CTVA
The Classic TV
Archive - US Comedy Series
Our Miss Brooks (1952-56)
Eve Arden Show (1957-58)
Mothers In Law
(1967-69)
The Mothers-In-Law
(1967-69)
Episode Guide compiled by
The Classic TV Archive
with contributions by:
Vance Durgin,
Tom Alger, Jon Hobden
references:
Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com)
------------------
THE MOTHERS-IN-LAW
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Desi Arnaz Productions, Inc.
United Artists Television
for
NBC (Sundays 8:30 pm EST)
Filmed at Desilu Studios, Culver City
Executive Producer
Desi Arnaz
Directed by Desi Arnaz (all episodes, except where noted)
Written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll Jr (except where noted)
US Comedy series 1967-69 (2 seasons) 56 episodes x 30 min color
starring
Eve Arden as Eve Hubbard
Kaye Ballard as Kaye Buell
Herbert Rudley as Herb Hubbard
Roger C. Carmel as Roger Buell (season 1 1967-68)
Richard Deacon as Roger Buell (season 2 1968-69)
Jerry Fogel as Jerry Buell
Deborah Walley as Suzie Hubbard Buell
also
Desi Arnaz as Raphael del Gado (recurring)
Premise:
Roger and Kaye live next door to Eve and Herb. Eve and Herb's daughter
Suzie marries Roger and Kaye's son Jerry. This forces the families to
be a bit closer than they would prefer, particularly since Jerry and
Suzie live in the garage.
Eve Arden previously starred in the tv series
'Our Miss Brooks' 1952-56 127 episodes x 30 min bw
as Connie Brooks
'The Eve Arden Show' 1957-58
as Liza Hammond based on an autobiography by Emily Kimbrough.
############ The Mothers-In-Law ##############
############# season 1 1967-68 ###############
##############################################
NBC Sunday nights at 8:30
[01] The Mothers-in-Law: ON AGAIN, OFF AGAIN, LOHENGRIN
10Sep67 NBC orig. airdate
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest stars
(none listed)
A fight breaks out between the Hubbards and the Buells about
their children's wedding plans.
[02] The Mothers-in-Law: EVERYBODY GOES ON A HONEYMOON
17Sep67 NBC orig. airdate
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest stars
Carl Reindel
Bart Greene
The newlywed's honeymoon is over when the Hubbards and the
Buells show up at their resort hotel.
[03] The Mothers-in-Law: ALL FALL DOWN
24Sep67 NBC orig. airdate
written by Hugh Wedlock & Alan Mannings
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest stars
(none listed)
Problems arise when both Kaye and Eve break their legs skiing.
[04] The Mothers-in-Law: A NIGHT TO FORGET
1Oct67 NBC orig. airdate
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Maury Thompson
guest stars
Desi Arnaz
Lou Krugman
Kaye and Eve are locked inside a store for the night.
[05] The Mothers-in-Law: THE NEWLEYWEDS MOVE IN
8Oct67 NBC orig. airdate
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest stars
Judy Franklin
Larry Bishop
Kaye and Eve promise not to interfere in their kids' lives
when the kids move into their apartment above the Hubbard's
garage.
[06] The Mothers-in-Law: THE CAREER GIRLS
15Oct67 NBC orig. airdate
written by Fred S. Fox and Seamon Jacobs
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest star
Rob Reiner
Kaye and Eve audition for parts in a play.
[07] The Mothers-in-Law: WHO'S AFRAID OF ELIZABETH TAYLOR?
22Oct67 NBC orig. airdate
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest stars
(none listed)
Kaye and Eve throw their husbands out after they both admit they
would like to have an affair with Elizabeth Taylor.
[08] The Mothers-in-Law: MY SON, THE ACTOR
29Oct67 NBC orig. airdate
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest stars
(none listed)
The Hubbards and the Buells help Jerry win a part in the school
play.
[09] The Mothers-in-Law: HOW DO YOU MOONLIGHT A MEATBALL?
