Mary Jane Croft Movies
- 1968
Unable to sleep unless her television set is on, Lucy (Lucille Ball) borrows Mr. Mooney's TV while hers is on the blink. Predictably, she breaks the set, forcing her to moonlight as a carhop at a drive-in restaurant in order to purchase a replacement. While on the job, Lucy champions the cause of a young cyclist (played by Philip Vandervort, soon to be the husband of Ball's daughter Lucie Arnaz) who has been wrongly accused of stealing and stripping cars. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roy Roberts, Mary Jane Croft, (more)
- 1967
To cover up a 48-cent bank shortage, Lucy (Lucille Ball) secretly takes the missing money out of her own pocket. Unfortunately, when the shortage is revealed, Mr. Cheever (Roy Roberts) becomes convinced that Mr. Mooney (Gale Gordon) is responsible for the coverup, and promptly fires Mooney. To get her boss' job back, Lucy concocts an elaborate ruse to convince Cheever that he will literally go insane if Mooney is not reinstated! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roy Roberts, Mary Jane Croft, (more)
- 1967
Accidentally tearing up an important letter, Lucy (Lucille Ball) wonders exactly who is planning to pay her a visit. Much to her chagrin, the "mystery guest" turns out to be her zany Aunt Agatha (Mary Wickes), an overbearing physical-fitness freak. Driven to the brink of madness by Aunt Agatha's strict exercise regimen and horrible health food, Lucy must cook up a scheme to rid herself of her martinet relative. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mary Wickes, Mary Jane Croft, (more)
- 1967
Frank McHugh guest stars as Charles Snowden, a homeless hobo whom Lucy (Lucille Ball) invites home for a good hot meal. When Snowden explains that he's looking for a job--any job--Lucy takes him down to the bank in hopes that Mr. Mooney (Gale Gordon) will hire him for some menial job or other. Meanwhile, Mooney has gotten word that an eccentric millionaire is prowling around town, posing as a bum in order to give huge cash rewards to Good Samaritans. Five'll getcha Ten you can guess what happens next! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frank McHugh, Mary Jane Croft, (more)
- 1967
While working overtime in the home of boss Mooney (Gale Gordon), Lucy (Lucille Ball) falls down and incurs a leg injury. At the insistence of her pal Mary Jane Lewis (Mary Jane Croft), Lucy hires Mary Jane's lawyer cousin, Willy Wiley (Jack Carter). Smelling out a huge financial turnover, Willy talks Lucy into taking Mooney to court--and then taking both Mooney and the bank for every penny that they've got! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Carter, Mary Jane Croft, (more)
- 1967
Through a series of misunderstandings, Lucy (Lucille Ball) is assumed to be a notorious jewel thief called "The Red Flash" and is arrested by a zealous police lieutenant (Claude Akins). Assuming that she has been jailed merely for throwing a candy wrapper on the street, Lucy is not only surprised by the severity of her punishment, but also astonished when Mooney (Gale Gordon) and Mary Jane (Mary Jane Croft) show up with an elaborate scheme to spring her out of jail. Ere the day draws to a close, Mooney and Mary Jane have joined Lucy behind bars--as "accessories"! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mary Jane Croft, Claude Akins, (more)
- 1967
Hoping to attend a sale at Stacy's Department Store, Lucy (Lucille Ball) ducks out of work by fabricating a story about being seriously ill. Unfortunately, the ruse blows up in her face when she shows up at Stacy's and is promptly lauded as the store's ten-millionth customer. The trick now is to prevent Mr. Mooney (Gale Gordon) from seeing Lucy's picture in the paper. Just when it looks as if Lucy's goose is cooked, Mooney's boss Mr. Cheever (Roy Roberts) unexpectedly comes to the rescue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mary Jane Croft, Roy Roberts, (more)
- 1967
Singer-comedian Dennis Day guest stars as Cornelius Heatherington Jr. the octogenarian president of the Wesleyan bank. To keep Heatherington in a good mood while he and boss Cheever (Roy Roberts) arrange a banquet in the old guy's honor, Mooney (Gale Gordon) persuades Lucy to be Heatherington's date--a task that requires our heroine to don an elaborate "age" makeup, complete with grey wig and shawl. What results is one of The Lucy Show's most energetic episodes ever, as the young-at-heart Heatherington enthusiastically squires Lucy's superannuated alter ego "Amelia Van Dyne." (Trivia note: At the time this episode was filmed, Dennis Day was actually all of 49 years old--or roughly eight years younger than Lucille Ball!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dennis Day, Mary Jane Croft, (more)
- 1967
On the eve of her vacation to Lake Arrowhead, Lucy (Lucille Ball) is introduced to Audrey Fields (Ruta Lee), her temporarily replacement at the bank. Accurately sizing up the bleach-blonde Audrey as a conniving predator who hopes to permanently replace Lucy by playing up to Mooney (Gale Gordon), Lucy decides to stick around town long enough to show up Audrey for the phony that she is. This mission, of course, requires a few clever disguises--and that is why Lucy shows up at various junctures impersonating an interior decorator, a carper shampooer, and a wealthy (and elderly) depositor! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ruta Lee, Mary Jane Croft, (more)
