I Love Lucy - On Stage Color Footage (1951)

A Request from an "I Love Lucy" fan who lives in New Jersey, United States.

This short 8mm Color film Footage was fimed by an audience member of "I Love Lucy", on the evening of October 12, 1951, at Sound Stage #2 of Desilu Studios, Hollywood, California.

The episode fimed that night was 6th Episode of the First Season, "The Audition".(It was a remake of "I Love Lucy" pilot episode, which was presumed lost until 1990.)

Although there were many people who tried to capture the scene of filming, Jess Oppenheimer, the producer and writer of "I Love Lucy", prohibited it, because of the possibilities of Leaking. Because of this, this footage is the only surviving material of "Behind-the-Scenes" of this legendary sitcom. (It is said that Desi Arnaz filmed some filming scenes using his own 8mm movie camera, but it is not proven.)

Of all four main stars, Vivian Vance is not appearing in this footage. Jess Oppenheimer, and the famous cameraman, Karl Freund, are seen briefly.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Love
• Lucy
• On
• Stage
• Set
• Color
• Footage
• 1951
• The
• Audition
• 8mm
• Film

[Lucyeths12]

@rolex452 I agree, "Lucy-eths" just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it? :P

[rolex452]

@Lucyeths12 Thank you! By the way, if I were to open a Diner, I think I would name it "Lucy-Eth"...it's catchy!

[Lucyeths12]

@rolex452 you said that so perfectly!



[Lucyeths12]

This is probably one of the coolest things I have ever seen.  I don't know why the color seems so incredibly spectacular, but it really is. My love for this show just grows and grows. Thank you so much for this amazing footage!!!

[skylorean]

This has to be one of the strangest, most surreal things I've ever watched! Haha. It's great footage to see.

[rolex452]

Since this arguably the greatest comedy show in the history of television, this short color film goes beyond gold and diamonds: it is absolutely priceless. Can you imagine being in that audience watching the filming in person? Thank you for posting this!!!

[ithl123]

@Onneff69 You said Desi couldn't have possibly foresaw that ILL would be re-running forever, I agreed and said that was never a point of contention.

I have just proven there WERE shows being filmed in color right around the time that Desi wanted to film ILL in color. Thus proving there was a "reason" to film the show in color, and the "color home filming equipment" comment was in response to the person I initially replied to that didn't believe color home movies existed at the time.

[ilovelucyfan7]

@Onneff69 it may have been in color but they didn't have sound

[Onneff69]

@ithl123 There was no point of contention. I simpy said there would've been no *reason* to film "ILL" (or any other TV show of the period) in color given that there was no one with color TV sets. That the industry was "headed there" is both obvious and irrelevent, unless they thought "there" was really to happen be in the next few years. The "color home filming equipment" consisted of an 8mm movie cameras loaded with color film - BOTH of which were very common at the time.

[ithl123]

@Onneff69 Whether it's hard to believe or not the proof is there...the tv industry was heading there and shows were being filmed in color as far back as the early 50's. Also, there is proof of "common" people having access to color home filming equipment as evidence in this video and the Arnaz home movies from as far back as the early 40's...No, I don't believe Desi saw the prospect of shows re-running in the future, and I don't believe that was ever a point of contention between the two of us.