Category Archives: Hollywood

1950s Furniture, 50s Retro, Chairs, Hollywood, The Joey Bishop Show

Lucy’s LA Chair in The Joey Bishop Show

August 8, 2019 Patricia

Moulded Plywood Chair on I Love Lucy LA Episodes

In the above capture from I Love Lucy Season 4 , Lucy Gets in Pictures we spot a stylish mid-century molded plywood chair that would later show up in another Desilu production. Says contributor John Dalessio “I have identified a prop reuse from the “I Love Lucy” Hollywood apartment! The chair at the Hollywood desk appears in a color episode of “The Joey Bishop Show” called ‘That’s Show Biz’ ”

The Joey Bishop Show
USA 1967–1969 S1 E25 That’s Showbiz

Sure enough a scene from The Joey Bishop Show S1 E25 That’s Showbiz has the matching chair. The molded/bent plywood chair is seen in color a rich reddish brown seat section on contrasting lighter wood frame. We can also notice a pattern of inlaid contrasting pieces in the bent plywood seat section which we can also make out in the screenshot from I Love Lucy S4 Lucy Gets in Pictures below.

Thanks to John Dallessio for contributing this example of I Love Lucy set decor items in use in other Desilu productions, says John “It’s a reddish color. The Joey Bishop Show was a Desilu production so it makes sense. Also, the Franciscan Ivy dishes appear every now and then throughout the show as well!”

Reference:

Hollywood, I love lucy, I love Lucy Props

I Love Lucy Screen Used LA Prop Postcard

March 5, 2017 Patricia

Lucy’s Postcard to Lillian Appleby – original prop from the show offered for sale on eBay at http://www.ebay.com/itm/I-love-Lucy-Screen-Used-Prop-1954-Post-Card-Season-4-episode-18-Very-RARE-/391678032281 “Dear Lillian, Having a wonderful time. So busy every day at the studio. Will let you know when my pictures play New York, Lucy.” The right side is addressed to “Lillian Appleby, 1423 E. 67th St., New York City, New York, New York.”

Sold last November at RRAuction.com Item 7393 – I Love Lucy Screen-Used Postcard Catalog 488 (Nov 2016)

Minimum Bid: $300.00
Sold Price: $1,226.23

Original Description from RR Auctions: “Rare screen-used and handwritten postcard from the I Love Lucy show, 5.5 x 3.5, depicting two colorful images of Hollywood on the front, with the reverse filled out in an unknown hand in blue ballpoint, in full: “Dear Lillian, Having a wonderful time. So busy every day at the studio. Will let you know when my pictures play New York, Lucy.” The right side is addressed to “Lillian Appleby, 1423 E. 67th St., New York City, New York, New York.” In fine condition, with minor corner creases. Played by Doris Singleton, Caroline Appleby was Lucy’s snobbish rival, part-time friend, and fellow Fine Arts League Club member. Caroline, whose original character name was ‘Lillian,’ had her name changed by producers after her first appearance in season three, dating this prop to around 1953-54. Interestingly, this particular postcard also seems to correlate with a prolonged story arc from season four, in which the Ricardos and the Mertzes head to Hollywood for Ricky’s big break. A fantastic early screen-used prop humorously reflecting Lucy and Caroline’s competitive relationship.”

I wondered if handwriting on the card was Lucy’s – I do believe the signature looks like Lucy’s. According to one observer ” I think the overlay writing is hers .. In the lower right where it looks like someone went over the ink again. In the opening scene she’s finishing the card so I think she went over the letters for the camera.” There were a pile of cards that Desi picked up on the show and this card is likely one of them if not the card he is actually holding in the photo.

Comparison of the postcard at auction and the one Desi is holding shows some differences, such as the angle of the postage stamp but the handwriting looks mostly similar, notably the large loops of the capital L as we see in Lucy’s original autographs.

Ref: “http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:jglVlA_Q7-0J:www.rrauction.com/content/PastAuctionItem/3366616+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us“

50s Retro, Hollywood, I love lucy, I love Lucy Props

Lucy’s Bud Vase in “Lucy Gets in Pictures”

August 3, 2016 rickster

lucy-bud-vase — Small Bud vase on Lucy’s desk in LA apartment

In the LA based episode “Lucy Gets in Pictures” Lucy is seen using a small glass bud vase as a pencil holder. I see one or two just like it on eBay this week. Following is an example with a handy link to search results on ebay in case you missed it.

This is a small glass bud vase with cranberry color base and gold trim. The size of the vase is about 3 3/4″ tall with a 2″ top diameter and 1½” diameter base. The gold tends to be worn on the examples I’ve seen.
See similar items on ebay

1950s Furniture, 50s Retro, Hollywood, I Love Lucy Nursery, Mid Century Lamps, Mid-century

Lucy’s LA lamps in Sinatra Movie

March 13, 2016 Patricia

A pair of table lamps similar to Lucy’s LA lamps appear in the moview A Hole in the Head (1959) starring Framk Sinatra and Edward G Robinson. The are seen at either ends of a green sofa. Screen captures below. The neo-classical column lamps in the hollywood regency style have gilt details. aholeinthehead-franksinatra59 aholeinthehead-59-lamps

