#35- "Ricky Asks For a Raise"
EPISODE NAME: "Ricky Asks For a Raise"
EPISODE NUMBER: 35
DATE AIRED: June 9, 1952
DATE FILMED: May 2, 1952
RATING/SHARE: 54.2/83
EXTRA CAST: Alvin Littlefield- Gale Gordon, Phoebe Littlefield- Edith Meiser, Maurice, the headwaiter- Maurice Marsac
SUMMARY: Ricky wants a raise from the new Tropicana boss, Mr. Littlefield. Lucy coaches him in how to persuade Mr. Littlefield to give him the raise in a little role playing game. Lucy portrays Ricky while Ricky portrays Littlefield, and imagine Ricky's delight when he gets the raise from "Mr. Littlefield." Hopefully, Ricky says "Mr. Littlefield will see thins' that logicly." However, after dinner with the real Littlefield, Ricky's attempts at persuading fail, and he does not get the raise. Ricky promptly quits. The next morning, an ad for Xavier Valdez--"King of the Konga" appears in the newspaper and Lucy decides to fight back. Ethel and Lucy concoct a scheme which guarantees that no one will show up at the Tropicana to see Valdez perform. Between the two of them, they make seventy-five reservations. Naturally, they use some clever aliases, such as, Mrs. Worthington Proudfoot, Scarlett Culpepper, Mrs. Merriam Chumley, Mary Ackerman, Lucille McGillicuddy and Harry & Bess Truman. Fred borrows his old vaudeville friend, Hal King's, costume trunk. Then Lucy, Ethel and Fred head down to the Tropicana to prove to Mr. Littlefield how popular Ricky Ricardo is. The Mertzes and Lucy make a total of three separate entrances into the club and after they are seated and find out that Ricky isn't appearing anymore, they leave. The third entrance features Fred Mertz in drag. Finally, after the "third" set of people prepare to leave the establishment, it becomes clear to Mr. Littlefield, that if he doesn't hire Ricky back, then he will go bankrupt. Ricky is hired back, but the overwhelming sight of seeing no one in the club goes straight to Ricky's head, and he turns Littlefield down, and says that he can write his own ticket anywhere in town.
QUOTES:
ETHEL, LUCY (at different times): Ricky Ricardo isn't appearing here anymore!
FRED: You are jolly well stupid you know!
LUCY (to Ricky): I'll pretend to be Mr. Littlefield and you pretend you're you.