| "" episode | ||||
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| Season 3, Episode #3 #70 in Series | ||||
| Series: | ||||
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| Air date: | October 26, 1953 | |||
| Written by: | Bob Carroll Jr. Madelyn Pugh Jess Oppenheimer | |||
| Directed by: | William Asher | |||
| Production code: | 3-3 / 070 | |||
| Episode guide | ||||
 IMDB
|
Equal Rights | |||
| Episode chronology | ||||
| ← Previous | Next → | |||
| "Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress" | "Baby Pictures" | |||
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s29/ABMfisher/EqualRights.jpg http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s29/ABMfisher/DinnerShaving.jpg
Equal Rights was the 70th episode of I Love Lucy, also the 3rd episode of Season 3 of the series. The episode, was directed by William Asher, originally aired on CBS-TV on October 26, 1953.
Synopsis[]
Tired of Ricky and Fred's attitude towards them, the girls demand equal rights. Ricky and Fred turn the tables on them when, out to dinner, they call for separate checks, and Ethel and Lucy, lacking any money in their purses, must wash dishes to pay for their meals.
Plot[]
Ricky scolds Lucy and tells her that he is in charge and she is to do as she is told. Lucy doesn't think this is fair, so she and Ethel demand for their husbands to treat them as equals. But being prior to the real women's lib movement, the women aren't prepared for TOTAL equality, and they don't remember to bring money at a restaurant to pay their half of the bill. The girls get stuck washing dishes. Realizing they don't have a ride home, they call the men and pretend that two burglars came to the restauraunt and they are in danger. Ricky and Fred rush to their rescue, but quickly realize they were lying. They put on hats and handkerchiefs and pretend to be real robbers to scare them. The police come and arrest Fred and Ricky. Lucy and Ethel say that they have never seen them before in their lives, and they are sent to jail. At the end, however, Lucy and Ethel tell the police to release Ricky and Fred. The men act angry at first, but then Ricky hugs and kisses Lucy and they make up.
Trivia[]
- Lucy was a perfectionist in all aspects of her work. During rehearsal for this episode, she tried for hours to find the "perfect" paper bag to use for the fake gunshot. She tested all different shapes and sizes of bags until she found the one that satisfied her.
- When Lucy and Ethel fix their make-up at the dinner table, their husbands begin shaving, Ricky with an electric razor and Fred with old-fashioned lather.
- At the restaurant, Ricky orders meatballs, spaghetti, pizza, and coffee; Fred orders meatballs, spaghetti, pizza, and a green salad; Lucy orders a medium-rare steak with spaghetti on the side; and Ethel orders a well-done steak with spaghetti on the side.
- The name of the head waiter at the restaurant is Xavier.
- Even a man might pick up another man's dropped item off the floor, so Ricky refusing to help Lucy isn't necessarily him treating her like a man.
Starring[]
- Lucille Ball ... as Lucy Ricardo
- Desi Arnaz ... as Ricky Ricardo
- Vivian Vance ... as Ethel Mertz
- William Frawley ... as Fred Mertz
Guest starring[]
- Lawrence Dobkin ... as Waiter
- Louis Nicoletti ... as 1st arresting officer
- Fred Aldrich ... as Cop
- Richard Reeves ... as Policeman