August 6th marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of actress and comedienne Lucille Ball. October 15th is the 60th anniversary of the debut of "I Love Lucy",which was a weekly series until 1957 and a series of specials titled "The Lucy/Desi Comedy Hour" that ran until 1960. Lucy co-starred with her real-life husband,actor,businessman,producer,and orchestra leader Desi Arnaz. Why is the Lucy phenomenon stronger than ever and her shows as popular as ever? I think the question can be answered simply. Lucy's shows were and are good,clean fun,period.
When Lucille Ball was pregnant with her and husband Desi Arnaz's second child, the standards and practices department at CBS would not let the word "pregnant" be used. Even though Ms.Ball and Mr.Arnaz were married in real life,on "I Love Lucy",they slept in separate beds. Inevitably,it comes up which episode of "I Love Lucy" is somebody's favorite. One favorite of mine is when the Ricardos and the Mertzes,the Ricardos' landlords and best friends played by Vivian Vance and William Frawley, arrived in Hollywood for Ricky's motion picture debut. Lucy,Fred,and Ethel dined at the Brown Derby restaurant,then a well-known Hollywood landmark,and were joined in the next booth by actor William Holden. Lucy's constant staring at Mr.Holden prompted him to turn the tables so he stared at Lucy while she and the Mertzes ate. Humiliated,Lucy tried sneaking out but accidentally bumped into a waiter who accidentally hit Mr.Holden in the face with a pie. Later,when Ricky,without Lucy's knowledge,brought Mr.Holden back to their hotel suite,Lucy disguised herself. Lucy accidentally set her plastic nose on fire trying to light a cigarette.
Another favorite Lucy moment is when Lucy had hidden eggs in her blouse. Lucy and Ricky rehearsed a dance and when they got to the finish,Lucy collided with Ricky and her blouse was a gooey mess. That scene has the longest recorded laugh in United States television history.
These are but two of many hilarious moments on a series still loved by millions around the world.
Lucille Ball had another long-running hit series in the 1960s and 1970s. The first six seasons,it was titled "The Lucy Show". Lucille Ball divorced Desi Arnaz in 1960 and married comedian Gary Morton the following year. Lucy bought Desi's share of Desilu Studios after their divorce,making Lucy the first sole female studio owner in Hollywood. Desilu produced other popular shows such as "Make Room For Daddy", "The Untouchables",
"The Dick Van Dyke Show","The Andy Griffith Show","Mission:Impossible", "That Girl", and "Star Trek". Ms.Ball sold Desilu to Gulf&Western,the then-parent company of Paramount Pictures,in the late 1960s.
In the fall of 1968,"The Lucy Show" underwent some changes. This included the addition of Lucy's real-life children, Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr, and a new title, "Here's Lucy". The series continued until 1974. In her later years, Lucy still made guest appearances, appeared in movies such as "Mame", based on the Broadway musical, and "Stone Pillow", in which Lucy tackled a serious dramatic role as a homeless woman.
Lucy made a short-lived sitcom comeback in 1986 in "Life With Lucy". In April, 1989, Lucy was hospitalized with a heart ailment. After surgery, Lucy was on a comeback and seemed to be on the road to recovery when suddenly on the morning of April 26, 1989, Lucy's aorta ruptured and she died shortly after.
It is as if Lucy never really left us. As Bob Hope, a longtime friend of Lucy's, noted shortly after Lucy's death, God has her now but we will always have her shows to enjoy. Thanks for the laughter, Lucy. We will always love Lucy.
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