Bob Carroll Jr. (1918–2007)

If you are a die-hard I Love Lucy fan, I highly recommend this very entertaining behind-the-scenes account of life as one of the show's writers, Madelyn Pugh Davis (Davis was one of television's earliest female writers). There are also contributions from Davis' writing partner, Bob Carroll, Jr. (they both worked for Lucille Ball for nearly 50 years). I loved this book and realized after reading it how essential having a woman writer on I Love Lucy was -- this was no doubt the reason Lucy's show more character was more substantial and fleshed-out than other female TV characters of the time. Now when I watch the reruns I get excited when I see Bob and Madelyn in their frequent cameos. Lots of photos, index. show less

It's a sixties style American movie about two widowed people, each with a large family, who fall in love and decide - after much indecision - to get married. Trying to blend the two families together (eighteen children in all, aged eighteen down to about two) produces significant difficulties.

There's some humour, and some touching moments, with a fairly predictable resolution. Nothing too deep, so it makes a pleasant evening's viewing for a couple or family, without any great mental strain.

Great autobiography by Madelyn Pugh, who along with Bob Carroll Jr, wrote most of the I Love Lucy tv shows and worked with Ball on her other series. The book focuses on what it was like to be a woman writer in the early days and by the time Pugh and Carroll were producers on Alice, how many women were involved. Of course there are numerous stories about Lucy and working on the I Love Lucy show. A great book for any fan of Lucy as well as the early days of television.

I grew up with I Love Lucy reruns on Channel 5 out of NYC in the 60s. This was a fabulous look behind the scenes of the show, the actors and Madelyn's life as a television writer after I Love Lucy was off the air. I loved it.