Writing for I LOVE LUCY and Other Funny Stuff: An Interview with Bob Schiller (Past Times Comedy Writing Series) by Jordan Young Page A
Authors: Jordan Young
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made its debut on CBS in 1948, was based on characters in Isabel Rorick’s novel, Mr. and Mrs. Cugat. Despite its success, she didn’t want to transfer it to TV; she wanted to “divorce” her then on-air husband, Richard Denning, and perform with her real-life husband instead—to save their marriage, if for no other reason.
CBS rejected the idea of casting Desi Arnaz opposite Lucille Ball; the Cuban bandleader was the wrong color for TV in those white-bread days of the American entertainment industry, just as the Cugats of Rorick’s novel were too ethnic for radio (Ball and Denning played Liz and Dick Cooper on the show). The network almost lost Ball to NBC before they smartened up and took a chance.
Ball & Arnaz’s much celebrated sitcom, created and produced by Jess Oppenheimer, was one of many shows pitched to the couple. “When Lucy left My Favorite Husband I sent her a script called Cinderella O’Toole, about a girl who had daydreams,” recalled writer Sol Saks. “Don Sharpe, who was connected with Lucy, later said to me, ‘You know, Lucille Ball loved your script, wanted to do it. And I talked her out of it. I talked her into I Love Lucy. ’ I thought to myself, ‘Thanks a lot.’ ” (Saks didn’t end up too badly—he came up for the idea for another sitcom about a girl who could get her way by twitching her nose, called Bewitched .)
I Love Lucy debuted on CBS October 15, 1951. The rest is history—but what made it the legendary show it became, ranking No. 1 in the Nielsen ratings for four of its six seasons, apart from the extraordinary chemistry of the cast members? Ball herself had a stock answer: “The writers.” Noted Lucie Arnaz: “My mother never accepted an award where she didn't immediately say, 'I could not have done this without my writers.' She always put them first.”
Would that such regard was reflected in a just reward for their labors. Not only did five people write all 180 episodes of the sitcom, they did it for a pittance. “People say, ‘I saw I Love Lucy last night.’ I say, ‘Give me a dime.’ We got no residuals other than four runs,” noted Bob Schiller. “Four residuals at 125 bucks apiece.”
Jess Oppenheimer, Lucy, Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll Jr.
THE WRITERS
Jess Oppenheimer
Oppenheimer (1913-1988) is best known for creating I Love Lucy. The prolific writer-producer began his career in radio as a gofer for KFRC in San Francisco, prior to moving to Hollywood in 1936 and scripting The Packard Hour with Fred Astaire. He also wrote for Jack Benny, Edgar Bergen ( The Chase and Sanborn Program ), Fanny Brice ( The Baby Snooks Show ) and Rudy Vallee before becoming head writer and producer for radio’s My Favorite Husband with Lucille Ball. Following his five-year tenure with I Love Lucy, he created Glynis and The Debbie Reynolds Show for TV.
Bob Carroll Jr.
Carroll (1918-2007) started out as an usher at CBS Radio and progressed to staff writer. He and longtime collaborator Madelyn Pugh Davis co-scripted radio’s It’s a Great Life with Steve Allen, and My Favorite Husband with Lucille Ball. They moved into TV with I Love Lucy. Carroll and Davis also worked on The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show , Here’s Lucy and the short-lived comeback vehicle Life With Lucy. They later wrote for The Mothers-In-Law and served as producers for TV’s Alice series; they also provided the story for the Lucille Ball-Henry Fonda movie Yours, Mine and Ours.
Madelyn Pugh Davis
Davis (1921-2011) was one of the first female comedy writers, along with Selma Diamond. She began her career in her native Indianapolis writing radio commercials and patter for disc jockeys, teaming with fellow CBS staff writer Bob Carroll Jr. circa 1946. They garnered a pair of Emmy nominations for their efforts on I Love Lucy and another for Here's Lucy; they won Golden Globes for Alice and a UCLA Lifetime Achievement Award in
CBS rejected the idea of casting Desi Arnaz opposite Lucille Ball; the Cuban bandleader was the wrong color for TV in those white-bread days of the American entertainment industry, just as the Cugats of Rorick’s novel were too ethnic for radio (Ball and Denning played Liz and Dick Cooper on the show). The network almost lost Ball to NBC before they smartened up and took a chance.
Ball & Arnaz’s much celebrated sitcom, created and produced by Jess Oppenheimer, was one of many shows pitched to the couple. “When Lucy left My Favorite Husband I sent her a script called Cinderella O’Toole, about a girl who had daydreams,” recalled writer Sol Saks. “Don Sharpe, who was connected with Lucy, later said to me, ‘You know, Lucille Ball loved your script, wanted to do it. And I talked her out of it. I talked her into I Love Lucy. ’ I thought to myself, ‘Thanks a lot.’ ” (Saks didn’t end up too badly—he came up for the idea for another sitcom about a girl who could get her way by twitching her nose, called Bewitched .)
I Love Lucy debuted on CBS October 15, 1951. The rest is history—but what made it the legendary show it became, ranking No. 1 in the Nielsen ratings for four of its six seasons, apart from the extraordinary chemistry of the cast members? Ball herself had a stock answer: “The writers.” Noted Lucie Arnaz: “My mother never accepted an award where she didn't immediately say, 'I could not have done this without my writers.' She always put them first.”
Would that such regard was reflected in a just reward for their labors. Not only did five people write all 180 episodes of the sitcom, they did it for a pittance. “People say, ‘I saw I Love Lucy last night.’ I say, ‘Give me a dime.’ We got no residuals other than four runs,” noted Bob Schiller. “Four residuals at 125 bucks apiece.”
Jess Oppenheimer, Lucy, Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll Jr.
THE WRITERS
Jess Oppenheimer
Oppenheimer (1913-1988) is best known for creating I Love Lucy. The prolific writer-producer began his career in radio as a gofer for KFRC in San Francisco, prior to moving to Hollywood in 1936 and scripting The Packard Hour with Fred Astaire. He also wrote for Jack Benny, Edgar Bergen ( The Chase and Sanborn Program ), Fanny Brice ( The Baby Snooks Show ) and Rudy Vallee before becoming head writer and producer for radio’s My Favorite Husband with Lucille Ball. Following his five-year tenure with I Love Lucy, he created Glynis and The Debbie Reynolds Show for TV.
Bob Carroll Jr.
Carroll (1918-2007) started out as an usher at CBS Radio and progressed to staff writer. He and longtime collaborator Madelyn Pugh Davis co-scripted radio’s It’s a Great Life with Steve Allen, and My Favorite Husband with Lucille Ball. They moved into TV with I Love Lucy. Carroll and Davis also worked on The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show , Here’s Lucy and the short-lived comeback vehicle Life With Lucy. They later wrote for The Mothers-In-Law and served as producers for TV’s Alice series; they also provided the story for the Lucille Ball-Henry Fonda movie Yours, Mine and Ours.
Madelyn Pugh Davis
Davis (1921-2011) was one of the first female comedy writers, along with Selma Diamond. She began her career in her native Indianapolis writing radio commercials and patter for disc jockeys, teaming with fellow CBS staff writer Bob Carroll Jr. circa 1946. They garnered a pair of Emmy nominations for their efforts on I Love Lucy and another for Here's Lucy; they won Golden Globes for Alice and a UCLA Lifetime Achievement Award in
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