- 1967
Singer Frankie Avalon guests in this episode as Thomas Cheever, the nephew of Mooney's boss Mr. Cheever (Roy Roberts). Although the elder Cheever wants Thomas to give up his dreams of a showbiz career and go into the banking business, Lucy (Lucille Ball) becomes convinced that the boy has star potential--and to prove it, she arranges an "accidental" meeting between Thomas and talent scout Mr. Penrose (Lew Parker). Frankie Avalon sings "Walking Happy" and a spoof of "I'm Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover", then shows off his skill as a trumpeter in the ensemble number "When the Feeling Hits You." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frankie Avalon, Mary Jane Croft, (more)
- 1967
In this first episode of The Lucy Show's sixth and final season, Lucy (Lucille Ball) has briefly parted company with boss Mooney (Gale Gordon) to work part-time as a secretary for comedian Milton Berle). At the same time, Berle is attempting to change his image and become a dramatic actor, and to this ends rehearses a passionate movie love scene with actress Ruta Lee). Overhearing this rehearsal, Lucy jumps to the wrong conclusion--and spends the rest of the episode trying to save the marriage between Uncle Miltie and his wife Ruth Cosgrove Berle. The closing "salad" gag is priceless--and so funny that a giggling Ruta Lee is unable to deliver her lines, forcing Lucy to briefly take over both parts! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Milton Berle, Ruth Cosgrove Berle, (more)
- 1967
Former movie villain turned Hollywood producer Sheldon Leonard arranges to film a scene for his latest TV pilot at Mr. Mooney's bank. Unaware of this, Lucy (Lucille Ball) jumps to the wrong conclusion when she hears Leonard, "in character" as a gangster, planning a major bank heist. Thus it is that Lucy and Mary Jane (Mary Jane Croft) disguise themselves as scrubwomen to foil the sinister schemes of the "crooked" Mr. Leonard. This final episode of The Lucy Show's fifth season closes with a marvelously Pirandellian moment, as Sheldon Leonard contemplates creating a new series built around the antics of a zany redhead! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sheldon Leonard, Mary Jane Croft, (more)
- 1966
This episode was designed as a lead-in for the CBS special Lucy in London, which aired on October 24, 1966. Having entered the winning jingle for the Arf Arf Dog Food company, Lucy (Lucille Ball) wins first prize: An all-expense-paid trip to London. This being her first overseas flight, Lucy is understandably nervous, which results in a truly bumpy ride for her unwilling travelling companion--Mr. Mooney (Gale Gordon). Pat Priest of The Munsters fame is seen as a harried stewardess. The opening "conveyor belt" gag was written by longtime I Love Lucy scriveners Madelyn Davis and Bob Carroll Jr., who also penned the script for the Lucy in London special. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mary Jane Croft, Ben Wrigley, (more)
- 1966
John Wayne, who'd made two unforgettable guest appearances on I Love Lucy, is back in the saddle for this hilarious Lucy Show installment. Much against his better judgment, Mr. Mooney (Gale Gordon) assigns the starstruck Lucy (Lucille Ball) to deliver some important financial papers to Wayne's movie set. Despite strict orders that she is not to pester "The Duke", Lucy not only manages to splatter ketchup all over the nonplussed Mr. Wayne, but also makes a shambles of an important action scene in Wayne's latest movie. Milton Berle also shows up in a cameo appearance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Wayne, Mary Jane Croft, (more)
- 1966
Mary Jane (Mary Jane Croft) warns Lucy (Lucille Ball) that she'll have a nervous breakdown if she doesn't stop working so hard. Meanwhile, comedian Bob Bailey (Hal March) and his trained monkey (Janos Prohaska) show up in Mr. Mooney's office prior to performing at the bank's benefit show. You guessed it: Lucy takes one look at the monkey and assumes that Mooney has "gone ape"--and when the monkey seemingly changes back to Mooney, and vice versa, over and over, it's time for a visit to a psychiatrist! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mary Jane Croft, Hal March, (more)
- 1966
Popular professional hypnotist Pat Collins appears in this episode, in which Lucy (Lucille Ball) seeks out a cure for Mr. Mooney's insomnia. In the course of Collins' nightclub act, a hypnotized Lucy and Mooney (Gale Gordon) impersonate Laurel and Hardy, and Lucy does impressions of Jackie Gleason and Carol Channing. Eventually, Collins comes up with a post-hypnotic suggestion that will enable Mooney to catch a little shut-eye--and which, of course, Lucy will inadvertently trigger at all the wrong moments! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patricia Collins, Mary Jane Croft, (more)
- 1966
In desperate need of money for new furniture, Lucy (Lucille Ball) and Mary Jane (Mary Jane Croft) attempt to take advantage of an advertising campaign created by Col. Andrew Bailey (Ed Begley), aka "The Bean King." Succeeding at getting double her money back on a can of Colonel Bailey's Bean, Lucy and Mary Jane go through the same rigmarole time and time again, until the two ladies have managed to collect $1500. What our heroines don't know is that Lucy's boss Mr. Mooney (Gale Gordon) is Colonel Bailey's biggest investor! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ed Begley, Sr., Mary Jane Croft, (more)