05Nov67 NBC orig. airdate
written by Fred S. Fox and Seamon Jacobs
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest star
Percy Helton
Eve Helps Kaye sell her famous spaghetti and meatballs on the
college campus to help pay off Suzie's ring.
[10] The Mothers-in-Law: I THOUGHT HE'D NEVER LEAVE
12Nov67 NBC orig. airdate
written by Sydney Zelinka and Ronald Axe
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest star
Larry Storch
A fugitive bank robber hides out at the Hubbard's home.
[11] The Mothers-in-Law: THE GREAT BICYCLE RACE
19Nov67 NBC orig. airdate
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest stars
(none listed)
The Hubbards and the Buells join a cycling club.
[12] The Mothers-in-Law: THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS
26Nov67 NBC orig. airdate
written by Howard Ostroff
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest stars
Jay Novello
Stafford Repp
Alan Reed Sr.
When Roger gets arrested, the whole family arrives in costumes
to rescue him.
[13] The Mothers-in-Law: DIVORCE-MOTHER-IN-LAW STYLE
3Dec67 NBC orig. airdate
written by Bill Idelson and Harvey Miller
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest stars
(none listed)
The kids create a fake divorce to teach their mothers a lesson.
[14] The Mothers-in-Law: THE NOT COLD ENOUGH WAR
10Dec67 NBC orig. airdate
written by William O'Hallaren
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest stars
Herb Edelman
Bob Watson
Eve gives her old refrigerator to Kaye when she gets a new one,
but when it breaks down Kaye gets mad.
[15] The Mothers-in-Law: YOU CHALLENGE ME TO A WHAT?
17Dec67 NBC orig. airdate
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest stars
(none listed)
Roger and Herb have a fight, which leads to Roger challenging
Herb to a duel.
[16] The Mothers-in-Law: EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE A WRITER
31Dec67 NBC orig. airdate
written by William O'Hallaren
directed by Desi Arnaz and Elliot Lewis
guest stars
Peter Whitney
Eve and Kaye try to write a TV script but it turns out they
stole it from another writer.
[17] The Mothers-in-Law: THE KIDS MOVE OUT
7Jan68 NBC orig. airdate
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest stars
(none listed)
The kids decide to move out when their mothers' interference
in their lives becomes too much for them to endure anymore.
[18] The Mothers-in-Law: THE HOMBRE WHO CAME TO DINNER part 1
14Jan68 NBC orig. airdate
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Elliot Lewis and Desi Arnaz
guest stars
Desi Arnaz
Miguel Landa
The Hubbards get an unexpected visit from their friend Raphael
Del Gado, the bullfighter, who plans to stay for a while.
[19] The Mothers-in-Law: THE HOMBRE WHO CAME TO DINNER part 2
21Jan68 NBC orig. airdate
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Elliot Lewis and Desi Arnaz
guest stars
Desi Arnaz
Desi Arnaz, Jr.
The Hubbards and the Buells go to Mexico to appear on a variety
show hosted by their friend the bullfighter.
[20] The Mothers-in-Law: DON'T GIVE UP THE SLOOP
28Jan68 NBC orig. airdate
written by Bill Idelson and Harvey Miller
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest stars
(none listed)
The Hubbards and the Buells fight over who owns the boat they
won on a game show.
[21] The Mothers-in-Law: I'D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU, BUT WE'RE NOT SPEAKING
04Feb68 NBC orig. airdate
written by Robert Daniel and Mark Howard
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest stars
Brooks West
The kids use a group therapy session to get their parents to
speak to each other again.
[22] The Mothers-in-Law: HERBS LITTLE HELPERS
11Feb68 NBC orig. airdate
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest star
Jerome Cowan
Eve becomes Herb's secretary when his regular calls in sick.
