The Ricardos Have Special Guests--an Hour at a Time

When “I Love Lucy” quit production during the 1956-57 season, it wasn’t because viewers were tired of it. In fact, it was still the top-rated show. Executive producer and star Desi Arnaz wanted to quit while he was ahead and do something different with the Ricardos and Mertzes.

The result is 13 hourlong episodes you sometimes stumble across on cable. You think you’re watching “I Love Lucy,” but something doesn’t seem quite right. That’s because they’re episodes of “The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show,” which ran as specials from 1957 to ’60.

KTTV Channel 11 will show all 13 (retitled “We Love Lucy” for syndication) weekdays at 11 a.m. beginning Monday, through July 29.

The first is “Lucy Takes a Cruise to Havana.” It’s not the original, 75-minute version (screenings of that one, now at the Museum of Television & Radio in Beverly Hills, have been extended through Sept. 24). In the original, Hedda Hopper wants to know how Lucy and Ricky met, and flashbacks tell the story; this one goes right into the flashbacks, with Arnaz’s brief voice-over setting it up.

Even the shorter version has some good bits. On their way to Cuba, man-hunters Lucy and her friend (Ann Sothern, playing Susie McNamera from her series “Private Secretary”) come across Fred Mertz (Lucy hits on him), who has a head full of hair and a doll of a wife (Vivian Vance finally gets to be the pretty one). When Lucy meets up with Ricky, it’s not love at first sight (she prefers Ricky’s pal, played by Cesar Romero). But later there’s a fun dueling-congas scene that shows Lucy and Ricky at their most passionate.

The second episode produced, “The Celebrity Next Door” (which will air July 28) was supposed to guest-star Bette Davis, but she had to back out, so Tallulah Bankhead replaced her.

Guest stars in the other shows include Ernie Kovacs (July 24), Red Skelton (July 20), Betty Grable (Wednesday), Milton Berle (July 22) and Maurice Chevalier (July 27).

DETAILS, DETAILS: In which much-derided sitcom did Ann Sothern provide only her voice? Answer next week. The answer to last week’s quiz (What documentary show--running from 1968 to ‘74--did Rod Serling narrate?): “The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau.”

Set Your VCR

Jamie Lee Curtis, in a small role as a waitress on “Columbo” (Monday at 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. on A&E;), makes the lieutenant get rid of a doughnut he brings into a restaurant. The episode is from 1977, a year before she appeared in the movie “Halloween.”

In the 1980 premiere of “Bosom Buddies” (Saturday at 4:30 p.m. on TV Land), apartment-poor New Yorkers Kip Wilson (Tom Hanks) and Henry Desmond (Peter Scolari) transform themselves into Buffy and Hildegarde so they can live in a women’s hotel.

McGarrett takes down a crime family in an impressive three-part “Hawaii Five-0” (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 10 p.m. on the Family Channel). The first part focuses on the son, the second the father and the third the patriarch.

ZaSu Pitts has more lines in a 1962 “Perry Mason” (Friday at noon on KDOC Channel 56) than she did in her most acclaimed picture--”Greed,” a silent classic from 1924.

Charlie’s got a new Angel--Cheryl Ladd (replacing Farah Fawcett)--in what was the second-season opener of “Charlie’s Angels” from 1977. Their mission in this two-parter (1 and 2 a.m. Monday on TNT): Go to Hawaii to save the kidnapped Charlie--and wear skimpy clothing.

“Homicide” regular Yaphet Kotto guest stars in a 30-year-old “High Chaparral” (Saturday at 9 a.m. on the Family Channel) about a regiment of Buffalo Soldiers.