Film and television stars in the 1950s lined up to do a guest spot on America’s favorite comedy, I Love Lucy, alongside Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, who portrayed Ricky Ricardo and Lucy Ricardo.
John Wayne
The acclaimed western actor was a fan of I Love Lucy and requested to be on the show. In the fourth season, Lucy and Ethel are jailed for trying to steal Duke’s footprints from Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, so Ricky appeals to the star to recast his prints. FUN FACT: John accepted a payment of just $280 for the appearance.
Rock Hudson
On a girls’ trip to Palm Springs to get away from their annoying husbands, Lucy and Ethel meet Rock Hudson by the pool. The actor tells them a story about a bickering husband and wife that makes them realize that they miss Ricky and Fred.
Harpo Marx
Lucy and Harpo brilliantly reenact the pantomime mirror scene from Duck Soup in this 1955 episode. “She refused to do it unless it was absolutely perfect,” said Doris Singleton, who played Lucy’s friend Caroline.
George Reeves
After Lucy’s desperate plot to get the Adventures of Superman actor to appear at her son Little Ricky’s 5th birthday party goes nowhere, she gets trapped on the ledge of her New York apartment building in the pouring rain. Guess which Man of Steel shows up to save the day?
Hedda Hopper
In hopes of receiving some good publicity, Lucy pretends to drown at the hotel pool and is “saved” by Ricky. Unfortunately, Hedda, an influential Hollywood gossip columnist, is less than impressed.
