| "I Love Lucy" episode | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Season 2, Episode #20 #55 in Series | ||||
| Series: | I Love Lucy | |||
| Network: | CBS-TV | |||
| Air date: | March 9, 1953 | |||
| Written by: | Bob Carroll, Jr., Madelyn Davis & Jess Oppenheimer | |||
| Guest stars: | Bennett Green | |||
| Directed by: | William Asher | |||
| Production code: | 2x20 / 055 | |||
| Episode guide | ||||
 IMDB
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The Black Eye | |||
| Episode chronology | ||||
| ← Previous | Next → | |||
| "The Club Election" | "Lucy Changes Her Mind" | |||
The Black Eye was the 55th episode of I Love Lucy, also the 20th episode aired in Season 2 of the series. The episode, was directed by William Asher and co-written by Bob Carroll, Jr., Madelyn Davis and Jess Oppenheimer, aired on CBS-TV on March 9, 1953.
| "The Black Eye" | ||
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| Also see: | ||
| Full Credits | Transcripts | More Images |
Synopsis[]
The Mertzes won't accept Lucy's truthful explanation of how she got a black eye.
Plot summary[]
Ethel hits Fred square in the face while opening the door. Fred says that he's going to get a black eye, and nobody will believe that he actually got his injury from getting hit by a door. Ethel says that everyone should believe Fred when he tells the truth. After all, that's what really happened. But Ricky makes them remember a time when the Mertzes didn't believe the real story about how Lucy got a black eye.
Lucy and Ricky are reading a thriller novel together. Lucy gets really into it, acting out the argument parts. Fred and Ethel overhear Lucy from outside the Ricardos' door, and they think that Ricky and Lucy are having a huge fight, and that Ricky hit Lucy. Right before the Mertzes phone to come visit, Ricky tosses Lucy the book, and it hits her hard, giving her an instant black eye. When the Mertzes see that Lucy got a black eye, they think Ricky really was the one who gave it to her!
The next morning, Ethel goes to see Lucy to get the true story of the black eye, still not buying the book story. Lucy decides to have fun with her, and she makes up a tale of how Ricky found out that she's in love with another man. Meanwhile, Fred wants to patch things up between the two falsely fighting lovebirds, so he sends Lucy some flowers that are supposedly from Ricky. But he signs the card with his own name!
When Ethel finds out that Lucy got flowers, she instantly thinks that they're a gift from the "other man." Lucy lets Ethel read the handwritten card, to show her that they've got to be from Ricky. Ethel sees Fred's handwriting and signature, and thinks that Fred is Lucy's lover! Ethel swats Fred with the box of flowers, and on the way out of the Ricardos' apartment, Fred meets Ricky in the hallway and slugs him for causing all the trouble!
The next day, Fred and Ethel go back to the Ricardos'. They now believe the true story that Lucy got her black eye from being tossed a book, because the same thing happened to Ethel the previous night. Now, all four of them have black eyes!
Did You Know?[]
Trivia[]
- This is the fourth flash back episode since Lucy Goes to the Hospital.
- When Ricky reads something in English, he translates into his native Spanish as he goes along. This is an incredibly common technique for someone who is bilingual.
- Lucy got her black eye from Ricky's bad book toss, Fred got his from Ethel beating him with the box of flowers, Ricky got his from Fred punching him, and Ethel got hers from also getting hit by a thrown book. Lucy and Ethel get left black eyes. Ricky and Fred get right black eyes.
Goofs[]
- Continuity
At the florist's, Fred orders some roses to be sent to Lucy in Ricky's name and adds some gladiolas to the order. However, after the flowers are delivered and Lucy opens the box, the gladiolas aren't included in the order.
Soundtracks[]
- Soundtrack Credits
- Theme From I Love Lucy (Instrumental) - Written by Eliot Daniel and performed by Wilbur Hatch and the Desi Arnaz Orchestra
Scene excerpt from "The Black Eye"[]
- Quotes
- Fred: [as Fred is coming in the Ricardos' front door, Ethel opens the kitchen door and it hits him] She slammed the door on my nose.
- Ethel: I did not. He walked right into it.
- Ricky: Does it hurt much, Fred?
- Fred: I wouldn't be surprised if it's broken. I may never smell again.
- Ethel: Wanna bet?
Cast (in Credits Order)[]
Main Cast[]
- Lucille Ball as Lucy Ricardo
- Desi Arnaz as Ricky Ricardo
- Vivian Vance as Ethel Mertz
- William Frawley as Fred Mertz
Guest Stars/Recurring Cast[]
- Bennett Green as Florist