- 1966
In a moment of weakness, Mr. Mooney (Gale Gordon) permits Lucy (Lucille Ball) to try on a $6000 ring that he has purchased as an anniversary present for his wife. Of course, Lucy's finger immediately swells up, making it impossible to remove the valuable ring. This makes our heroine so upset that she downs several tranquilizers to calm down--leaving Mooney with the problem of not only retrieving the ring but escorting the semi-comatose Lucy back to her apartment without arousing undue attention! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mary Jane Croft, Don Beddoe, (more)
- 1966
Carol Burnett makes her first Lucy Show appearance as Carol Bradford, a meek, frumpy librarian who has become the new roommate of Lucy Carmichael (Lucille Ball). Hoping to get the timid Carol out of her shell, Lucy and Mary Jane (Mary Jane Croft) throw a party for the girl, replete with such guests as The Vagabonds, a musical group (and yes, that's an unbilled Joe Pesci as one of the performers!) Unwittingly, Carol drinks a wee bit too much at the party, and as a result sheds her inhibitions (and some of her clothes!) with a boisterous performance of "Hard-Hearted Hannah." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carol Burnett, Mary Jane Croft, (more)
- 1966
(Clint Walker) returns in the role of building contractor Frank Winslow, the muscular boyfriend of Lucy Carmichael (Lucille Ball). This time, Lucy shows up at Frank's construction site, heading all the way up to the top floor to deliver his birthday present, a sweater she has knitted herself (and for which she has obtained Frank's measurements without his knowledge or cooperation). Unfortunately, the sweater is red -- Frank's least favorite color. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clint Walker, Mary Jane Croft, (more)
- 1966
Per the episode's title, Phil Silvers appears as Oliver Kasten, the gung-ho efficiency expert hired to get the bank in top shape. Within a few minutes, Kasten has demoted the "inefficient" Mr. Mooney (Gale Gordon) and promoted Lucy (Lucille Ball) to the position of administrative assistant. Determined to prove her worth, Lucy organizes an assembly-line demonstration at the Grantland Toy Factory--whereupon, in the words of William Shakespeare, "Confusion hath made his masterpiece"! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Phil Silvers, Mary Jane Croft, (more)
- 1966
In this classic episode, Dean Martin appears as himself and as his own stand-in, the shy, bespectacled Ed Feldman. Thanks to matchmaker Mary Jane (Mary Jane Croft), Ed invites Lucy (Lucille Ball) to a fancy charity ball. Unfortunately, Ed is unable to make the date...so guess who shows up in his place? The climax of this episode is one of the truly great moments in the annals of TV comedy -- and even though Dino gets all the best lines, "Lucy Dates Dean Martin" was Lucille Ball's favorite of all the episodes in all the series she ever starred in. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Martin, Mary Jane Croft, (more)
- 1965
Clint Walker makes the first of two series appearances as Frank Winslow, a handsome construction engineer whom Lucy falls for big-time. Impressed by Frank's physique while visiting the 39-story skyscraper he is working on, Lucy evinces a preference for "tall, handsome buildings" and invites him for a date. Unfortunately, it's been a long, tough day, and when Frank arrives at Lucy's doorstep, he is thoroughly exhausted. Worse still, thanks to his military training, he dares not take a nap for fear of attacking and killing the first person he sees when he awakes. It is up to Lucy to lull Frank to dreamland without risking life and limb. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clint Walker, Mary Jane Croft, (more)
- 1965
Spotting Lucy (Lucille Ball) and Mary Jane (Mary Jane Croft) at the racetrack, Mooney (Gale Gordon) hands Lucy his race tickets while he goes off to talk to an acquaintance. Thanks to a misreported photo finish, Lucy tears up the tickets, only to find out that Mooney's horse has actually won. Desperate to earn enough money to cover Mooney's winnings, Lucy once again dons the phony mustache and macho bravado of her male alter ego, Hollywood stuntman "Iron Man Carmichael" -- despite the wounds and bruises she sustained the last few times she did stunt work. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mary Jane Croft, Ross Elliott, (more)
- 1965
Mary Jane Croft, who'd appeared as Audrey Simmons during the first two seasons of I Love Lucy, becomes a series regular in this episode in the role of Lucy's new California neighbor Mary Jane Lewis. Sensing that Lucy (Lucille Ball) might be a bit lonely, Mary Jane arranges a blind date for our heroine. Lucy's escort turns out to be Howard Cole (Howard Morris), a painfully shy and extremely short gentleman. What Lucy doesn't know until she accompanies her date to a restaurant is that the diminutive Howard is transformed into a heavy-breathing lothario whenever he hears Greek music! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Howard Morris, Mary Jane Croft, (more)
