGibbon), Philip Amelio (Kevin McGibbon), Donovan Scott (Leonard Stoner)

[For biographies of the Regular Cast, see “One Good Grandparent Deserves Another” (S1;E1)]

Guest Cast

Jerry Prell (Reporter) was seen on television in “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “The Young and the Restless.” Off screen he was active with New England Academy of Theater and the Hartford Conservatory.

Doris Hess (Woman with a Sick Swedish Ivy) played Tina on three episodes of “Happy Days” and small roles on “Laverne and Shirley.” Hess was particularly busy in ADR (automated dialogue replacement).

The woman's Swedish Ivy is named Helga.

Stuart Shostak (Stuart, Photographer) took a class taught by Lucille Ball in 1979 and subsequently went to work as her personal film archivist from 1981 until her death in 1989. This is his only screen acting credit. He also served as Assistant to the Producers and warm-up comedian for the series.

The reporter calls Stuart by his real first name.

Melvin, Agnes, and Helga (Potted Plants)

Others at the press conference are played by uncredited background performers.

This episode was filmed ninth, but scheduled to be the eleventh one broadcast. It went before the cameras on October 21, 1986.

This is the only episode written by Mark Tuttle, who was also a writer on “Three's Company,” one of Lucille Ball's favorite shows. His career started in 1963 writing for “The Beverly Hillbillies.” He had worked with director Mark Daniels on two episodes of the TV series “Private Benjamin” (1981-82).

On December 2, 1986, just two weeks after “Life Was Lucy” was canceled, Desi Arnaz Sr. died from lung cancer at the age of 69. His final screen appearance was on “The David Letterman Show” in 1983. These two events devastated Lucille Ball and she became despondent.

Lucy: “I'm just a big flop.”

On December 6, 1986, “Life With Lucy” (and ABC's entire Saturday night line-up) was replaced by Christmas specials.

Curtis: “I'm just going to be a small businessman with a small store.”

In this episode,Curtis becomes obsessed with making money, just like his previous “Lucy” characters Alvin Littlefield (“I Love Lucy”), Mr. Mooney (“The Lucy Show”), and Harrison Carter (“Here's Lucy”, above).

The very first time Lucille Ball was seen on “Life With Lucy” she was carrying a potted plant (a schefflera). Lucy was afraid it had spider mites.

Lucy: (To Melvin) “The free ride is over! You either get growin' or get goin'!”

The living room now is home to two potted plants: Agnes (on the coffee table) and Melvin (on the table behind the sofa). Lucy begins the episode saying good morning to Agnes. Hearing Lucy say “Agnes” reminds us of Mame, the 1974 film in which one of the major characters was named Agnes Gooch (Jane Connell).

Lucy: “My mind is a blank!” Curtis: “We know that!”

Unbeknownst to Lucy, the entire family dumps Lucy's healthy breakfast (a super-strength organic energy drink) into Melvin's pot rather than swallow it. When they come home, Melvin has tripled in size!

It is worth noting that a man named Melvin Frank directed Lucille Ball in the 1960 film The Facts of Life. [The plant behind Lucy is mere coincidence!]

Margo: (about Melvin's growth spurt) What could have made it grow so fast?” Kevin: “I know. (pointing up) Aliens!”

This episode slightly resembles the 1960 film (and stage and screen musical) Little Shop of Horrors, in which a plant mysteriously grows to enormous size. The plant's origins are also attributed to aliens! In this case, instead of blood, its life-force is derived from Lucy's energy drink. The musical film was released on December 19, 1986, just two weeks after this episode was scheduled to air, but the stage musical had been playing off-Broadway since 1982 and would out-last “Life With Lucy” by a full year.

Curtis comes up with the name Gigant-a-Grow for Lucy's miraculous growth potion.

Curtis: “From now on, when you hear the name McGibbon, you'll think fertilizer!”

Margo tells her mother that thanks to her discovery she'll be in the encyclopedia next to Luther Burbank. Luther Burbank (1849-1926) was a pioneering horticulturalist who developed more than 800 varieties of new plants in his career. A Californian, many schools and public buildings have been named after him. In 1986 he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Curtis promises Leonard three weeks paid vacation. He plans to go to Hawaii to lie on the beach. This is the third mention of Hawaii in the series. In the first episode, Curtis had just returned from vacationing there and in the second episode guest star John Ritter says that his wife is Hawaii with the kids. Hawaii was a popular destination with Lucille Ball and her sitcom characters. It was also a favorite get-away destination of the Arnaz family, has been mentioned since the early days of “I Love Lucy”, even before it officially became a state!

On the telephone, Curtis asks a reporter if they've got a connection with “60 Minutes.” He thinks the story of Lucy's Gigant-a-Grow would be perfect for Morley Safer. The CBS TV prime time news magazine show began airing in 1968, the same year as “Here's Lucy.” Safer was a host of “60 Minutes” from 1968 until his death in 2016.

Lucy briefly does her famous 'spider' face “ewww” when Curtis threatens to get the formula out of her head “one way or another.” Unfortunately, the moment is obscured by background music fading out to commercial and the omnipresent laugh track.

The recipe for Lucy's 11th attempt at duplicating Gigant-a-Grow:

1 ounce of ginseng extract

3 drops of lecithin

gobs of garlic powder

wonderful (God-given) wheat germ

yeast to rise it to heaven

blend on high

In “Ethel's Home Town” (ILL S4;E15) a old vaudeville gag makes it appear that a potted plant grows into a tall tree – all behind the back of Ethel Mae Potter (we never forgot her)!

When the Ricardo's rent their Connecticut home to the Williams family in “Lucy Makes Room for Danny” (LDCH 1958), Lucy is worried if they will take care of her houseplants. When Ricky finds out she's been rescuing them against his wishes, she physically demonstrates how badly wilted they'd become.

In “Lucy's Mystery Guest” (TLS S6;E10) Lucy Carmichael is plant-sitting for a neighbor when her health nut Aunt (Mary Wickes) sprays the plant for bugs, and it promptly wilts.

In “Lucy and Mannix are Held Hostage” (HL S4;E4) Lucy Carter suddenly starts naming and talking to her plants. Their names are Ruthie, Hugo, and Priscilla. Ruthie meets an untimely end when she is tossed out a window in an attempt to stop a robbery.

This Day in Lucy History {had this episode aired as planned on December 6th}

"Ricky's Contract" (ILL S4;E10) – December 6, 1954

"Lucy Saves Milton Berle" (TLS S4;E12) – December 6, 1965

"Lucy in the Jungle" (HL S4;E13) – December 6, 1971

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