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Plot[]
After a harmless comment from Lucy about growing older, Ricky becomes paranoid that he's going bald. Lucy tries her best to snap Ricky out of this fear. First, she goes to a shop to buy anti-bald treatments that "hurt the most and smell the worst." But she just can't bring herself to subject Ricky to that kind of torture if she doesn't have to. So, her next plan is to have a "bald party," where she hopes seeing actual bald men will make Ricky realize how much hair he has. The bald party might have been a success, had Ricky actually attended. But he called Lucy from the club to say he had to work late shortly after the bald guests arrived. Lucy is desperate, so she turns to the Lucy Ricardo Torture Treatment, where Ricky's scalp suffers through icky goos and odd machines. Satisfied with how ridiculous the torture treatment was, Lucy smugly says how Ricky will have to go through this routine every other night for six months. To her surprise, Ricky says that he thinks they should do the treatment EVERY night, so his hair can grow in even faster.
Trivia[]
- The inspiration for this episode, specifically the "torture treatment" part came from I Love Lucy head writer/producer Jess Oppenheimer, who went through the same upset and the need to use odd anti-bald machines/devices when he first started losing his hair. Oppenheimer actually tried out the odd-looking device that Lucy had massage Ricky's eyebrows.
- Originally, the bald party was the episode's last scene, not the torture treatment. After this episode was filmed, Jess Oppenheimer didn't think the bald party was funny enough to end the show, so some new sequences were shot and the episode was re-edited to put the torture treatment at the end. The original ending has Ricky call Lucy and say that he saw an old picture of himself from 15 years ago, and that he has just as much hair now, if not more, than he did back when the picture was taken.
- Mr. Thurlough, owner of the shop where Lucy bought Ricky's treatment, ended up revealing his own baldness after bringing bald customers to Lucy's bald party. He really needed the $10 Lucy was giving out.
- The idea for Ricky to pull the stocking over his head and look grotesque came from Lucy's real life. One Halloween, friends of Lucy and Desi's came to their house wearing stockings over their heads, and Lucy was scared stiff at the sight.
- Lucy and Ricky keep $100 in emergency money behind the clock above the mantle in their living room.
- Fred came to the bald party wearing a lovely fake-looking toupee.
- Ricky started wearing his hat everywhere once he started thinking he was getting bald, even to the breakfast table.
- Interestingly enough, Desi Arnaz never went bald in real-life. His hair turned gray but he never really lost all of it like William Frawley.
Quotes[]
- Lucy: Remember what you said to me the first time you met me?
Ricky: I sure do. I said you were a cute little chicken.
Lucy: Well, I've got somethin' to tell you about this "cute little shick-en." She has crow's feet.
Ricky: You do not!
Lucy: You don't even know what crow's feet are!
Ricky: I do, too. They're like pigeon toes!
- Lucy: Oh, so your hairline's receded a quarter of an inch. So what?
Ricky: A quarter of an inch?! Do you think it's that much?!
- Lucy: Well, what are you wearing your hat [at the breakfast table] for?
Ricky: I thought it might rain. Lucy: Well, now that you mention it, the ceiling does look pretty cloudy!
- Lucy: Your scalp has a nice red, healthy-looking glow!
Ricky: Are you sure it isn't blood?!
- Ricky: (regarding torture treatment) Oil, vinegar, eggs- why don't you put some anchovies? Make a Caesar salad!