Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (2025)

AuthorMessage

tv boy Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (1)

2009-05-15 06:54

This was definitely a four star vehicle, it's how they got to Hollywood and was used extensively in four different episodes in 1955.

-- Last edit: 2013-03-28 04:23:40

jage750 Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (7)

2009-05-21 04:04

Does anyone know what the original color of this car was?
I've heard light blue and I've heard gray.
Does anyone know for sure?

- JJ

car nerd Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (8)

2009-05-21 04:06

I always assumed it was red over white. Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (9)

tv boy Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (10)

2009-05-22 13:49

I could've sworn, when Lucy, Fred and Ethel are all seeing it for the first time, Ethel makes some reference to it being green. Personally I always assumed it was dark blue over light blue.

tv boy Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (11)

2009-05-22 13:50

BTW notice the shots inside the TV studio, the car has no windshield, but in the location establishers it does? Evidently there was an issue with the window reflecting studio lights.

jage750 Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (12)

2009-05-23 05:55

According to the website www.tvacres.com:

"When Ricky and Lucy Ricardo (Desi Arnaz/Lucille Ball) take a cross country trip from New York to California on episode #110 "California, Here We Come" (January 10, 1955) they drive a red & white 1955 Pontiac convertible passenger car. It had 180 horse power and an automatic transmission."

- JJ

tv boy Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (13)

2009-05-25 16:41

Red & white? No kidding. Personally I always thought the "light" color looked a little too dark to be white, but then again GM used a lot of off-white, ivory shades in those days for their "white" cars and trucks.

sodapop

2009-09-08 06:02

Does anyone know if this car still exists and who owns it?
Thanks.
David
Sodapop1957@sbcglobal.net

Commander 57 Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (14)

2009-09-08 16:15

I hope so but doubt it.

62imperial Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (15)

2009-09-22 07:30

I've seen a color photo taken on the set that shows it was definitely two-tone light and dark green. A white car would probably have been too bright for the way they were filming in black and white (even the appliances in the Ricardos' kitchen were painted light blue rather than white).

chicomarx Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (16)

2010-01-27 03:59

According to this: http://money.cnn.com/2004/01/16/pf/autos/scottsdale/index.htm

This car was on auction in 2004, but the colors would have to be reversed. Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (17)

Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (18)

"A 1955 Pontiac Star Chief convertible used in several episodes of the show "I Love Lucy" will be auctioned by Barrett-Jackson. In the show, the car belonged to Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz), who used it to give driving lessons to his wife, Lucy (Lucille Ball, for those of you only recently emerging from a lifetime spent in a very deep cave). The car later performed on-camera in an episode that saw the Ricardos and their neighbors, the Mertzes -- extra points if you know who played them -- drive cross-country to California."

Link to "www.barrett-jackson.com"

Quote Lot: 405 - 1955 PONTIAC STAR CHIEF CONVERTIBLE
Auction: SCOTTSDALE 2004
Sale Price: *$50,600.00
Year: 1955
Make: PONTIAC
Model: STAR CHIEF
Style: CONVERTIBLE
Exterior Color: SILVER
Interior Color: BLACK
Summary: This was the TV Land "I Love Lucy" give-away car used in the show moving from New York to California.
Details: This was given away by TV LAND in Hollywood! It is fully restored as the car that appeared in the 4th season of I LOVE LUCY! Episode 109 titled - Lucy Learns to Drive. Preparing for their trip west, the Ricardo's buy a new car, and Lucy wants to drive it around the block. After giving her one driving lesson Ricky is a beaten man, but Lucy is so confident that she offers to teach Ethel Mertz how to drive. The result is a complete fiasco. (The 1955 Pontiac convertible seen in this and the following episodes was a part of a product placement deal with General Motors,) First aired January 3, 1955. The same car was used in the next 4 episodes as follows. Episode 110 titled - California Here We Come. First aired January 10th 1955, Episode 111 titled - First Stop. First aired January 10th 1955, Episode 112 titled - Tennessee Bound. First aired January 24th 1955, episode 113 titled- Ethel's Hometown, first aired January 31st 1955, and Episode 114 titled - LA at Last, First aired February 7th, 1955.
*Price Includes 10% Buyers Commission

-- Last edit: 2010-01-27 04:28:28

tv boy Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (19)

2012-05-14 01:40

It says the car was restored, so it may have been given a new color combination.

puterboy1 Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (20)

2013-03-27 01:14

62imperial wrote I've seen a color photo taken on the set that shows it was definitely two-tone light and dark green. A white car would probably have been too bright for the way they were filming in black and white (even the appliances in the Ricardos' kitchen were painted light blue rather than white).

Where did you see this color photo?

jazzfi Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (21)

2013-12-06 20:12

too funny... it's a b&w episode so everyone's imagination offers a different color.. i always thought blue & white because I used to own a '55 Chieftain 4-door, but it could really be any color.. a good book about ILL with color photos might offer the truth..

PorscheRyder Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (22)

2015-05-28 10:22

I would think somehow getting the vin might help to obtain the build specs, if they go back that far?

PretenderNX01 Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (23)

2015-08-25 20:25

I was just thinking about I Love Lucy and this car. I tried looking it up and found that a model was being sold on Legacy Diecast that is white and blue.
http://www.legacydiecast.com/1955-pontiac-star-chief-convertible-lucille-ball

Sun Star models made it and they call it Nautilus Blue/White Mist (which looks more almond/tan than white)
http://www.sunstarmodelcars.com/5055/5055.htm

Although one of the pictures on that Sun Star page is of a magazine that refers to the car as white and "valley green"
http://www.sunstarmodelcars.com/5055/5055%20diecast.jpg

Cookie jars have it blue with white trim
http://www.tias.com/stores/ldh/pictures/ilvlcarcj5a.jpg
but a newer looking one is white with blue trim
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5260/5426940013_99fab47139_n.jpg

Brian Rodriguez Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (24)

2018-08-26 05:52

Hi all. I've always wondered about this, too. There must exist at CBS some production notes and color stills of the car in its original scheme.

Until then, here's how CBS colorized the car for their 2016 ILL specials. Looks like Marietta Blue (lower) and Beaumont Blue to me. That's Pontiac color code 5558.

Also, according to a scrapbook compiled by a friend of the show, Pontiac donated five Star Chiefs to Desilu for the cross-country location shots (New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Albuquerque, and LA). That raises the possibility of different color schemes being used among the five cars, though looking at the TV footage they all appear to be two-tone dark over light.

--Brian

-- Last edit: 2018-08-28 02:58:33

Pontiac Star Chief in "I Love Lucy" (2025)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Aracelis Kilback

Last Updated:

Views: 5709

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (64 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Aracelis Kilback

Birthday: 1994-11-22

Address: Apt. 895 30151 Green Plain, Lake Mariela, RI 98141

Phone: +5992291857476

Job: Legal Officer

Hobby: LARPing, role-playing games, Slacklining, Reading, Inline skating, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Dance

Introduction: My name is Aracelis Kilback, I am a nice, gentle, agreeable, joyous, attractive, combative, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.