1950s Furniture, Hollywood, I love Lucy Props, Plants

Lucy’s LA plants

March 10, 2016 Patricia

plantontrellis
A trellis with plants is seen on I Love Lucy LA set. The plants appear to grow over time. Note the dates in the photos above which suggest they are real plants. An original color publicity picture of Lucy and Desi below appears to have been taken in front of the same trellis. The tall plant has red branched and small flowers/leaves with a shape similar to a type of orchid . An orchid expert at PacOrchidExpo on instagram has looked at it a said it is not an orchid. My search fror a shrub with red branches on google came up with Red twig Dogwood ( Cornus sericea ‘Cardinal’) or Cornus Siberica redtwig-doogwood
On the left is a Red twig Dogwood shrub and on the right is the original color photo of Lucille and Desi taken on the I Love Lucy LA set. The red branches do look similar. Could the small flowers seen in the photo be from another plant? lucy-plant philodendron

The lower plants appear to include Philodendron, Anthurium ‘Flamingo Flower’ and a Rubber Plant. rubberplant
dogwood-sibirica
This one is Dogwood Siberica ( Cornus siberica) with small leaf clusters.

lucyanddesiLAset

plantsincolor

My photoshop impression of the plants in color based on the color photo.

Thanks again to johndalessio and PacOrchidExpo on instagram for valuable input.

1950s Furniture, 50s Retro, Hollywood, Wallpaper

Lucy in LA: Striped Wallpaper

March 10, 2016 Patricia

joined
The striped wallpaper on the Ricardo’s Hollywood set may have been vertical stripes that were applied horizontally. The red arrow indicates a possible join which appears on both sides of the set at the same height making a wider center band across the middle of the wall – at around shoulder height to the bell boy as he enters the door.
lucy-la-wallpaper-joined wallpaper-joined2

Here is an alternative view – the picture is rotated 90 degrees. This is a look that is easily created using a similar vertical striped wallpaper or even fabric for a mid century themed room.

Hollywood, The Brown Derby

Even more on the Brown Derby

April 1, 2015 Patricia

Willow Pattern dinnerware at the Brown Derby Above L to R. Bob and Sally Cobb of the Brown Derby, Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance at the screening party for the Brown Derby episode.

Bob Cobb of the Brown Derby restaurant gave a party for the screening of The Brown Derby episode of I Love Lucy. The screening party took place in a new private dining room at the Los Feliz Brown Derby.

This week at my other blog: original brown derby original location Wilshire Brown Derby original location
1932 movie clips show the interior and exterior of the original Brown Derby Restaurant on Wilshire.
http://www.lookbackandhanker.com/the-brown-derby-scene-in-george-cukors-what-price-hollywood-1932.html During it’s history the Brown Derby on Wilshire was located at three different sites on the same street.

Hollywood, The Brown Derby

More on the Brown Derby

March 21, 2015 Patricia

The Brown Derby location used in the “L.A. at Last” episode was located at 1628 Vine Street in Hollywood, just below Hollywood Blvd. Sadly, in 1987 this historic restaurant was lost in a fire. The Taft Building and a facade of the nearby Dinner Bell cafe remains, which has been part of the Hollywood revitalization since the 1990’s.

Screen Grab of The Hollywood Brown Derby sign from I Love Lucy Episode “L.A at Last!”

Here is the screen grab of the ‘watering hole’ where Lucy, Fred and Ethel meet William Holden and below a fun, vintage postcard of the actual location with arrow indicating the approximate colors of the same sign with the yellow neon of “The Brown Derby” and the white neon of “Restaurant”.

hollywoodbrownderby-vine — Vintage postcard of the The Hollywood Brown Derby showing the approximate colors of the sign with the yellow neon of “The Brown Derby”

1950’s color footage of The Hollywood Brown Derby near the start of this video.
And the same location as it is today…

The Taft building on left and facade of the Dinner Bell Cafe is all that remains in today’s picture

A comparison of a 1940 photo with a current picture shows the Taft building with its fire escape on the left and a facade that corresponds to the Dinner Bell Cafe ( the old street no. of the Dinner Bell Cafe was 1604-1/2 North Vine Street). The Brown Derby location seen on the right of the old photo has been taken over by newer buildings.

Scene from the Game LS Noire — Scene from the Game LA Noire

The Hollywood Brown Derby features in the the video Game L.A. Noire see walkthrough on Youtube here

Reference:

Dinner Bell Cafe “On October 7, 1939, Deputy Swift stumbled his way into The Dinner Bell Cafe at 1604-1/2 North Vine Street, adjacent to the Brown Derby in Hollywood.” http://derangedlacrimes.com/?p=4297
http://www.ign.com/blogs/vampirehorde2/2011/07/07/l-a-noire-hollywoodland-tour-guide-now-and-then

Hollywood, Recipes, The Brown Derby

Lucy Eats Spaghetti at the Brown Derby

March 20, 2015 Patricia

lucyeatsspaghetti-brownderbyhollywood — Lucy eats her spaghetti and meatballs at The Brown Derby in I Love Lucy, LA at Last!

At the Brown Derby Restaurant the meat sauce was a specialty of the house according the the 1949 Brown Derby cookbook, Lucy Ricardo ordered her spaghetti and meatballs with extra meat sauce, The set decoration scene looks very like the real Brown Derby. ( see archival photo here ).

Willow Pattern dinnerware at the Brown Derby L to R. Sally and Bob Cobb of the Brown Derby, Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance.

In real life Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz along with many Hollywood stars regularly dined at the Brown Derby. Google image search brings up numerous 1950’s photos that match the decor of the scene. The dinner ware in use in the restaurant was classic Willow Pattern – in the original color photos of the day pink/red willow pattern dishes can be seen.

brownderbyspaghettisaucerecipe — Derby Meat Sauce original recipe from The Brown Derby cookbook.

derbyashtray Original Vintage Brown Derby Ashtray Seen on Etsy – Click to View Details