Be A Pal

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Be a Pal Episode Info Series: I Love Lucy Season: 1 Episode: 2 Broadcast Info Air Date: October 22, 1951 Channel: CBS Production Info Directed By: Marc Daniels Written By: Jess Oppenheimer Madelyn Pugh Bob Carroll, Jr. Produced By: Jess Oppenheimer Be a Pal is the second episode of the first season of I Love Lucy.  It first aired on October 22, 1951.   Synopsis After Ricky ignores Lucy one morning, Lucy is desperate to prove to the girls that the honeymoon isn't over with Ricky. She takes lessons from a book, and goes so far as to imitate Ricky's mother. Plot Lucy trying to attract Ricky's attention The episode starts with the Ricardo's at breakfast. Lucy asks Ricky for coffee, but he is too busy with the paper to pay attention to her. Lucy gets angry at him, and tries to catch his attention with toast out of the toaster, but with no luck. She goes outside and knocks on the door so he'll notice her, which she succeeds in. However, Ricky is still absorbed in the paper he didn't know she was there in the first place. Ethel arrives after Ricky leaves for rehearsal, and helps herself to the Ricardo's food. Lucy explains her problems to Ethel, who provides her with a book that gives tips on how to keep the honeymoon from ending. The Ricardos have the book, and Ethel reads through it. In the book, the author claims that the fault is of the wife, as they become careless of their appearance, which Lucy has done. The book suggests to dress up and be glamorous in the morning, which Lucy decides to do. The next morning, Lucy is dressed up very glamorous, and tries to get Ricky's attention, but still with no luck. Frustrated, Lucy burns the paper to stop him from reading it. She tries to point out the way she's dressed, but he still doesn't notice as he leaves for the office. Ethel arrives again, and Lucy criticizes the book because of her failure. Ethel is persistant, and continues reading Chapter 2. Chapter 2 suggests the "Be a Pal" system, or taking up your husband's hobbies. Ricky plays poker, so Lucy decides to learn and play with him that evening. Lucy trying to play poker. At the Mertz's apartment that evening, Ricky, Fred, Charlie, and Hank are playing Poker. Lucy arrives and joins the game. However, Lucy is inexperienced at poker, and makes mistakes, like saying what her cards are, and not knowing how to bet, even though she is getting very good cards. The game ends in a catastrophe, and doesn't help Lucy's problem at all. The next morning, Lucy doesn't care for the book at all anymore, but Ethel continues to trust it. In Chapter 3, the book suggests that Lucy becomes like Ricky's mother, to remind him of his boyhood. Lucy and Ethel make a plan to play a record in the kitchen while Lucy pretends to sing in the other room. When Ricky gets home, the house is filled with objects from Cuba. Ethel is dressed in Spanish clothes, and goes to the kitchen to start the record. Lucy comes into the room and pretends to sing and dances around Ricky. However, the record gets stuck, and the scheme falls apart. Lucy tells Ricky her problem, and Ricky tells Lucy that he loves her, and he doesn't want her to change. Cast Cast Lucy Ricardo Lucille Ball Ricky Ricardo Desi Arnaz Ethel Mertz Vivian Vance Fred Mertz William Frawley Hank Richard J. Reeves Charlie Tony Michaels Crew Crew Producer Jess Oppenheimer Director Marc Daniels Writers Jess Oppenheimer Madelyn Pugh Bob Carroll, Jr. Director of Photography Karl Freund Music Wilbur Hatch Associate Producer Al Simon Art Director Larry Cuneo Editor Dann Cahn Make-up Max Factor Memorable Quotes "Ricky plays poker. I'll have to take up poking." - Lucy "I want a divorce." "That's nice, dear." - Lucy, Ricky I Love Lucy Episodes Season 1 The Girls Want to Go to a Nightclub • Be A Pal • The Diet Lucy