02x13 - Lucy Hires an English Tutor

Complete collection of episode scripts for the TV series, "I Love Lucy". Aired October 1951 - May 1957.*
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Lucy & Ricky Ricardo live in New York, while Ricky tries to succeed in show business -- Lucy who is always trying to help -- usually ends up in some kind of trouble that drives Ricky insane.
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02x13 - Lucy Hires an English Tutor

Post by bunniefuu »

Oh, honey, where have you been?

What took you so long?

What do you mean, what took me so
long?

I had to go all over town.

There's only one store in New York
City

that makes a papaya juice milkshake.

Oh, thank you.

Mmm...

Oh...

Did you get the dill pickle?

Lucy, are you sure that you want
to...?

That's right.

Mmm...

Ricky?

Yes, dear.

Honey, I never asked you this before,

but what do you hope the baby's going
to be,

a boy or a girl?

You're going to be disappointed if it
isn't a boy, aren't you?

Oh, no, honey, don't be silly.

You will, too.

Every man wants a little boy

so he can see himself running around.

Well, I don't particularly.

If it's a boy, I'll be happy,

and if it's a girl I'll be happy,
too.

I really don't care.

Well, that's good.

How do you feel about it, honey?

I guess every woman wants a little
girl

so she can dress her up fancy and
fuss over her

and teach her how to catch a man.

Well, maybe most women do, but I feel
just the way you do, Ricky.

I don't care, boy or girl, doesn't
make any difference.

Oh, that's good.

Here, honey.

Thank you.

Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi.

Oh, honey, what's in the package?

Oh, honey, nothing, nothing.

Well, it's spoiled now.

I might just as well open it.

But I don't want you...

So you have no preference, huh?

Well, that doesn't mean anything.

Lots of little girls play football,
too, you know.

What are you going to name her, Rocky
Ricardo?

Come on, now.

Let's see what other feminine frills

we have here.

Havana U., .

So it doesn't make any difference to
you,

boy or girl, no preference, doesn't
matter.

All right, all right, so I'd rather
have a boy.

Is that so terrible?

Now, give me the stuff, come on.

Oh, honey, now, don't get mad.

No, come on, you're making fun of me.
Aw, come on.

Sit down, honey.

Come on, sit down, baby, come on,
now.

Well...

If you dress my son in this,

he'll need those boxing gloves.

Well, I guess it's true.

Women want girls and men want boys.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

Havana U.?

What?

You mean you want our child to go to
Havana University?

Certainly.

Havana U., my old alma mater.

Oh, wouldn't that be wonderful?

Just think of it.

Our son.

Or daughter.

Walking the very same campus

where I used to walk.

And one day, after Havana wins the
big game

and holds the jai alai pennant,

we'll stand together and sing:

Arriba, arriba por Havana U.

No hay nadie en el mundo que sea como
tu

Rah, rah, viva, rah, rah, rah

Havana, Havana U., ole!

Yeah, well, that's fine, dear, from
your point of you,

but... gee, I don't know, Havana?

What's the matter with Havana?

Well, nothing,

but we have a couple little red
schoolhouses

in this country, too, you know.

Well, honey, let's not worry about
it.

The main thing is

that our child will go to college.
Yeah.

You know, I've been giving this a lot
of thought, Ricky.

It's a big responsibility having a
baby and bringing up a child.

You know all the questions they ask.

You have to give them a right answer,
too.

Gee, I don't know if I'm gonna be
able to do it.

Oh, honey, sure you will.

Well, I don't know.

You know the kind of questions
children ask.

Suppose our child asks something
simple like,

"Mommy, where does rain come from?"

"Where does rain come from?

"Well, I don't know, dear.

Your mommy's a dumbbell."

Oh, honey,

you're just being ridiculous.

I am not.

Of course, there's always one good
answer:

"Ask your daddy, dear.

He can explain it better than I can."

"Daddy, where does rain come from?"

Well, dear, it's very simple.

You see, the water...

Well, first of all,

there are the clouds, see.

And the clo...

The moisture in the air...

See what I mean?

We have to do something about this.

Oh, honey, you're just exaggerating
the whole thing.

I am not.

And I'm going to start studying right
now.

When I get through, I want my child
to think

that its mother is a walking book of
knowledge.

Hi, honey.

Good evening.

Oh, when you get started on
something,

you really go through with it, don't
you?

Oh, boy, am I pooped.

Well, this is indeed distressing
news.

To what do you attribute your
plethora of fatigue?

