The Lucy Show - Opening Credits

Opening Credits

Throughout the series, six openings were used.

• During the first season (1962-63), animated stick figures of Ball and Vance were used (similar to the ones used in the original opening sequences of I Love Lucy and of the subsequent 13 hour-long specials later syndicated in reruns as The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour).

• During season two (1963-1964), stills from previous episodes were used.

• During season three (1964-1965), footage from previous episodes were featured. For the six episodes in which Vivian Vance did not appear, the "Co-Starring: Vivian Vance" voiceover, and accompanying text and still of Vivian, were omitted.

• During season four (1965-1966), a kaleidoscope opening in which footage was used of Ball in a kaleidoscope-like pattern. In the first nine episodes of season four a slightly different opening was used (the first two clips of Ball were reversed). In the episodes in which Gale Gordon did not appear, the "Co-Starring: Gale Gordon" voiceover was omitted from the audio track.

• During season five (1966-1967), an additional opening was created at the beginning of the season that featured Lucille Ball as an animated "jack-in-the-box". Ball reportedly hated it, and it was only used in a handful of episodes at the start of the season before being replaced by a slightly revamped version of the kaleidoscope opening. However, due to poor editing, the theme music to this opening was left on, while the kaleidoscope opening played, for several of the early 1966 fall episodes.

• During season six (1967-1968), the kaleidoscope opening was used once again, but the theme music was reorchestrated. Also the "Glamor Shot" of Ball at the end of the opening is a different clip than season five. For the episodes in which Gale Gordon did not appear, the "Co-Starring: Gale Gordon" voiceover was omitted from the audio track.

During later TV airings, including 1970s and 80s syndicated runs, as well as Nick at Night's 1990s airing of the series, the later "kaleidoscope" opening was used in nearly all episodes (with a "costarring Vivian Vance" voiceover edited in for episodes from the first three seasons).

All of the original opening credits have been restored and inserted in every episode of the official season releases by CBS Home Entertainment.

The theme music was composed by Wilbur Hatch, who was the show's musical director, a role he also performed on Ball's previous series I Love Lucy.