I Love Lucy: Celebrating 50 Years of Love and Laughter

In January 1953, 70% of American households tuned their televisions to watch the birth of Little Ricky (and the arrival of big Ricky to the hospital in a voodoo headdress). Then in its second season, I Love Lucy was the first program to feature a genuinely pregnant star (though the writers couldn't use the word; instead Lucy was "expecting"). While this episode, along with the chocolate factory fiasco, remain among the most adored, it's also worth recalling that Orson Welles appeared during the fifth season as a magician. I Love Lucy was a seminal reflection of 1950s America that, though noted for its wacky heroine, brought some serious issues into our living rooms: household divisions of labor, immigrant visibility, gender roles, and the realities of a pregnant belly. In this revised edition of The Official Episode Guide, photos accompany summaries of every episode, capturing both the humor and the innovation. Fans who need more than a pair of Lucy and Ethel salt-and-pepper shakers to sate their obsession will appreciate the pictures, trivia, and quotes that tell the story of this seminal show. Illus. (Oct.)