April 27, 2010

I Love Lucy – The Movie and Other Great Rarities Out Today on DVD

In 1953, three classic first season I Love Lucy episodes (“The Benefit,” “Breaking the Lease,” and “The Ballet”) were edited together with newly-filmed connecting scenes to create a feature-length film. The film had only a single “test” screening in 1953 and was then put back on a shelf, in a mislabeled can, and was lost for half a century.  It was discovered in the Paramount vault in 2001 and this is the first time it will be seen again!

Rarities include:
  • Lucy Goes To Scotland
  • A TV Academy PSA
  • The Series Premiere Opening
  • An Animated Commercial 
Just a few weeks ago, another Lucy DVD was released, "Lucy Calls the President".  This was a CBS Special from 1977. This special was more or less, a bittersweet Lucy Show reunion as it featured most of the regulars from that show. This was also the final appearance of Lucille Ball with Vivian Vance. Vivian had already been diagnosed with Breast Cancer and was receiving chemotherapy treatments and had suffered a stroke, which left her face partially paralized, just a few months prior to filming this special. This was also the last time Lucille worked with Mary Jane Croft and Mary Wickes. Lucy had also just lost her mother, DeDe four months prior to the shows airing, in July, and was visibly distraught at her mother's absence in the audience.

Lucille Ball plays, Lucy Whittaker, who decides to call President Jimmy Carter during his weekly radio show and bring up a topic of local Indiana civic importance. He tells her he will be in her area, and will visit her to discuss the matter. Later, the plan is changed to a dinner with the President at Lucy's house, and everyone she has ever known demands to be invited. Lucy finds herself in many situations from chaos in the kitchen to cases of mistaken identity.

Be sure to order your copy today from the links provided here or you can order from the Everything Lucy Store!

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