I love lucy lucille ball biography 1940

In addition to her acting roles, Ball solidified her legacy in the television industry by becoming the first woman to run a major television production studio, Desilu Productions, after acquiring her ex-husband Desi Arnaz's shares in Under her leadership, Desilu produced a slew of popular shows, including "Star Trek" and "Mission: Impossible," reinforcing her status as an influential figure behind the camera.

Ball's contributions earned her numerous accolades, including four Emmy Awards and a Gold Medal from the International Radio and Television Society, recognizing her exceptional impact on entertainment and comedy. Lucille Ball's personal life was marked by both passionate romance and significant challenges.

I love lucy lucille ball biography 1940: People labeled her as the

Their marriage faced ups and downs, particularly due to Desi's reputation as a ladies' man and the stresses of balancing work and family life. However, through it all, they supported each other's careers, which ultimately led to the creation of the groundbreaking television series "I Love Lucy. Unfortunately, the couple's marriage ended in divorce in after two tumultuous decades together.

The separation was difficult, yet Ball managed to maintain a positive relationship with Arnaz, especially for the sake of their children. Lucille later remarried comedian Gary Morton inand they remained together until her death. Despite the challenges she faced in her personal life, Lucille Ball's commitment to her family and her career shaped her legacy as one of television's most beloved figures.

Lucille Ball, renowned for her groundbreaking work in television and comedy, achieved remarkable financial success throughout her career. This wealth was primarily amassed through her iconic role on the beloved television series "I Love Lucy", which not only secured her a substantial salary but also allowed her to retain ownership rights through her production company, Desilu Productions.

Her innovative approach to television production and content creation revolutionized the industry and paved the way for future generations of entertainers. These series, while not as groundbreaking as her original hit, added significantly to her financial portfolio.

I love lucy lucille ball biography 1940: In the s, Lucy

Friends and colleagues guessed the romance between the apparently mismatched entertainers wouldn't last a year. But Ball seemed drawn to Arnaz's spark, and while her husband's attention sometimes did stray romantically from the marriage, the truth is that during their 20 years together, Arnaz greatly supported Ball's career hopes.

Still, as the late s rolled around, Ball, who had dyed her hair red in at MGM's urging, was looking at a stagnant movie career, unable to break into the kinds of starring roles she'd always dreamed about. As a result, Arnaz pushed his wife to try broadcasting, and it wasn't long before Ball landed a lead part in the radio comedy My Favorite Husband.

The program caught the attention of CBS executives, who wanted her to recreate something like it on the small screen. Ball, though, insisted it include her real-life husband, something the network clearly wasn't interested in seeing happen. So Ball walked away, and with Desi put together an I Love Lucy —like vaudeville act and took it on the road.

Success soon greeted the pair. So did a contract from CBS. From the get-go Ball and Arnaz knew exactly what they wanted from the network. Their demands included the opportunity to create their new program in Hollywood rather than New York, where most TV was still being shot. But the biggest hurdle centered on the couple's preference to shoot on film rather than the less expensive kinescope.

In return they would retain full ownership rights to the program and run it under their newly formed production company, Desilu Productions.

I love lucy lucille ball biography 1940: Lucille Ball got her start as

On October 15,I Love Lucy made its debut, and to the television viewing audience across the country it was immediately apparent this was a sitcom like no other. Bombastic and daring, the show, which co-starred Vivian Vance and William Frawley, as Lucy and Desi's two best friends, set the stage for a generation of family-related sitcoms to come.

The program included story lines that dealt with marital issues, women in the workplace and suburban living. And in perhaps one of the most memorable TV episodes ever, I Love Lucy touched on the theme of pregnancy, when Lucy gave birth to Little Ricky on January 19,the same day the real-life Lucy delivered her son Desi Jr. Ball and Arnaz's first child, Lucie, had arrived two years before.