[23] The Mothers-in-Law: BYE, BYE BLACKMAILER
25Feb68 orig. airdate
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest stars
(none listed)
Eve uses Herb's reserve money to pay back the loan he gave to
Roger, without telling Herb he is being repaid with his own
money.
[24] The Mothers-in-Law: THE WIG STORY
3Mar67 NBC orig. airdate
written by Michael Morris
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest stars
(none listed)
Kaye thinks that Roger is in love with the blonde wig she
borrowed from Eve and not her.
[25] The Mothers-in-Law: IT'S ONLY MONEY
10Mar68 NBC orig. airdate
written by Sidney Zelinka
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest stars
Benny Rubin
Romo Vincent
Herb plans to get even with Roger when he makes him pay half
the bill at a restaurant despite the fact that Roger and Kaye
ordered the more expensive dinners.
[26] The Mothers-in-Law: I HAVEN'T GOT A SECRET
17Mar68 NBC orig. airdate
written by Peggy Chandler Dick
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest stars
(none listed)
Roger tells Kaye not to tell anyone that his scripts are being
considered for a TV series, but Kaye doesn't know how to keep
a secret.
[27] The Mothers-in-Law: JERRY'S NIGHT OUT WITH THE BOYS
24Mar68 NBC orig. airdate
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Desi Arnaz and Elliot Lewis
guest star
Jim Begg
When Jerry wants to go play poker and Suzie won't let him,
their parents start taking sides in the fight.
[28] The Mothers-in-Law: THE LONG, LONG WEEKEND
31Mar68 NBC orig. airdate
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest stars
Paul Napier
The Hubbard and the Buells become trapped in their mountain
cabin when a snowstorm hits.
(06Mar69 BBC UK)
[29] The Mothers-in-Law: JEALOUSY MAKES THE HEART GROW FONDER
7Apr68 [us] NBC airdate
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest star
Beverly Garland
Eve becomes jealous when one of Herb's old girlfriends comes
for a visit.
[30] The Mothers-in-Law: HOW NOT TO MANAGE A ROCK GROUP
28Apr68 [us] NBC orig. airdate
written by Don Nelson
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest stars
Joe Besser
John Myhers
The Seeds
The Hubbards and the Buells invest in a New York rock group
called The Warts.
(27Mar69 BBC UK)
############ The Mothers-In-Law ##############
############# season 2 1968-69 ###############
##############################################
NBC Sunday nights at 8:30 Eastern
2.xx [31] The Mothers-in-Law: HERE COMES THE BRIDE, AGAIN
15Sep68 NBC Sun
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest stars
William Lanteau
Jeanette Nolan
The kids agree to hold a second wedding ceremony for Kaye's
mother visiting from Italy.
2.xx [32] The Mothers-in-Law: THE MATCH GAME
22Sep68 NBC
(NBC re-run 29Dec68)
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest star
Paul Lynde
The Hubbards and the Buells plan to help Jerry keep his job at
a computer dating service.
2.xx [33] The Mothers-in-Law: A LITTLE PREGNANCY GOES A LONG WAY
29Sep68 NBC Sun
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest stars
Shirley Mitchell
Harry Hickox
Kaye and Eve think Roger and Herb are going to take them on a
cruuise to Hawaii.
2.xx [34] The Mothers-in-Law: LOVE THY NEIGHBOR - IF YOU CAN GET HIM TO MOVE
06Oct68 NBC Sun
written by Fred S. Fox and Seamon Jacobs
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest star
(none listed)
Flashbacks show how the Hubbards first met the Buells when they
bought the house next door.
2.xx [35] The Mothers-in-Law: I DIDN'T RAISE MYSELF TO BE A GRANDMOTHER
13Oct68 NBC Sun
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest star
Bruce Kirby
Eve and Kaye decide they haven't done very much with their lives
and set out to improve themselves.
2.6 [36] The Mothers-in-Law: EVEN MOTHERS-IN-LAW HAVE MOTHERS-IN-LAW
20Oct68 NBC Sun
written by Fred S. Fox and Seamon Jacobs
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest stars
Doris Packer
Barbara Morrison
Herb and Roger's mothers pay a visit.
