Madelyn Pugh Davis
Writer & Producer
About This Interview
Bob Carroll, Jr. (1918-2007) and writing partner Madelyn Pugh Davis, were interviewed for three hours in Los Angeles, CA. Davis and Carroll speak of their 50-year writing relationship that included writing for Steve Allen, as well as the decades of working with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and the classic I Love Lucy show. The interview was conducted by Tom Gilbert on November 24, 1997.
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Watch Interview Highlights
Watch By Chapter
- Chapter 1
- On teaming up as writing partners on the Ethel & Albert radio comedy, The Couple Next Door
- On their early radio work and on their writing style in-general
- On working on Steve Allen's radio show and leaving to work on My Favorite Husband
- On working on the radio show My Favorite Husband and working with Lucille Ball for the first time
- On the initial development, character creation, and production details of I Love Lucy
- On the origin of the name “Mertz” and how Desi Arnaz’s accent played into the comedy of I Love Lucy
- Chapter 2
- On writing the pilot of I Love Lucy
- On I Love Lucy getting sold and writing the first scripts
- On writing Lucy Ricardo's pregnancy episodes when Lucille Ball became pregnant
- On the Blacklist and Lucille Ball being accused Communist affiliations
- On writing the move of the Ricardos to Hollywood on I Love Lucy
- On the growth in popularity of I Love Lucy after its premiere
- On Those Whiting Girls and the addition of Bob Schiller & Bob Weiskopf to the I Love Lucy writing staff
- On the treatment of women writers and producers
- Chapter 3
- On I Love Lucy and the Emmy Awards; Jess Oppenheimer's departure
- On aging "Little Ricky" on I Love Lucy and the casting of Keith Thibodeaux
- On moving I Love Lucy's Ricardos to Connecticut and the new sets
- On the hourlong I Love Lucy shows (Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour )
- On writing specific classic episodes of I Love Lucy
- On working for Desi Arnaz as consultants at Desilu after I Love Lucy went off the air
- On working on The Tom Ewell Show
- On the end of Lucy and Desi's marriage and subsequent work with Lucy on Broadway
- On producing The Lucy Show
- Chapter 4
- On working with Desi Arnaz and others on various projects including Here's Lucy
- On producing Alice and Dorothy
- On producing Life with Lucy
- On the legacy of I Love Lucy and how they'd like to be remembered