As the title of the show indicated, Lucy was the star. Her grandfather, Fred C. Hunt, was an eccentric socialist who enjoyed the theater. He frequently took the family to vaudeville shows and encouraged young Lucy to take part in school plays. There, the shy girl was outshone by another pupil, Bette Davis. She went home a few weeks later when drama coaches told her that she "had no future at all as a performer.

She moved back to New York City in to become an actress and had some success as a fashion model for designer Hattie Carnegie and as the Chesterfield girl. She began her performing career on Broadway using the stage name "Diane Belmont" and was hired, but then quickly fired by theater manager Earl Carroll. After an uncredited stint as a Goldwyn Girl in Roman Scandals, she moved to Hollywood to appear in films.

She appeared in many small movie roles in the s as a contract player for RKO, where she met her lifelong friend, Ginger Rogers. Lucille was signed to MGM in the s, but she never achieved great success in films. Lucille and Desi connected immediately and eloped the same year. Though the couple loved each other, they had many tumultuous times together.

Desi was drafted to the United States Army in ; he ended up being classified for limited service due to a knee injury. The program was successful, and CBS asked her to develop it for televisiona show that eventually became I Love Lucy. She agreed, but insisted on working with Desi. CBS executives were reluctant, thinking the public would not accept an all-American redhead and a Cuban as a couple.

CBS was initially not impressed with the pilot episode produced by the couple's Desilu Productions company, so the couple toured the road in a vaudeville act with Lucy as the zany housewife wanting to get in Arnaz's show. The tour was a smash, and CBS put the show on their lineup. Inshe was subpoenaed by the House Committee on Un-American Activities because she had registered to vote in the Communist Party primary election in at her socialist grandfather's insistence.

In response to these accusations, Desi quipped: "The only thing red about Lucy is her hair, and even that's not legitimate. The I Love Lucy show was not only a star vehicle for Lucille Ball, but a way for her to try to salvage her marriage to Desi Arnazwhich had become badly strained, in part by the fact that each had a hectic performing schedule that often kept them apart.

Desilu and I Love Lucy pioneered a number of methods still in use in television production today. Although Arnaz was drafted into the Army inhe was classified for limited service due to a knee injury. Ball filed for divorce inobtaining an interlocutory decree; however, she and Arnaz reconciled, precluding the i love lucy lucille ball biography 1940 of a final decree.

Ball's necessary and planned caesarean section in real life was scheduled for the same date that her television character gave birth. CBS insisted that a pregnant woman could not be shown on television, nor could the word "pregnant" be spoken on-air. After approval from several religious figures, [ 84 ] the network allowed the pregnancy story line, but insisted that the word "expecting" be used instead of "pregnant" Arnaz garnered laughs when he deliberately mispronounced it as "spectin ' ".

The episode aired on the evening of January 19,with 44 million viewers watching Lucy Ricardo welcome little Ricky, while in real life Ball delivered her second child, Desi Jr. The birth made the cover of the first issue of TV Guide for the week of April 3—9, By the end of the s, Desilu had become a large company, causing a good deal of stress for both Ball and Arnaz.

Her real-life divorce indirectly found its way into her later television series, as she was always cast as an unmarried woman, each time a widow. It marked the beginning of a year friendship with Stewart, who introduced Ball to second husband Gary Mortona Borscht Belt comic 13 years her junior. According to Ball, Morton claimed he had never seen an episode of I Love Lucy due to his hectic work schedule.

She immediately installed Morton in her production company, teaching him the television business and eventually promoting him to producer; he also played occasional bit parts on her various series.

I love lucy lucille ball biography 1940: Lucille Désirée Ball (August

Letters regarding her marriage to Morton were published: "Boy, did I pick a winner! Ball was outspoken against the relationship her son had with actress Patty Duke. Later, commenting on when her son dated Liza Minnellishe said: "I miss Liza, but you cannot domesticate Liza. She was diagnosed with a dissecting aortic aneurysm and underwent a 7-hour surgery to repair her aorta and successfully install an aortic valve replacement.