The enervating activities of your
nocturnal occupation?

What?

I said, this is indeed distressing
news.

To what do you attribute your
plethora of fatigue?

I heard you the first time, but what
language is it?

It's the language I want our child to
good English.

That's English?

Yes.

Funny thing-- when it's spoken
correctly,

you don't even recognize it, do you?

You know, I had no idea how sloppy my
speech was

until I started reading this book.

Oh, brother.

No, really, it's true.

But they have a wonderful exercise

to correct it.

"How do you do, Mrs. Smith?

"How do you do, Mrs. Jones?

"And how are all your adorable
children?

"Quite well, thank you.

"And how is your sister Cynthia?

Sister Cynthia is simply
scintillating."

Now, Lucy, you're not going to teach
our child

to talk that way, are you?

I certainly am.
From the time our child is born,

it's not going to hear anything but
perfect English.

Well, honey, it's a very nice
thought,

but as usual you have no logical
'splanation

for doin' it the way you're doin' it.

What did you say?

You heard what I said.

"As usual, there's no logical
'splanation

for doin' it the way you're doin'
it."

Ricky, promise me something.

What?

Promise me that until our child is at
least or years old,

you won't talk to it.

What?

What's the matter with the way I
talk?

Well, I haven't told you this before,
dear,

but you speak with a slight accent.

You can understand me, can't you?

Well, now, yes.

I've learned to listen with an
accent.

But when we first started going
together, it was just...

Well, do you remember when you
proposed?
Yeah.

Well, it was a s*ab in the dark
when... when I said yes.

I wasn't sure that you'd asked me to
get married

or go to a movie.

Do you mean to tell me

that I could have gotten out of this
whole deal

by just taking you to a movie?

Ricky Ricardo.

Here, honey, I'll show you what I
mean.

Now, you take this book

and pretend that our child has come
to you and said,

"Daddy, read me a good-night story."

All right.

There you are, Daddy.

"Once upon a time in the woods live a
peasant.

"He was a good man with a noble
heart.

"He spent his time in the forest

cutting down booges from the trees."

"Cutting wood..." Wait a minute.

Wait, wait, wait, just a minute.

What is this "booges?"

"Booges," right in there.

That's "boughs."

B-O-U-G-H is "bough?"

Right.

Bough.

"He spent his time in the forest
cutting down boughs

"from the trees.

"Cutting wood all day made his hands
strong and row.

One day..."

That's "rough."

O-U-G-H.

That's right.

That shows how little you know about
the English language.

So I made a little mistake.

"Made his hands strong and rough.

"One day he cut wood so fast that by
: in the afternoon,

"his day's work was thruff.

When the..."

Hold it, Shakespeare.

Thraugh?

T-h-r-o-u-g-h is pronounced
"through."

Through, that's what I always say.

Now, stop picking on me, will you?

You're getting me all confuse.

"His day's work was through.

"It started to rain on the way home,

"and he got so wet that his nose
became red

and he developed a hacking..."

"coo?"

Well, I know it can't be "cow."

It's "cough."

Oh, that did it.

I had enough.

Or should I say "enu"?

No, enough.

Enough.

I don't see why you have to have such
a crazy language anyway.

In Spanish you don't have all those
"ow," "oh," "oo,"

"off," "oof" sounds.

In Spanish, you got a sound, it
sounds the same all the time.

You write it the same way, it sounds
the same way.

No matter where you put it, it comes
out the same way.

Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi.

I tell you what we're gonna do.

We're gonna teach our child to speak
Spanish.

Spanish!

That's right.

And what's more,

I don't want you to talk to the kid
until he's years old.

Our child is going to learn to speak
English,

but first we have to learn.

We're going to hire a tutor.

A tutor?

That's right.

And you and I and Fred and Ethel will
take lessons.

Fred and Ethel?

How did they get into the act?

Well, they're gonna be around here a
lot,

and I want anyone who's gonna
converse with my child

to speak perfect English.

Now, Lucy, that is the most
ridiculous thing I ever heard...

Now, honey, my mind is made up...

I had enough trouble learning how to
speak American.

Hi, Lucy.

Hi.

Is the tutor here yet?

No, not yet. He ought to be here any
minute.

I'm fixing the classroom, see?

Oh!

Say, Lucy, aren't tutors awful
expensive?

How did you get Ricky to agree to pay
for one?

I didn't. I told him it wouldn't cost
him a cent.

Huh?

Well, you see, when Mr. Livermore
called me,

he just happened to mention that he
would be interested...

