Lucy Thinks Ricky is Trying to Murder Her

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Lucy Thinks Ricky is Trying to Murder Her Episode Info Series: I Love Lucy Season: 1 Episode: 4 Broadcast Info Air Date: November 5, 1951 Channel: CBS Production Info Directed By: Marc Daniels Written By: Jess Oppenheimer Madelyn Pugh Bob Carroll, Jr. Produced By: Jess Oppenheimer Lucy Thinks Ricky is Trying to Murder Her is the fourth episode of I Love Lucy. It was the only episode to use four cameras instead of three. It first aired on November 5, 1951. Synopsis After reading a murder mystery novel, Lucy starts seeing signs with Ricky, and thinks he wants to murder her. Lucy tries to not get killed, and begins to take desperate measures to ensure her safety. Plot Lucy reading the murder mystery book The episode starts with Lucy reading a book by her nightstand, called the Mockingbird Murder Mystery. She is deeply engrossed in the book, so much that she accidentally dips a cracker in a jar of cold cream. Ricky comes home, happy to announce that the Tropicana wants Ricky to stay on another month. Ricky gets ready for bed, and goes to kiss Lucy, startling her and causing her to throw her book out the window. Lucy asks Ricky to get her book, but he refuses. She begins thinking about possible endings to the book, which Ricky joking suggests the husband. He begins acting out a scenario of how to kill a wife. The next morning, Lucy gets her book from outside and begins reading it again while cooking breakfast. Ethel comes in and scares here again, her book flies out the window again. Ethel tells Lucy that she can read her fortune, but Lucy doesn't pay any attention to it. Ethel tries anyway, but is shocked to find that the cards say death. Lucy doesn't believe in the cards, but remembers Ricky last night pretending to kill her. Jerry, Ricky's agent, calls on the phone, saying he's lined up a dog act. Lucy comes in the middle of a conversation, and thinks Ricky is going to kill her, when he is talking about firing the show girl. Ricky leaves for the club, but Lucy is terrified of him. She calls in Ethel and tells her that her fortune is true. They find a gun in Ricky's desk, and think it's the murder weapon. Lucy with her bulletproof vest Later, Ethel comes back to the Ricardo's apartment to find Lucy hiding in the kitchen, wearing a pot and trash can lid in front and behind her as bulletproof bests. Ricky comes home, and Ethel flees. Lucy continues to dodge Ricky, and Ricky tries to calm her down. Lucy hides in the closet and locks the door, and Fred comes in to help. Fred suggests to slip her a mild sedative to calm her down. Lucy comes out of the bedroom and sees Ricky slip the sedative into the drink, thinking it's poison. Lucy tries to switch them while distracting him with dancing, but Ricky switches them again. Lucy is shocked, and thinks she's been poisoned and is about to die, although she just falls asleep. Ethel comes in after Ricky leaves, thinking she's dead until Lucy wakes up. They decide to go down to the club and plans on kill Ricky before Lucy dies. At the club, Lucy comes down pointing the gun at Ricky. Ricky explains that the dogs are the names of the girls, and that the gun is a prop in the Western numbers. Lucy forgives him, and they forgive each other. That evening, Lucy is immersed in the book again, and throws it out of the window again when Ricky scares her. This time, she tied a string to the book and reels it back in. Cast Cast Lucy Ricardo Lucille Ball Ricky Ricardo Desi Arnaz Ethel Mertz Vivian Vance Fred Mertz William Frawley Jerry Jerry Hausner Dog Act Hector and His Pals Crew Crew Producer Jess Oppenheimer Director Marc Daniels Writers Jess Oppenheimer Madelyn Pugh Bob Carroll, Jr. Director of Photography Karl Freund Music Wilbur Hatch Associate Producer Al Simon Art Director Larry Cuneo Editor Dann Cahn Make-up Max Factor Memorable Quotes "Crazy for Lucy, or crazy for ordinary people?" - Fred "No wonder they call it the Mockingbird Murder Mystery. Every time I get that book in my hand, it flies out the window." - Lucy