I Love Lucy (TV Series)

Too Many Crooks (1953)

Lucille Ball: Lucy Ricardo

Quotes 

• Lucy Ricardo : Oh, Fred, I didn't know you had a birthday coming up.

  Ricky Ricardo : When is it, Fred?

  Fred Mertz : Week from Thursday.

  Lucy Ricardo : How old are you gonna be?

  Fred Mertz : [changing the subject]  D'ja hear about the big robbery last night?

  Lucy Ricardo : Come on, Fred, don't be bashful, how old are you?

  Fred Mertz : Well, now, I'll make a deal. I'll tell how old I am if you'll tell how old you are.

  Lucy Ricardo : That was a big robbery we had last night, wasn't it!

• Lucy Ricardo : [the Ricardos want to have a tailored suit made as a surprise for Fred's birthday]  I'll sneak in and get one of his old suits out of the closet without either one of them knowing it.

  Ricky Ricardo : Be sure they don't catch you.

  Lucy Ricardo : Well, I won't if you keep 'em busy. Call 'em up and get 'em over here on some pretext.

  Ricky Ricardo : [picks up the 'phone]  OK. I'll get 'em over on some pretext... What's a pretext?

  Lucy Ricardo : Well, it's when you want someone to do something, but you don't want them to know that you want them to do that particular something, so you make up something else. Then they think they're just doing that something else, but in reality they're doing the something that you want them to do, but don't want them to know that you want them to do.

  Ricky Ricardo : Whaaaaaat?