2.7 [37] The Mothers-in-Law: THE MATADOR MAKES A MOVIE
27Oct68 NBC Sun
Written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
Directed by Desi Arnaz
guest stars
Desi Arnaz (as Raphael Del Gado) (recurring)
Desi Arnaz, Jr.
John Mhyers
Joseph Mell
Executive Producer Desi Arnaz returns in the role of Raphael
Del Gado, the bullfighter. When the matador arrives in town to
make a movie - the Hubbards and the Buells invite him to a dinner
party - which soon becomes a talent show as the hosts try to get
parts in his film. [ta]
[--]
03Nov68 NBC Sun pre-empted for
a Democratic Political Speech
(Lyndon B. Johnson speaking on behalf of
Presidential candidate Hubert Humphrey.)
2.8 [38] The Mothers-in-Law: IT'S A DOGS LIFE
10Nov68 NBC Sun
Written by Robert Fisher and Arthur Marx
Directed by Elliot Lewis
Guest Star:
John Byner (as animal inspector)
Synopsis:
Kaye and Eve both give the kids a puppy as a present.
To keep the peace, Suzie and Jerry frantically juggle gifts,
separately purchased by their mothers - a basset hound and a
Yorkshire terrier. Caught in the confusion of canines; a bewildered
animal inspector (John Byner) [TA]
[--] 17Nov68 NBC Sun - Pre-empted
From: Jon Hobden
"The Mothers-in-Law" show was preempted 17-Nov-1968 by a 2-hour NBC-TV movie
called "Heidi", based on the
German novel. This movie became infamous because NBC left an AFL pro football
game between the NY Jets & Oakland
Raiders before the game was over in order to start the movie on time. The Jets
were leading 32-29 w/ 1 minute left
in the game when NBC left the game at 7 PM EST, but in the last minute, the
Raiders scored 2 touchdowns to win the
game 43-32. The Jets came back from this loss to win Super Bowl III the next
January though. [Jon Hobden]
2.9 [39] The Mothers-in-Law: THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY IS THE HARDEST
24Nov68 NBC Sun
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest stars
Joe Besser
Stafford Repp
Suzie gives away Jerry's jacket unaware that their parents hid
money in it as a surprise gift for him.
2.10 [40] The Mothers-in-Law: THE BIRTH OF EVERYTHING BUT THE BLUES
01Dec68 NBC Sun
written by Elaine Di Bello Bradish
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest stars
Herb Voland (as Dr. Voland)
Del Moore
Frank Inn
Mel Blanc as The Voice of The Mynah Bird.
Synopsis 1:
Suzie becomes an animal babysitter to earn some extra money.
Synopsis 2:
The mothers-in-law tackle the care and feeding of a motley
menagerie when they take over Suzie's job a pet sitter.
And the ladies problems are increasing rapidly: most of the
critters are expecting! [ta]
2.11 [41] The Mothers-in-Law: NOME, SCHNOME, I'D RATHER HAVE IT AT HOME
08Dec68 NBC Sun
written by Henry Garson
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest star
(none listed)
Jerry and Suzie stun their in-laws with news of their postgraduation
plans: they're going to Alaska - before the baby is due! In
a dream sequence Eve and Kaye visit the couple in their igloo.
2.12 [42] The Mothers-in-Law: HAIL, HAIL, THE GANG'S STILL HERE
15Dec68 NBC Sun
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest star
Shirley Mitchell
Harry Hickox
Eve and Herb hide under the bed so they won't be able bothere
by Kaye and Roger.
2.13 [43] The Mothers-in-Law: DIDN'T YOU USED TO BE OSSIE SNICK?
22Dec68 NBC Sn
written by Fred S. Fox and Seamon Jacobs
directed by Desi Arnaz
guest star
Ozzie Nelson
Kaye's former boyfriend bandleader comes for a visit.