Trivia When Ricky slips in a sedative, Lucy is supposed to drink the doctored drink. However, after all the switching, Ricky actually ends up with the sedative. I Love Lucy Episodes Season 1 The Girls Want to Go to a Nightclub • Be A Pal • The Diet Lucy Thinks Ricky is Trying to Murder Her • The Quiz Show • The Audition • The Séance Men are Messy • The Fur Coat • Lucy is Jealous of Girl Singer • Drafted • The Adagio The Benefit • The Amateur Hour • Lucy Plays Cupid • Lucy Fakes Illness Lucy Writes a Play • Breaking the Lease • The Ballet • The Young Fans • New Neighbors Fred and Ethel Fight • The Moustache • The Gossip • Pioneer Women The Marriage License • The Kleptomaniac • Cuban Pals • The Freezer Lucy Does a TV Commercial • The Publicity Agent • Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio Lucy's Schedule • Ricky Thinks he's Getting Bald • Ricky Asks for a Raise Season 2 Job Switching • The Saxophone • The Anniversary Present • The Handcuffs • The Operetta Vacation From Marriage • The Courtroom • Redecorating • Ricky Loses His Voice Lucy Is Enceinte • Pregnant Women Are Unpredictable • Lucy's Show Biz Swan Song Lucy Hires An English Tutor • Ricky Has Labor Pains • Lucy Becomes A Sculptress Lucy Goes To The Hospital • Sales Resistance • The Inferiority Complex The Club Election • The Black Eye • Lucy Changes Her Mind • No Children Allowed Lucy Hires A Maid • The Indian Show • Lucy's Last Birthday The Ricardos Change Apartments • Lucy Is Matchmaker • Lucy Wants New Furniture The Camping Trip • Ricky And Fred Are TV Fans • Never Do Business With Friends Season 3 Ricky's 'Life' Story • The Girls Go Into Business • Lucy And Ethel Buy The Same Dress Equal Rights • Baby Pictures • Lucy Tells The Truth • The French Revue Redecorating The Mertzes' Apartment • Too Many Crooks • Changing The Boys' Wardrobe Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined • Ricky's Old Girlfriend • The Million-Dollar Idea Ricky Minds The Baby • The Charm School • Sentimental Anniversary Fan Magazine Interview • Oil Wells • Ricky Loses His Temper • Home Movies Bonus Bucks • Ricky's Hawaiian Vacation • Lucy Is Envious • Lucy Writes A Novel Lucy's Club Dance • The Black Wig • The Diner • Tennessee Ernie Visits Tennessee Ernie Hangs On • The Golf Game • The Sublease Season 4 The Business Manager • Mertz and Kurtz • Lucy Cries Wolf • The Matchmaker Mr. and Mrs. TV Show • Ricky's Movie Offer • Ricky's Screen Test • Lucy's Mother-In-Law Ethel's Birthday • Ricky's Contract • Getting Ready • Lucy Learns to Drive California, Here We Come! • First Stop • Tennessee Bound • Ethel's Home Town L.A., At Last • Don Juan and the Starlets • Lucy Gets Into Pictures • The Fashion Show The Hedda Hopper Story • Don Juan is Shelved • Bull Fight Dance Hollywood Anniversary • The Star Upstairs • Lucy in Palm Springs • Dancing Star Harpo Marx • Ricky Needs an Agent • The Tour Season 5 Lucy Visits Grauman's • Lucy and John Wayne • Lucy and the Dummy Ricky Sells the Car • The Great Train Robbery • Homecoming • Face to Face Lucy Goes to a Rodeo • Nursery School • Ricky's European Booking • The Passports Staten Island Ferry • Bon Voyage • Second Honeymoon • Lucy Meets the Queen The Fox Hunt • Lucy Goes to Scotland • Paris at Last • Lucy Meets Charles Boyer Lucy Gets a Paris Gown • Lucy in the Swiss Alps • Lucy Gets Homesick in Italy Lucy's Italian Movie • Lucy's Bicycle Trip • Lucy Goes to Monte Carlo Return Home from Europe Season 6 Lucy and Bob Hope • Little Ricky Learns to Play the Drums • Lucy Meets Orson Welles Little Ricky Gets Stage Fright • Visitor from Italy • Off to Florida • Deep-Sea Fishing Desert Island • The Ricardos Visit Cuba • Little Ricky's School Pageant I Love Lucy Christmas Show • Lucy and the Loving Cup • Lucy and Superman Little Ricky Gets a Dog • Lucy Wants to Move to the Country • Lucy Hates to Leave Lucy Misses the Mertzes • Lucy Gets Chummy With the Neighbors Lucy Raises Chickens • Lucy Does The Tango • Ragtime Band • Lucy's Night in Town Housewarming • Building a B-B-Q • Country Club Dance • Lucy Raises Tulips The Ricardos Dedicate a Statue