Old Hollywood

Source: http://www.crazydaysandnights.net

Old Hollywood

An Old Hollywood item that is actually about television rather than a movie.

A television show that lifted entire episodes from an iconic show and then ran them as theirs, right down to the physical comedy scene performed by the actress star of the show. The problem is the ripoff show had an actress nobody could stand who cast her daughter as her sister and had writers leave every week and the director saying out loud that he debated each day whether suicide or working with the actress for another day was preferable.

Television show: I Married Joan

Iconic show: I Love Lucy

Actress: Joan Davis

Daughter: Beverly Wills

Director: Marc Daniels

Davis took the jokes seriously.

According to The Brady Bunch creator Sherwood Schwartz, Joan Davis kept a writer present at run-throughs in case she wanted a better joke.

Davis’ daughter was in the show.

Davis’ daughter, Beverly Wills, played her sister, Beverly Grossman, on the series.

Davis was envious of Lucy’s success.

When Ball’s The Long, Long Trailer got press, Davis had a big, big trailer installed as her dressing room.

‘I Married Joan’ and ‘I Love Lucy’ had a lot in common.

They shared director Marc Daniels, the same studio at General Service Studios, and even the same premiere date of October 15. One thing they didn’t share – the Emmy that Ball won in 1952. – Source