Lucy!
Yeah, dear?

Are the Mertzes here yet?
Ethel's here.

Hi, Ethel.
Hi.

Where's Fred?
Isn't he coming?

Yeah, he's coming all right, but he
kicked like a steer.

Well, is he coming?

Look, if Fred doesn't come, I don't
want to...

He'll be here, Ricky.

He had on dirty overalls,

and I made him change his clothes.

That must be Mr. Livermore now.

School days, school days, dear old
golden rule days

Reading and writing and 'rithmetic

Taught to the tune of a hickory stick

You were my bashful barefoot beau

Wrote on my slate, "I love you,
Joe"...

Fred Mertz!

Oh, Fred, that's wonderful.

What do you think you're doing?

Now, you two stop.

This is serious.

All right, Buster Brown, go
downstairs

and get out of that silly outfit.

All right, all right!

See you at recess, Rick.

Last one to the teeter-totter's a
rotten egg.

I was your queen in calico

You were my bashful barefoot beau

Why-ay-ay...

How do you do?

How do you do?

Are you Mister...

I'm Mr. Livermore.

Oh, come in, please. Please.

I-I'm Mrs. Ricardo.

Charmed.

Pleased to meetcha.

Meetcha?

The phrase is "meet you."

Meet you.

Meet you.

Meet... I'm glad to meet you.

Meet you.

Uh, I'd like you to meet your other
pupils.

This is Mrs. Mertz.

Howdja do?

Are you, by any chance, endeavoring
to pronounce

"How do you do?"

Yeah-- uh, yes.

Uh, and this is Fred Mertz.

Howdja do?

You see, Mrs. Mertz,

you've transmitted your bad
enunciation

to your son here.

Ow, you hurt me, Mommy.

Oh, behave yourself.

He isn't my son.

He's my husband.

My word.

Either way, it presents an appalling
prospect.

You don't understand, Mr. Livermore.

You see, Fred is dressed like that

because he's going back to school.

It's his idea of a little joke.

Oh?

Uh, this is my husband, Ricky
Ricardo.

It is a great pleasure

to make your acquaintance, Mr.
Ricardo.

Hi. I just want you to know that the
only reason

I'm only doing this is to keep her
happy

because she's going to have a baby in
February.

But to tell you the truth,

this whole thing is ridiculous to me,

and the whole routine, I don't want
any part of it.


What did he say?

Well, he was just trying to...

What's the matter with you?

Don't you understand English?

We'd better get started immediately.

There's more to do here than I
thought.

Places, everybody.

Is he making fun of me?

No. Shh! Shush!

Attention, class.

Inasmuch as we are faced here with a
state of emergency,

I will dispense with the traditional
oath of allegiance

and good-morning song.

To properly enunciate,

we must practice first saying our
vowels.

Repeat after me, please.

A, E, I, O, U.

A, A, A, Ah,

E, E, E, Eh,

I, I, I, Ee,

O, O, O, Oh,

U, U, U, Ooh.

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh.

Mr. Ricardo, please, alone.

Ah, eh, ee, oh, ooh.

Mr. Ricardo, wherever did you acquire

that odd pronunciation?

I went to school in Cuba.

What's your 'scuse?

Ricky, apologize!

Apologize!

Okay, okay, I'm...

No, no, just a moment.

Did you say "okay?"

Yeah.

We must rid our speech of slang.

Now, besides "okay," I want you all
to promise me

that there are two words that you
will never use.

One of these is "swell" and the other
one is "lousy."

Okay, what are they?

One of them is "swell" and the other
one is "lousy."

Well, give us the lousy one first.

I don't believe you quite understand.

Don't bother to explain, Mr.
Livermore.

Just tell us what the words are

and we won't use them.
No.

But don't you see? The word...

Well, the other...

May I have a glass of water, please?

Okay.

I-I mean yes.

Would you help me, Ethel,

get a pitcher and some glasses?
Yes.

I would say "okay."

That's a swell way to get off to a
lousy start.

Mr. Ricardo, perhaps this would be a
good time

to discuss our song.

Our song?

Well, at least my song.

You see, I'm referring to the
business deal

your wife and I made.

Don't you understand?

In lieu of the remuneration for my
tutelage,

I am to be permitted to introduce my
talents

into your nocturnal bistro.

Hey, hey, I think I got it, Rick.

Instead of you paying him, this guy's
gonna sing

in your nightclub.
Yes.

You want to sing at the Tropicana?

Thank you, I'd love to.

