#I think previous posts by me mistakenly said it was 1953 but this has to be '52 since the Stooge is an upcoming release

[jerrylevitch]

"Come On a My House" features Jerry and Patti Lewis visiting Dean and Jeanne Martin's home in 1952.

[papermoonloveslucy]

PLAYING POST OFFICE

Lucille Ball and the Mail

Lucille Ball gets the mail at the end of the driveway to her Chatsworth home, Desilu Ranch, circa 1940s.

“Lady, we don’t mind the rain, or the snow, or the sleet. It’s kooks like you that drive us nuts!” ~ Postmaster, “Lucy & The Missing Stamp” (1964)

In 1943, Lucille Ball performed on the radio program “Mail Call,” a show only available to the troops overseas and not broadcast stateside.The term mail call was used when soldiers would get letters from home. 

“My Favorite Husband” (1948-1951)

Jay Novello played Mr. Negley the mailman on several episodes of Lucille Ball’s radio series. 

In “The Sleigh Ride” (1949) Mr. Negley uses his mail delivery motorcycle to pull the holiday sleigh, but the load proves to much and the milkman’s old horse is pressed into service instead. 

In “Liz The Matchmaker” (1949) Katie the maid decides that after three years of dating Mr. Negley that their relationship is not going anywhere, so she enlists Liz’s help.

In “Mother-in-Law” (1949), Liz (Lucille Ball) correctly assumes that Katie the maid (Ruth Perrot) is so happy because Mr. Negley the mailman has flirted with her. Katie says they were “playing post office.”

KATIE: “He’s so creative. He said my mouth was like a postage stamp. Then he canceled me!”

Katie hands her the mail and Liz finds a letter from her mother-in-law.

LIZ: “No one else addresses a letter ‘To George Cooper Only’ marked personal all over and then seals it with Scotch tape!”

“George Attends a Teenage Dance” (1948) ~ George and Liz chaperone a high school dance and we learn that ‘playing post office’ is a game, not just an institution. Post Office is a kissing party game played at teenage parties. It has been referred to in popular culture since at least the 1880s. The group playing is divided into two groups. One group goes into another room which is called "the post office”. To play, each person from the outer group individually visits “the post office”. Once there, they get a kiss from everyone in the room. They then return to the original room. 

The game of Post Office is mentioned again in “George Needs A Raise” (1949). In "The Charm School" (1954), Ethel mentions that Fred suggested they play Post Office the previous night when a beautiful guest arrived at their dinner party. In “Kiddie Parties Inc.” (1963) Vivian says she played Post Office when she was younger.

JIMMY: “Do you know how to play Post Office, Mrs. Cugat?” LIZ: “Know how? When I was your age they used to call me Jim Farley.”

James Farley was the the 53rd US Postmaster General from 1933 to 1940.  

Hans Conried played a weary mailman in “Valentine’s Day” (1949).

LIZ: “Are you picking up the mail?”

MAILMAN (sarcastically): “No, I’m a Confederate soldier and these are messages for General Lee.”

In 1949, General Robert E. Lee’s face was on a postage stamp commemorating the 200th anniversary of Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia.

"I Love Lucy” (1951-1960)

“Drafted” (1951) ~ A letter from Fort Dix makes Lucy and Ethel think that Fred and Ricky have been drafted. The flap of the envelope is open, so Lucy reasons it is okay to read Ricky’s mail. Re-sealing Ricky’s letter from Fort Dix, Ethel says “I’ve had lots of practice at this.” 

Early in the episode, Lucy gets a postcard from the Bishers, who are on vacation in Florida. The comedy trope of the landlord / landlady (Ethel) reading the tenants’ mail to keep up on gossip is used here! 

The premise of a letter from the Draft Board will be used again on “The Lucy Show” in 1966, when Lou C. Carmichael is mistakenly called up. 

Unmailed and unfinished love letters to a former boyfriend haunt Lucy in “Lucy Changes Her Mind” (1953). When Ricky insists she finish everything she starts, she finishes the love letter to Tom Henderson and it mistakenly gets mailed! 

The “I Love Lucy” Comics created a similar storyline for an issue in 1954. 

Mailed postcards once again cause trouble in “Fan Magazine Interview” (1954) when a publicity scheme for the Tropicana maquerades as a ‘date’ with Ricky Ricardo. When Lucy finds one of the postcards, she naturally thinks Ricky is cheating!  She tracks down the woman: Minnie Finch (Kathryn Card). 

Turns out Minnie’s neighbors (Elvia Allman and Sunny Boyne) got similar invitations for ‘dates’ in the mail. 

“The Passports” (1955) ~ Lucy has trouble proving where and when she was born. At the end, Lucy gets a letter from her mother enclosing her birth certificate and saving the day. 