[--] 29Dec68 rerun of "The Match Game" (first aired
22Sep68)
2.14 [44] The Mothers-in-Law: MAKE ROOM FOR BABY
05Jan69 (to be verified) NBC Sun
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest stars
(none listed)
The Hubbards and the Buells decide to add another room to the
kids' appartment and to save money by doing it themselves.
2.15 [45] The Mothers-in-Law: HAVEN'T YOU HAD THAT BABY YET?
12Jan69 NBC Sun
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest star
Herb Voland (as Dr. Butler)
Vonda Barra (as Nurse)
Synopsis 1:
With Suzie's baby due momentarily, a mood of jittery expectancy grips
everyone: especially the mothers-in-law, who mistake a trial run (from
home to the hospital) for the real thing. [TA]
Synopsis 2:
Kaye and Eve lose Suzie on the way to the hospital.
2.16 [46] The Mothers-in-Law: AND BABY MAKES FOUR
19Jan69 NBC Sun
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest star
Alice Ghostley (as Mrs. Wiley)
Avery Schreiber (as Crawford)
Herbert Voland (as Dr. Butler)
Vanda Barra (as Charlotte)
Synopsis 1:
Suzie's about to have a baby and the entire hospital staff is confounded -
by the impatient grandmothers-to-be. They're trying to visit Suzie by
crashing the maternity ward in a series of disguises. [TA]
Synopsis 2:
Suzie gives birth to twins, causing fights between the families
about what they will be named.
2.17 [47] The Mothers-in-Law: NANNY GO HOME
26Jan69 NBC Sun
written by Elaine Di Bello Bradish
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest stars
Jeanette Nolan (as Annie McTaggert)
Jerry Hausner (as delivery man)
Synopsis 1:
Suzie has problems enough caring for twins, but meddling mothers-in-law
double the trouble. To alleviate the situation, Herb and Roger hire a
stern nanny, who bars the grandmothers from the nursery. [TA]
Synopsis 2:
Eve and Kaye try to get rid of the nanny hired to watch the babies
when she refuses to let them visit when they want to.
2.18 [48] The Mothers-in-Law: DOUBLE TROUBLE IN THE NURSERY
02Feb69 NBC Sun
written by Bruce Howard
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest stars
(none listed)
Synopsis 1:
Eve and Kaye volunteer to watch the babies while Jerry and Suzie
go away for the weekend.
Synopsis 2:
With Suzie and Jerry away for a weekend of rest and relaxation, the
mothers-in-law gladly abandon their own homes for nursery duty - a
chore not quite as simple as they expected. [TA]
2.19 [49] The Mothers-in-Law: VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY IN-LAWS
09Feb69 NBC Sun
written by Skip Webster
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest stars
Benny Rubin
Flip Mark
Synopsis 1:
The girls try to win a cereal contest in order to win money to
send the babies to college.
Synopsis 2:
Eve and Kaye enter a contest...and buckle down to counting the number
of Blimpo cereal bits in a grocery store barrell. No guesswork: the
ladies' plan to construct a duplicate barrel and fill it with Blimpos - at
their own expense. [TA]
[--] 16Feb69 - pre-empted for the special
"Children's Letters to God" hosted by Gene Kelly.
2.20 [50] The Mothers-in-Law: GUESS WHO'S COMING FOREVER
23Feb69 NBC Sun
written by Arthur Marx and Robert Fisher
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest star
Scoey Mitchell (as Solomon Elkins)
Skip Battyn (as Haggard J. Haggard)
Synopsis 1:
Comedian Scoey Mitchell makes his TV acting debut. With feet-in-mouth
and faux pas galore, Eve and Kaye try to persuade a black lawyer not to
rent their apartment. The children have changed their minds about moving,
but the adamant tenant lectures the ladies on fair housing - and refuses to
budge. [TA]
Synopsis 2:
Eve and Kaye rent the kids' apartment to a black man when the kids decide
to move out.