Thinks Ricky is Trying to Murder Her • The Quiz Show • The Audition • The Séance Men are Messy • The Fur Coat • Lucy is Jealous of Girl Singer • Drafted • The Adagio The Benefit • The Amateur Hour • Lucy Plays Cupid • Lucy Fakes Illness Lucy Writes a Play • Breaking the Lease • The Ballet • The Young Fans • New Neighbors Fred and Ethel Fight • The Moustache • The Gossip • Pioneer Women The Marriage License • The Kleptomaniac • Cuban Pals • The Freezer Lucy Does a TV Commercial • The Publicity Agent • Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio Lucy's Schedule • Ricky Thinks he's Getting Bald • Ricky Asks for a Raise Season 2 Job Switching • The Saxophone • The Anniversary Present • The Handcuffs • The Operetta Vacation From Marriage • The Courtroom • Redecorating • Ricky Loses His Voice Lucy Is Enceinte • Pregnant Women Are Unpredictable • Lucy's Show Biz Swan Song Lucy Hires An English Tutor • Ricky Has Labor Pains • Lucy Becomes A Sculptress Lucy Goes To The Hospital • Sales Resistance • The Inferiority Complex The Club Election • The Black Eye • Lucy Changes Her Mind • No Children Allowed Lucy Hires A Maid • The Indian Show • Lucy's Last Birthday The Ricardos Change Apartments • Lucy Is Matchmaker • Lucy Wants New Furniture The Camping Trip • Ricky And Fred Are TV Fans • Never Do Business With Friends Season 3 Ricky's 'Life' Story • The Girls Go Into Business • Lucy And Ethel Buy The Same Dress Equal Rights • Baby Pictures • Lucy Tells The Truth • The French Revue Redecorating The Mertzes' Apartment • Too Many Crooks • Changing The Boys' Wardrobe Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined • Ricky's Old Girlfriend • The Million-Dollar Idea Ricky Minds The Baby • The Charm School • Sentimental Anniversary Fan Magazine Interview • Oil Wells • Ricky Loses His Temper • Home Movies Bonus Bucks • Ricky's Hawaiian Vacation • Lucy Is Envious • Lucy Writes A Novel Lucy's Club Dance • The Black Wig • The Diner • Tennessee Ernie Visits Tennessee Ernie Hangs On • The Golf Game • The Sublease Season 4 The Business Manager • Mertz and Kurtz • Lucy Cries Wolf • The Matchmaker Mr. and Mrs. TV Show • Ricky's Movie Offer • Ricky's Screen Test • Lucy's Mother-In-Law Ethel's Birthday • Ricky's Contract • Getting Ready • Lucy Learns to Drive California, Here We Come! • First Stop • Tennessee Bound • Ethel's Home Town L.A., At Last • Don Juan and the Starlets • Lucy Gets Into Pictures • The Fashion Show The Hedda Hopper Story • Don Juan is Shelved • Bull Fight Dance Hollywood Anniversary • The Star Upstairs • Lucy in Palm Springs • Dancing Star Harpo Marx • Ricky Needs an Agent • The Tour Season 5 Lucy Visits Grauman's • Lucy and John Wayne • Lucy and the Dummy Ricky Sells the Car • The Great Train Robbery • Homecoming • Face to Face Lucy Goes to a Rodeo • Nursery School • Ricky's European Booking • The Passports Staten Island Ferry • Bon Voyage • Second Honeymoon • Lucy Meets the Queen The Fox Hunt • Lucy Goes to Scotland • Paris at Last • Lucy Meets Charles Boyer Lucy Gets a Paris Gown • Lucy in the Swiss Alps • Lucy Gets Homesick in Italy Lucy's Italian Movie • Lucy's Bicycle Trip • Lucy Goes to Monte Carlo Return Home from Europe Season 6 Lucy and Bob Hope • Little Ricky Learns to Play the Drums • Lucy Meets Orson Welles Little Ricky Gets Stage Fright • Visitor from Italy • Off to Florida • Deep-Sea Fishing Desert Island • The Ricardos Visit Cuba • Little Ricky's School Pageant I Love Lucy Christmas Show • Lucy and the Loving Cup • Lucy and Superman Little Ricky Gets a Dog • Lucy Wants to Move to the Country • Lucy Hates to Leave Lucy Misses the Mertzes • Lucy Gets Chummy With the Neighbors Lucy Raises Chickens • Lucy Does The Tango • Ragtime Band • Lucy's Night in Town Housewarming • Building a B-B-Q • Country Club Dance • Lucy Raises Tulips The Ricardos Dedicate a Statue