I Love Lucy is a TV series that aired on CBS from June 15, 1951 to May 6, 1957 for six seasons. Many concepts and episodes were adapted from the radio show My Favorite Husband.
Cast & Character Origins
Characters | From | Date | Episode |
|---|---|---|---|
Lucy Ricardo*, Ricky Ricardo*, Ethel Mertz*, Fred Mertz* | My Favorite Husband (radio show) | July 5, 1948 | Pilot: “The Cugat’s Tenth Wedding Anniversary” |
(Note: Lucille Ball starred in the radio show My Favorite Husband (itself based on a series of novels). While the show was being adapted to television, it became I Love Lucy. Several Lucy episodes are directly based on episodes of the radio show. The characters Liz and George Cooper (their original surname was Cugat) became Lucy and Ricky Ricardo and their friends Rudolph and Iris Atterbury became Fred and Ethel Mertz. My Favorite Husband did receive it’s own direct adaptation to television in 1953.)
Guest Characters
Characters | From | Date | Episode | Crossover Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Superman | January 14, 1957 | S06E13: “Lucy and Superman” | B* |
(Note: This is technically more of a celebrity appearance of George Reeves, but I list it here because he is only referred to as “Superman” throughout the episode. The fact that he is an actor is only hinted at briefly.)
Outgoing Crossovers
Characters | Guest On | Date | Episode | Crossover Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Lucy Ricardo, Ricky Ricardo | January 5, 1959 | S06E14: “Lucy Upsets the Williams Household” | A | |
Lucy Ricardo | October 5, 1959 | S02E01: “The Lucy Story” | A | |
Mrs. McGillicuddy | November 27, 1959 | S03E02: “The Ricardos Go to Japan. | A |
Spinoffs & Outgoing Cast
Characters | New Show | Date | Episode |
|---|---|---|---|
Lucy Ricardo, Ricky Ricardo, Ethel Mertz, Fred Mertz, Little Ricky Ricardo | November 6, 1957 | S01E01: "Lucy Takes a Cruise to Havana" |