In the episode where Lucy dances with Van Johnson, Lucy told Ricky about it, and he didn't believe her and then the phone rang and as he was walking he says something like, "What do you mean you vanced with Dan" instead of saying "Danced with Van."
You obviously do NOT watch I Love Lucy that much. If you did, you would know that since Ricky is from Cuba, he doesn't always say things right. It's one of the most common punch lines in the show. For example, Ricky would always say, "Lucy you got some 'splaning to do" instead of explaining. And then Lucy would say "I don't have nothing too 'splain." Even thugh she knew it was supposed to be explain. So when Ricky says "Vanced with Dan." It's just another of his Cuban mistakes, it's not a slip-up.
I agree that it is a slip up. I watch I Love Lucy religiously. Even though Ricky is from Cuba and doesn't speak proper English, he wouldn't have said "Vanced with Dan". It just doesn't make sense.
I watched this episode just the other day. What actually happens is Lucy has a line where she is supposed to tell Ricky that she 'danced with Van' Johnson. If you watch the episode closely (thanks to TiVo!) she makes the mistake, saying, "I vanced....danced with Van Johnson!" then she pauses for Ricky to say his line. Evidently, Lucy thought this was funny, because you can actually see her cracking up slightly. You can tell by looking at her stomach that she is laughing, even though she stays in character. When Ricky looks at her - sees that she's trying not to break character - he then says, "Vanced with Dan?!!" as he goes to answer the phone.
I think it sounds exactly like something Ricky would say. Besides, if he really did say it wrong, don't you think they would've redone the scene with him saying "danced with Van"?
Lucille Ball misspoke - she started to say "I vanced with Dan" instead of "danced with Van." "I Love Lucy" was filmed in sequence, like a play, in front of a live audience. They tried not to stop and re-shoot if a minor error was made. Such was this case; Desi covered for Lucille by muttering, "Vanced with Dan? What is that?" Later in this same episode, in the dressing room, William Frawley stumbles over a line when he's asking Lucy if she's nervous. Lucille ad-libs and says to him "You're more nervous than I am!"
Near the beginning of the episode where Lucy gives birth to Little Ricky, she almost says that the impending birth is "nothing to get upsited about". She started to combine "upset" with "excited". However, she immediately corrected herself with a nervous laugh. Rumor has it her performances were horrible during the initial script readings; an allegation about which I am skeptical considering her on-screen performances.