2.21 [51] The Mothers-in-Law: EVERY IN-LAW WANTS TO GET IN ON THE ACT
02Mar69 NBC Sun
written by Bruce Howard
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest stars
Jimmy Durante
Herbie Fay
Del Moore
The Hubbards and the Buells decide to take Jerry's place
performing at a nightclub when he comes down with the flu.
[--] 09Mar69 NBC Sun
- pre-empted for a showing of the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz"
2.22 [52] The Mothers-in-Law: TWO ON THE AISLE
16Mar69 NBC Sun
written by Sidney Zelinka
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest star
Joe Besser
Terry Carr
Synopsis 1:
The Hubbards and the Buells fight over who will use the two
theater tickets they got in the mail.
Synopsis 2:
The Hubbards and the Buells, battling over show tickets, carry the feud
to the theater, where their antics provide a livelier show than the one on
stage. [TA]
2.23 [53] The Mothers-in-Law: TAKE HER, HE'S MINE
23Mar69 NBC Sun
written by Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest star
Joi Lansing
Kaye becomes jealous of Roger's new secretary.
2.24 [54] The Mothers-in-Law: SHOW BUSINESS IS NO BUSINESS
30Mar69 NBC Sun
written by Arthur Marx and Robert Fisher
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest star
Don Rickles (as himself)
Synopsis 1:
Don Rickles, the insult comic, meets his match in the mothers-in-law, who
set off a string of calamities trying to wangle a spot in Don's act. [TA]
Synopsis 2:
Kaye and Eve both try and be Don Rickle's partner for the lodge
benefit show.
2.25 [55] The Mothers-in-Law: THE CHARGE OF THE WIFE BRIGADE
06Apr69 NBC Sun
written by Arthur Marx and Robert Fisher
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest stars
Kaye and Eve try to find jobs to pay off their bills at th
department store.
2.26 [56] The Mothers-in-Law: THE NOT-SO-GRAND OPERA (final episode)
13Apr69 NBC Sun
written by Elaine Di Bello Bradish
directed by Elliot Lewis
guest star
Marni Nixon (as herself)(Singer)
Mary Jane Croft (as Carol Yates)
John Myhers (as Bob Simpson)
Marjorie Bennett (as Lucille)
Synopsis:
Eve and Kaye try to get the leading role in their club opera
production. The would-be divas take time to coach their competition - Marni-
who they believe is an untutored amateur. [TA]
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Just completed reading every bit of the website you put together
on the old
show. Needless to say, it was a most enjoyable trip to the land of nostalgia
and 56 of the greatest weeks I spent in my life and career.
You probably have noted that Debbie (Deborah Walley) passed away (May 2001)
after what I understand was a long a difficult bout with throat cancer.
That leaves Kaye, Herb and me. Tough to realize how quickly time passes...
Thanks again for the great material on a wonderful, and truly funny, show!
Jerry Fogel <jfogel@kc.rr.com> (May 2001)
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Desi Arnaz after Lucille Ball
-----------------------------
hinking that it might help the ratings, Desi Arnaz guest-starred on a few
episodes of 'The Mothers-in-Law' as
bullfighter Raphael Del Gado. The first appearance of the character came when
Kaye and Eve lock themselves in
a store after hours and have money for only one phone call. The call reaches the
sleeping bullfighter who doesn't
speak much English and has hilarious trouble relaying their message. As it turns
out these were Desi's last sitcom
appearances until his appearance twenty years later on 'Alice' in 1978 (his last
network guest-shot). His only
other major television gigs after the 'Lucy' shows were on episodes of 'The Men
from Shiloh', 'Bonanza', a pilot
that ran as part of the 'Perry Mason' series, a pilot that ran as an episode of
another Raymond Burr series
"Ironside' (Dr. Domingo), as guest-host on 'Saturday Night Live' in 1975 and on
a Bob Hope special in 1976. It was
a great tragedy that this gifted comedian and performer never got the chance to
star in another television series.
