We ALL so fondly remember this episode back in the day --and in color! -- all about Ernie and Zsa Zsa.
This gem was written by veteran Bill Kelsey, who wrote so many classic episodes for MY FAVORITE MARTIAN.
Since Steve moved everybody out to Los Angeles, it was only a matter of time they would meet some movie stars, right? Zsa Zsa Gabor was perfect for this episode; she was everywhere on tv, and a fun celebrity. She was always on LAUGH IN as a gag guest and made so many people laugh. True, she was an excellent dramatic actress and in many classic films (Oscar winning MOULIN ROUGE), but she had the gift for comedy, much like her sister Eva. Zsa Zsa was an original.
Ernie does the sightseeing trip, climbs a wall and falls into Zsa Zsa's pool! Holy smokes. If getting to see a Hollywood celeb could be that EZ. Maybe it WAS back in the 60s. Whatever the case, Zsa Zsa (playing herself) takes Ernie under her wing and the two become good friends, even bringing him to a movie studio to experience "real" Hollywood. To tell you the truth, hearing all the good stories about Zsa Zsa, if this was a real incident, she probably would have done much the same. No surprise, there were probably lots of kids who tried to see her at her famous Bel Air mansion for years.
Does not get any better than this, although everybody else is searching for Ernie and not having a good time. Yes, there is one goof. Steve tells the cop that Ernie is wearing braces --- but he's not.
And when you think about it, wearing braces on your teeth is not a great description.
A fantastic episode, with shades of 60s Hollywood. To note, Zsa Zsa was a great humanitarian, and for years was a leading figure in Hollywood for the homeless. During Thanksgiving and Christmas she would cook and serve dinner at homeless shelters. What a wonderful thing to do. She is missed in Hollywood, and hopefully her efforts have inspired other celebs. We hope.
A must see episode, and with sooo many fond memories.
SEASON 8 EPISODE 21 color remastered.