San Fernando Red arranges for Red Skelton to become to new ambassador to the banana republic of Guatamanana! And intrigue awaits — and the firing squad!
Guatamanana – The Red Skelton Show season 4, broadcast November 2, 1954
A very funny episode, where Red Skelton is sent to be the ambassador to a South American country. Lots of slapstick, and a lot of dance routines! Red’s literally struggling to catch his breath by the end of the episode.
San Fernando refuses the ambassadorship!
San Fernando Red: I’ll not say anything negative about my opponent. And his wife is a fine woman. What he sees in that dame he’s running around with, I’ll never know!
Director of Pan American Affairs: You’re in office! You stole the election!
San Fernando Red: That’s a lie! I paid for every vote!
Ambassador Red Skelton arrives
Banquet for the Ambassador
Firing Squad
Songs
- Olé music number by the Sketlon Dancers
- Abby Lane and the Sketlon Dancers perform “Papa Loves Mambo”
- The Carioca by the Skelton Dancers
Cast
- Red Skelton … Self – San Fernando Red, US Ambassador
- Xavier Cugat (Neptune’s Daughter) … Prime Minister of South American Country
- David Rose and His Orchestra … Themselves
- Abbe Lane (Caesar Against the Pirates) … Madame Presidente
- Ray Kellogg (The Giant Gila Monster)
- Perk Lazelle
- William Meader
- Michael Ross
- Tris Coffin
- Frankie Darro (Pinocchio)
- James Gonzales
- Jan Arvan (20 Million Miles to Earth)
- Jack Boyle
- Tex Brodus
- Lucille Knoch (Executive Suite) as Red’s toothbrush holder
Trivia
- The revolutionaries’ secret message is that they want to replace La Presidente with Desi Arnaz! Xavier Cugat and Desi did not get along.
- The ‘banana republic’ of Guatamanana is shaped like a banana. It’s also a portmanteau of Guatemala and mañana.