One of the few genuinely funny sitcoms on television during the Sixties, The
Mothers-in-Law was ill-suited for the
timeslot it was given - between 'The Wonderful World of Disney' and 'Bonanza',
(which was the number four rated
show in 1967). With all of the bickering, it certainly wasn't 'Disney' and with
the focus mostly on the women,
it certainly wasn't for the 'Bonanza' crowd.
The show's executive producer was Desi Arnaz for Desilu Productions. Arnaz was
proud of this show, and worked hard
to get the quality talent that made 'I Love Lucy' work so well. He succeeded on
every level, but the production just
never caught on with audiences. For the production, Arnaz pulled together the
best talent available on the Desilu
lot - Madelyn Pugh Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr., who wrote so many of the classic
'I Love Lucy' episodes, penned the
pilot and continued on as writers for the series. 'The Lucy Show's original
producer Elliot Lewis was tapped to produce.
'The Mothers-in-Law' starred Kaye Ballard as Kay Buell and Eve Arden as Eve
Hubbard, two longtime next-door neighbors
who become in-laws when their kids marry. Roger Carmel co-starred as Kay's
husband Roger and Herbert Rudley played
Eve's husband Herb. The Hubbards were respectable and highbrow, Eve was the
country club housewife and Roger was
an uptight lawyer. The Buells, on the other hand, were a little more way out. He
was a television comedy writer that
worked at home and she was a loudmouth, lazy housewife. Their newlywed kids that
lived in a garage apartment behind
the homes) were Jerry and Susie, played by Jerry Fogel and Deborah Walley.
Throwing two brassy broads like Eve Arden and Kaye Ballard together was inspired
casting. The series was originally
developed for Eve Arden and Ann Sothern, but it was decided later that the two
actresses were too closely matched,
so Kaye Ballard was brought in for ballast. The scripts were strong overall, but
the sponsor complained about them
being "old-hat". Ratings were respectable, but too many viewers were defecting
to the second half of 'The Ed Sullivan
Show' on CBS, and returning for 'Bonanza' at nine. NBC was set to cancel the
show after the first season, but when it
was learned that ABC was interested in picking up the show, the sponsor and the
network decided to renew. They would
order 22 new episodes with one caveat - NBC wasn't willing to pay any increases
in budget or salaries, a common
practice as a show enters each new season.
Even though their contracts called for raises for the second year, the producer
and all of the actors agreed to forego
those raises in order to keep the show on the air. All but Roger Carmel, he
decided to leave unless he received more
money. "Desi called me and put it on a personal basis." Carmel stated at the
time, "I didn't feel it should be done
that way - it was very unfair of him. Then Desi and the Morris Agency threatened
I would be replaced. Kaye Ballard and
Eve Arden also called me and asked me to go along, but I wouldn't." "Where else
is he going to make two thousand dollars
a week?" was Desi's take on it.
The producers knew that if they gave one cast member a raise, they would all
have to be compensated so they had no
choice but recast the role of Roger Buell. Richard Deacon (Mel on 'The Dick Van
Dyke Show') was brought in for the part,
but there is no question that the change severely damaged the show, viewership
fell and the series was cancelled
after the second season.
Roger C. Carmel is best known today as the actor who played 'Harry Mudd" on two
episodes of 'Star Trek' (1966-69).
He was also Senor Naugles, spokesperson for the 'Naugles' fast-food chain in the
early Eighties. Coming off of a
long dry spell with no work, he suddenly found himself making money again. The
commercials were very successful and
looked like they would run for a long time. Roger C. Carmel died of a crack
cocaine overdose celebrating his new
good fortune, and that Mexican fast-food chain was bought out by Del Taco a few
years later after several floundering
attempts to come up with a new ad campaign.
############ The Mothers-In-Law ##############
################# the end ##################
##############################################
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