In Racetrack, Red Skelton irritates people at a baseball game & Freddie the Freeloader waits for his horse to come in at the track – and waits, and waits. Then, Willie Lump Lump has to deal with his wife, who’s taken her love for “I Love Lucy” to an insane level!
Racetrack – The Red Skelton Show season 2, originally aired May 3, 1953
Red Skelton at the baseball game
Red Skelton attends a baseball game. Here his character is somewhat obnoxious, similar to The Show-Off. He’s sitting next to the lovely Lucille Knoch, but she doesn’t want anything to do with his advances. Her husband’s one of the baseball players! Not only that, everything else seems to go wrong for him at the game. He orders a hot dog from a vendor, which gets passed down the row to him — with everyone taking a bite! So baby the time it gets to him, Likewise for his drink — which gets broken over his head, ending the sketch.
The Four Knights sing O Happy Day
The Four Knights sing “O Happy Day” — Not the famous gospel hymn, It’s the story of a young man in love, and delightful to listen to here. At the end Freddie the Freeloader walks on, leading to the next segment
Racetrack
At the racetrack, Freddie the Freeloader’s waiting for his horse, Smoke Screen, to make it across the finish line. And waiting, and waiting …. While he’s waiting, he’s interacting with the security guard — after all, the track’s closed. And Freddie’s in full-blown larceny mode! And, of course, it eventually turns into a Tide commercial.
Televiewmania – I Love Lucy obsession
Willie Lump Lump has trouble at home — and it’s not due to his drinking! His wife has turned her love for I Love Lucy” into a full-blown obsession, to the point of making Willie play “Babalu” on the drum when he comes home! And things get worse from there …
Songs
- The Four Knights sing “O Happy Day“
Cast of characters
- Red Skelton … Self – Host / Freddie the Freeloader / Willie Lump Lump / Gertrude
- Pattee Chapman (A Modern Marriage) … Mrs. Lump Lump-Televiewmania Sketch
- David Rose and His Orchestra … Themselves
- The Four Knights … Themselves – Vocalists
- Ned Glass (Charade) … Guard-Racetrack Skit
- Lucille Knoch (Executive Suite) … Baseball Player’s Wife-Opening Sketch (as Lucy Knoch)
- Bob LeMond … Announcer
- Eddie Marr (I Was a Teenage Werewolf) … Hot Dog Vendor-Opening Skit
- Beverly Piper … Newlywed Bride
- Buddy Piper … Newlywed Husband
- Bob Warren … Sketch Player