I tippy-tippy-toe through my garden

Where all the pretty flowers dwell

Wait a minute...
There's a rare perfume in my
garden...

Hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it.

Hold it. Now, wait a minute.
Wait a minute.

I don't know what...
Ricky, what's the matter?

What's the matter?
What's going on, dear?

Well, I was singing my little ditty

for your husband...
You mean to tell me

that you actually promised this
character

that he was going to sing at the
club?

Yes, isn't it wonderful?

And we're going to get six months'
English lessons free.

I don't care we're gonna get English
lessons free

for the rest of our lives.

He's not gonna sing in my club.

Well!

But, Ricky, that isn't fair.

You haven't even heard the song.

I heard the song.

"Tippy-tippy-toe." Ay-yi-yi-yi.

Well, I think you owe Mr. Livermore
the courtesy

of at least hearing it through once.

Now, after all, it's going to sound a
lot better

down at the club, with the lights on

and all of us singing with him and
everything...

All of us singing?!

What do you mean, all of us singing?

Now, just a minute.

He's worked up a very cute little
act,

he's got it all figured out,

and I think the least we could do is
listen

and I insist that we try it now.

Thank you.

Now, this is the way I start.

Mr. Mertz, please.

I stand here,

Mr. and Mrs. Ricardo there, Mr. and
Mrs. Mertz there.

And I sing the verse first.

I tippy-tippy-toe through my garden

Where all the pretty flowers dwell

There's a rare perfume in my garden

And I just love to stand there and
smell

And as...

Now you come back here.

You come right back here.

You haven't heard the best part yet.

That's obvious, yeah.

Now come on back here, right where
you were, all of you.

Go ahead, Mr. Livermore.

Thank you.

And as I tippy-tippy-toe along

All the pretty flowers seem to sing
this song.

Now, here's where you come in.

Here's one for each.

Ladies first, of course.

Now, you sing when I point to you.

Now I'll sing what I just sang again.

And as I tippy-tippy-toe along

All the pretty flowers seem to sing
this song

Darry-down pip-pip

Dilly-dilly day

Hey, nonny-nonny

Rippity-pippity ay

Now comes the cute part.

You begin first this time, Mr. Mertz.

Darry-down ding-dong

Dilly-dilly doo

Hey, nonny-nonny

Rippity-pippity poo

That's all, brother, I had it.

Ricky, Ricky...
You can...

Oh, Lucy...

Sit down, won't you?

Hey, Rick.

Yeah, hi, Fred.

Ethel tells me

you're going through with this silly
thing.

Yeah, I told Lucy that I was going to
last night.

See? Where is Lucy?

She's in the bedroom.

What's the matter with you?

I believe you've finally cracked your
Cuban crock.

Look, Fred, will you trust me, huh?

I got a plan, I got it all figured
out,

and I think it'll work perfect.

I made a deal with Mr. Livermore.

Yes, but I'm afraid I've sullied my
principles

by accepting your scheme, Mr.
Ricardo.

Now, remember, you guaranteed to get
me auditions

with every record company in town.

Look, you just hold your end of the
bargain

and I'll take care of mine.
Don't you worry.

Will you please tell me what's going
on?

Relax, will you?
You'll see.

Lucy!

Yes, dear Coming.

Oh, hello, Mr. Livermore.

Hi, Fred.
Hi, Lucy.

What's the matter, dear?
Is something wrong?

I didn't expect you home so soon.

Oh, no, no, honey, nothing is wrong.

Everything is fine.
The orchestrations are wonderful.

We just thought that we'd come home

and get a good, uninterrupted singing
rehearsal.

Oh, well, that's nice.

You know something, Lucy?
You were right.

I can't 'splain it, but this guy
grows on you.

Aw...

Well, I knew you'd like him.

Yeah, no kiddin'.

He dun't know what a real nice guy he
is.

He dun't either.

What did you say?

I said he dun't either.

I can't 'splain it, but...

He's a swell guy.

Oh, no.

Ah, listen, you should hear him get
going

when he gets ahold of a good song.

He really goes-- he's good, this guy.

Oh, Percy, come on, go ahead.

Well...

Bum...

Babaloo

Bum...

Babaloo

Bum...

Babaloo ay yay...

That a boy! Give it to them, Percy.

Yay...

Hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it.

It won't work. It won't work.

What won't work?

It was a battle of the accents,

and Mr. Livermore lost.

It won't work.
Just forget it.

But honey, I got the orchestratings

and everything's fine...
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