I Married Joan

while the show certainly has a dated feel (it does have an annoying laugh track), the jokes were often clever and Joan Davis was brilliant. no, she was not stealing her schtick from Lucille ball (who i also love). Joan was a ditsy, goofy character long before she made it to television. i believe her physical comedy was actually better and more natural (see the movie HOLD THAT GHOST for a brilliant example.) did they steal plot lines from Lucy? well, having not seen this show in a while (i don't believe this show was ever on nick at nite. it was on cbn, of all places.) but i will say that Lucy's plots were not exactly original either, and being that both shows were on at the same time, it's difficult to say who came first (if it even matters). the thing is everyone has seen Lucy for years and just assumes she did it all first.

Joan Davis deserves her place in entertainment history along side Lucy, gale storm, Imogene coca and Gracie Allen.

"I Married Joan "is wonderful, delightful and hysterically funny. Joan Davis was an exceptionally gifted comedian. Her use of timing, delivery, and physical comedy make her a master of her craft. It is very unfortunate that few people have seen this great performer in her classic T.V. series. Many of the episodes are masterpieces that rival "I Love Lucy". In fact, in my humble opinion, are better. Joan Davis' real life daughter Beverly Wills plays her sister on the series and the very talented Jim Backus portrays her husband, Judge Bradley Stevens. If you admire and appreciate great comedy, this series is a MUST view. I hope that it is aired again soon.

Joan Davis (radio comedian) plays an empty-headed housewife. Jim Backus (Peter Bowers in "Boys' Night Out") plays the husband, Judge Bradley Stevens (1952-1955) (38 episodes.)

Each episode is a wholly contained story that starts sane and logical. As time goes on unlikely elements creep in to make the situation hysterically ridiculous. Eventually, everything is wrapped up. The actors and their characters are what makes this comedy work so well.

Disk 1: Prize Fighter Wall Safe Joan's Haircut Changing Houses Talent Scout Bad Boy

Disk 2: Honeymoon Home Movies New House Neighbors Alteration Sister Pat.

Joan Davis was, with Lucy, Carole Lombard, and Carol Burnett, one of the GREAT female comedy clowns of all time. She was in many movies, and then, after I Love Lucy was a megahit, Davis was starred in this sitcom of similar format - and of similar title: I Married Joan. But instead of a Cuban bandleader it was a judge, played by the brilliant Jim Backus, she drove crazy. Everything worked out in the end. And the show was a delight. It also had one of the best theme songs of the Fifties which says it all about the comedy: I married Joan; what a girl, what a whirl, what a life... never know where her brain has flown...!".

When Lucille Ball was an acclaimed, but not very widely known B picture actress, Joan Davis was winning a lot more acclaim for her own brand of goofy physical humor on radio and on film. She was a mainstay of support to a lot of the glamor girls and guys at 20th Century Fox.

A long term extra marital affair with Eddie Cantor helped push her career along as Cantor featured her on radio and had her co-star in two of his films.

Like so many players when the motion picture studios started cutting down production and leaving people out of work, Davis turned to television. Unfortunately one year too late to get credit for originality.

Lucille Ball and her real life husband beat her to the tube by a year. They put on a very successful situation comedy about a wacky wife with an exasperated husband that we all know about.

So when Joan Davis debuted I Married Joan in 1952 she was accused of copying Lucy. Not so as any viewing of her films will so demonstrate.

But Lucy was there first and got the deserved credit.

I Married Joan was a very funny show that trailed in the wake of I Love Lucy. It ended in 1955 because her TV husband Jim Backus quit the show. As Judge Bradley J. Stevens, he was her exasperated straight man of a husband. He'd get to show his comic flair later on in Gilligan's Island.

Sad that Joan Davis was never able to develop another television show to show her talent before she died.

A very funny lady, with a very funny show.