Indiana Broadcast History Archive

Madelyn Pugh Davis was a script writer for the multi Emmy-winning television show “I Love Lucy,” starring Lucille Ball. Along with Bob Carroll Jr., Davis wrote 179 episodes of the top-rated CBS comedy show. She also worked for NBC and CBS, and was a pioneer for female journalists.

Early Life  

Davis was born in Indianapolis on March 15, 1921. She attended Shortridge High School, where she was the editor of The Daily Echo, one of the first high school daily newspapers in America. 

In 1942, she graduated from Indiana University with a degree in journalism. At IU, she was a reporter for the Indiana Daily Student. During her senior year of college, World War II began and Davis became a foreign correspondent.

"Somebody pointed out that there were very few women foreign correspondents, but there were very few women anything, so it didn’t bother me."

Madelyn Pugh Davis

Career Beginnings

Through her connections as a foreign correspondent, Davis was hired as a writer for WIRE radio in Indianapolis, the NBC station, writing commercials for the disc jockeys, before working as a staff writer for CBS in Hollywood. Davis was only the second woman ever hired at CBS and her official title was “Girl Writer.”

The first woman to be hired for CBS was Kathleen Hite, scriptwriter for multiple shows including Gunsmoke. 

Madelyn Pugh Davis, Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Partnership with Bob Carroll Jr.

Three years later, Davis was partnered with television writer Bob Carroll Jr. when they met working at CBS.

The duo co-wrote “The Couple Next Door,” a short show about a newlywed couple.  Davis and Carroll also wrote “It’s a Great Life” and “My Favorite Husband” together. "My Favorite Husband" was a radio show starring Lucille Ball and Richard Denning and was the inspiration for the hit show, "I Love Lucy" which Davis is most known for.

Davis and Carroll are most famously known for co-writing “I Love Lucy.” By 1951, they began working together writing scripts for the sitcom that ran for six seasons.  

In 1991, the show was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. “I Love Lucy” was also voted the ‘Best TV Show of All Time’ in a 2012 survey from ABC News and People Magazine. The plot of the show centered around the main character, Lucy Ricardo, played by Lucille Ball. Lucy was married to Ricky Ricardo, played by Desi Arnaz. The show followed Lucy's antics as she pursued a career in show business, often portraying physical humor at Lucy's expense.

In 1992, Carroll and Davis were awarded the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel award for achievement in television writing, from the Writers Guild of America. In 2001, they were honored by the UCLA Film School for their lifelong work in television. 

"Bob and I never had any arguments, which with teams is very rare. Neither one of us liked fussing and fighting."

Madelyn Pugh Davis

Legacy

Davis was also inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1990 and received three Emmy award nominations and a Golden Globe.

Davis passed away in California on April 20, 2011 at the age of 90. Her legacy will remain as one of the most important writers involved with the iconic “I Love Lucy” show and as a pioneer for female journalists.

March 2025

By Lily Saylor