“Tennessee Ernie Visits” (1954) ~ Lucy gets a very wordy letter from her mother to explain the presence of Ernie Ford. Naturally the letter comes after Ernie has arrived. 

“Tennessee Ernie Hangs On” (1954) ~ Lucy discovers an unmailed letter from Ernie to his Ma in Bent Fork, causing Lucy and Ricky to feel guilty for scheming to get rid of him. 

“Lucy Gets into Pictures” (1955) ~ Ricky discovers a postcard Lucy’s written to  Lillian Appleby, fibbing about having a part in a picture. In a rare blooper, Ricky calls Mrs. Appleby Lillian instead of Carolyn. She was only named Lillian in her very first appearance.  

To apply the stamp, Lucy borrows Ricky’s tongue. 

LUCY: “I've stamped so many cards, I'm all out of lick. Now, remember, don't read them.” RICKY: “Why not?” LUCY: “Because it's not nice to read other people's postcards.” RICKY: “Well, you and Ethel do it at home all the time.” LUCY: “Not until after they're mailed. It's illegal to read them before they're postmarked.”

“Don Juan is Shelved” (1955) ~ To save Ricky’s picture, Lucy decides to flood the studio with fan mail. She organizes an assembly line in her hotel room to churn out 500 handwritten and stamped fan letters.

“Paris at Last!” (1956) ~ Lucy goes to the American Express Office to change some money into Francs. Fred is in charge of collecting the mail, which has been forwarded to the American Express Offices along their tour route. 

Although primarily known for their credit cards today, in the 1950s American Express was an international banking company that issued travelers checks and was a trusted source of currency exchange. Their international offices were equipped with reading and writing rooms which offered the latest American newspapers and magazines. They also maintained a post office where clients’ letters could be forwarded. 

“Return Home from Europe” (1956) ~ Packing to sail home, a surprise in the mail changes their plans. 

RICKY: “Hey, did they have any mail for us at American 'Spress?” LUCY: “Oh, yes, I almost forgot. Oh, a letter from Mother! Here's a telegram for you.” RICKY: “How do you like that? A telegram and she forwards it in the regular mail. It takes three weeks to get here!”

It turns out to be very important - an offer to play at the Roxy in New York - staring immediately! 

“Lucy Raises Chickens” (1957) ~ After placing an ad for someone to help with the egg business, Ricky finds a reply in the mailbox - from Fred!. He put the letter in the box himself, saving the cost of a stamp and replacing it with an Easter Seal! 

“Lucy Meets the Mustache” (1959) ~ Lucy opens a letter from Ricky’s Uncle Alberto in Cuba, then must figure out a way to get it back into the envelope before Ricky comes home!  She employs a knitting needle using a technique she saw on television. 

STAMPS

MAILBOXES

“The Lucy Show” (1962-1968)

“Lucy and the Missing Stamp” (1964) ~ Lucy mistakenly uses a collectible stamp on an envelope she’s mailed then realizes its value.

She tracks it to the post office where she does everything she can to retrieve it. 

Herb Vigran plays the postman. Robert S. Carson plays the postmaster. 

“Lucy Goes Into Politics” (1964) ~ As volunteers working on Mr. Mooney’s campaign for Danfield Comptroller, Lucy and Viv are in charge of stamping hundreds of envelopes!

“Lucy Gets Caught Up in the Draft” (1966) ~ The mail that contains her draft notice is delievered by Joe the Postman (Sid Gould). 

Also in the mail is a letter from Lucy’s son, who is away at Military School. In probably the largest blooper in the history of “The Lucy Show,” the letter is signed “Jimmy Carmichael” instead of “Jerry Carmichael”.  It was Lucille Ball who insisted to the production people that it was Jimmy, remembering the actor’s name (Jimmy Garrett) and not the character’s!  

“Lucy the Bean Queen” (1966) ~ At the office, Mr. Mooney notes that it costs five cents postage to send a letter. This rate went into effect in 1963, rising a penny, and went up again another penny in 1968.

“Here’s Lucy” (1968-1974)

“Lucy’s Working Daughter” (1968) ~ When Kim must have her social security number to get a job at a boutique, Lucy confuses it for the Zip Code!  The US Post Office introduced Zip Codes on July 1, 1963.  

“Lucy Protects Her Job” (1969) ~ Kim disguises herself as new secretary -  gum-chewing Shirley Shoppenhauer. She returns from the post office with 500 postage stamps. Unfortunately for Harry, they are all balled up in a bunch and jammed into her purse. 

“Lucy and Lawrence Welk” (1970) ~ Lucy gets a letter from her old friend Viv, saying that she’s coming to visit. Naturally, the letter arrives moments before Viv walks through the door!