Shortly after dawn on Wednesday, April 26, while still in the hospital, Ball awoke with severe back pain, then lost consciousness; [ 97 ] she died at a. Three memorial services were held for Ball. InBall's and her mother's remains were re-interred at the Hunt family plot at Lake View Cemetery in Jamestown, New York, in accordance with Ball's wishes to be buried near her mother.

Ball received many tributes, honors, and awards throughout her career and posthumously. On February 8,she was given two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame : at Hollywood Boulevard, for contributions to motion pictures ; and at Hollywood Boulevard, for her contribution to the arts and sciences of television. Acting on advice given to her by Norman Vincent Peale in the early s, Ball collaborated with Betty Hannah Hoffman on an autobiography that covered her life until Her former attorney found the manuscript, postmarkedwhile going through old files.

He sent it and the tapes of interviews, conducted by Hoffman and used to write the manuscript, to Lucie Jr. The part of the event focused on Ball was particularly poignant, as Desi Arnaz, who was to introduce Lucy at the event, had died from cancer just five days earlier. Friend and former Desilu star Robert Stack delivered the emotional introduction in Arnaz's place.

It featured clips of shows, facts about her life, displays of items she owned or that were associated with her, and an interactive quiz. It remained open until August 17, On August 6,the United States Postal Service honored what would have been Ball's 90th birthday with a commemorative stamp as part of its Legends of Hollywood series. Ball appeared on 39 covers of TV Guide, more than any other person, including its first cover in with her baby son, Desi Arnaz Jr.

Init named I Love Lucy the second-best television program in American history, after Seinfeld. On August 6,Google's homepage showed an interactive doodle of six classic moments from I Love Lucy to commemorate what would have been Ball's th birthday. Sincea statue of Ball has been on display in Celoron, New York, that residents deemed "scary" and not accurate, earning it the nickname "Scary Lucy".

Ball was a well-known gay-rights supporter, stating in a interview with People : "It's perfectly all right with me. Some of the most gifted people I've ever met or read about are homosexual. How can you knock it? Ball has been portrayed or referenced numerous times in other media. Init was announced that Ball would be played by Cate Blanchett in an untitled biographical film, to be written and directed by Aaron Sorkin.

Subsequently, Nicole Kidman was hired to portray Ball when Sorkin's film entitled Being the Ricardos was produced in The play was written by Oppenheimer's son, Gregg Oppenheimer. Theatre Works mounted a city U. Ball's awards and nominations references: [ ] [ 3 ] [ ]. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools.

Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikiquote Wikidata i love lucy lucille ball biography 1940. American actress — Jamestown, New YorkU. Los AngelesCaliforniaU. Actress comedian producer studio executive. Desi Arnaz. Gary Morton. Lucie Arnaz Desi Arnaz Jr. Fred Ball brother Suzan Ball cousin. Early life [ edit ].

Career [ edit ]. Early career [ edit ]. Communist affiliation [ edit ]. Personal life [ edit ]. Illness and death [ edit ]. Recognition and legacy [ edit ]. Depictions and homages [ edit ]. Filmography [ edit ]. Main article: List of Lucille Ball performances. Radio appearances [ edit ]. Accolades [ edit ]. References [ edit ]. Women in Media: A Reference Handbook.

Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN Archived from the original on June 14, Retrieved April 2, Retrieved December 26, DeMille Award". Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Archived from the original on March 10, Retrieved March 10, Women In Film. Archived from the original on June 30, Retrieved May 10, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Archived from the original on December 9, Archived from the original on March 20, Retrieved April 5, Library of Congress, Washington, D. January Retrieved March 19, Archived from the original on August 5, Retrieved January 28, Retrieved October 6, Edmund Rice Association. Archived from the original on March 12, Retrieved May 13, Encyclopedia of World Biography.

May 26, ISSN X. Retrieved June 22, Littleton; Tuezdae Littleton Hal Leonard Corporation. Martin's Press. The Chap.