Lucy & Desi
Desi Arnaz 1917-1986
Since March 2nd
is Desi Arnaz's birthday, we decided to take a peek at some of the amazing breakthroughs both he and Lucille Ball made in situational comedy. As the first television program to have
a child born as part of the plot, "I Love Lucy" traversed uncharted territory and succeeded. Its success was
mainly a result of the business head of Desi Arnaz combined with the comedic
talent of Lucille Ball. Together
they created history, but their individual talents were very obvious.
When he was only 16, Arnaz
moved to the states from Cuba with his mother. This was during a time of much political unrest in
Cuba. The two fled to Florida
taking very little with them.
Arnaz took odd jobs to make ends meet such as cleaning birdcages and
selling fruit. When his father
joined them six months later, he was able to use some of his Cuban connections
to secure his son an audition with the "Siboney Septet". They were impressed but required Arnaz
to complete high school before allowing him to join the Xavier Cugat
Orchestra. Soon after touring, he
would take a lead roll in the Broadway musical, "Too Many Girls" and his talent would be widely recognized.
Perhaps the most memorable
contribution to television history came when Arnaz and his wife Lucille Ball
starred together in their own series, "I Love Lucy." The show debuted on October 15th, 1951 and
continued until 1956. Desi and
Lucy divorced shortly after the show ended and Arnaz soon married Edie
Mack. They were together until her
death. Arnaz served as an
Ambassador to Latin America under President Richard M. Nixon, and his
autobiography "A Book" was a New York Times Bestseller. Desi Arnaz died of lung cancer on
December 2nd, 1986. He
will be remembered for his musical and acting talents and for his keen sense of
business.
Source: Internet
Obituary Network
Additional Learning
Links for Desi Arnaz
Desi Arnaz Tribute Page
This page has a brief biography of Arnaz, a photo gallery, a filmography section, and links to other
related sites.
Source: An
AmSon Production
Reading Level: Moderate
Solid! Desi Arnaz
Visit this online
encyclopedia of lounge, big band, classic jazz, and space-age sounds. This particular page is centered on
Arnaz and his work as an entertainer.
Source: Parabrisas 2002
Reading Level: Moderate
Obits.com-Internet Obituary Network
This in-depth look at Desi
Arnaz relates his many important contributions to the music and film
industry. Towards the end of the
page you'll find a list of suggested books for further reading.
Source: Internet Obituary Network
Reading Level: Hard
APBnews.com-The G-Files:
Desi Arnaz
Here you'll find history, newspaper clippings, FBI files, letters, memos, and reports related to Arnaz's
show, "The Untouchables."
According to the FBI, the show portrayed agents in a not-so-pleasant
light.
Source: APB
Multimedia Incorporated
Reading Level: Adult
Lucille Ball 1911-1989
Everyone loves Lucy. Well, not everyone but pretty
close. Born on August 6th,
1911 in Celoron, New York, this snappy little red head lays claim to the titles
of television comedienne, producer, and actress. Her first movie roll was a chorus girl in "Roman Scandals" in 1934. After appearing in over
60 films, Ball played a crazy wife to a serious banker for the CBS radio
program, "My Favorite Husband."
After four years CBS proposed the idea of changing the show to
television. Ball would only do it
if her real-life husband Desi Arnaz played her TV husband.
The members of CBS were
skeptical about a red head housewife and Cuban bandleader as a believable
couple, but the show was an overnight success. Lucy was funny, sexy, and won the world over with her crazy
schemes. Ball continued filming
during her pregnancy and the public kept a close eye on the impending
birth. Over 44 million people
watched as Lucy "gave birth" to Little Ricky. Coincidentally the day this particular episode aired, Ball
gave birth to a baby boy who she named Desi Jr.
In 1960, Ball and Arnaz
ended their 20 years of marriage with divorce. By 1967, Ball sold Desilu Productions for 17 million dollars
making 10 million dollars on the deal.
Ball and her new husband Gary Morton then formed Lucille Ball
Productions. In 1989, Ball
underwent open-heart surgery and a week later, died of a ruptured aorta. She was 77 years old but the public
will always remember her during the prime of her life as vivacious and
hilarious.
Source: A
& E Productions
Additional Learning
Links for Lucille Ball
 |
| Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc |
Biography.com
This site allows you to
access over 200,000 biographies including this page all about Lucille Ball.
Source: A&E Television Networks
Reading Level: Moderate
Lucy Library
Devoted entirely to the
ultimate Lucy fan, this site has an episode guide, photo archives, new
releases, Lucy music, a television schedule, and more.
Source: CBS Worldwide Incorporated
Reading Level: Easy
The Lucille
Ball File
Check the Lucy News flash,
updates, movies, radio, television, awards, library, audio, or schedules for
upcoming events, all associated with Lucille Ball.
Source: Ted
Nesi & Individual Owners of Content
Reading Level: Moderate
Lucille Ball's
Hollywood
This is a list of L.A.
locations related to Lucy's life and death. Find out where she lived, worked, died, and was buried.
Source: Gary
J. Wayne
Reading Level: Easy
Time 100:
Artist & Entertainers
Read this commentary by
Richard Zoglin about the life, love, and laughter of Lucille Ball. Check out the sidebar for quick facts.
Source: Time,
Inc.
Reading Level: Hard
I Love Lucy
Facts about the Show and the 1950's
In 1952 the show reached
ten million viewers.
In 1953, with the birth of
Little Ricky, the show reached 44 million viewers breaking the record it had
previously set.
"I Love Lucy" aired for six years and was never less than 3rd in the Nielsen ratings. For four years it was number one.
The show won over 200
awards and received five Emmy's.
In 1989, when Lucille Ball
passed away, "I Love Lucy" was still in syndication in more than 80 countries.
Even though Ball could
sing rather well, her acting skills became obvious when she would purposely
sing off key creating laughter from the audience.
While the show was airing
in 1952, Franklin National Bank in Franklin Square, New York issued the very
first bank credit card.
The fifties were a time of
revolutionary ideas including the creation of fast-food chains. McDonald's, Burger King, Kentucky Fried
Chicken, and Jack-in-the-Box all opened for business in the 1950's.
The T.V. dinner was
created in 1952, out of necessity by Swanson & Sons. They had to do something with 270 tons
of leftover Thanksgiving turkey!
Additional Learning
Links for I Love Lucy
 |
| USPS |
I
Love Lucy's 50th Show
Developed as a tribute to
the show that hasn't been off the air since October 15th, 1951, this site is the ultimate experience for fans.
Use the creative "I Love Lucy" site navigator to connect with Lucy and Ricky, The Mertzes, Screen Savers, Fun Facts, Retromercials, sights and sounds
of the show, and a guide to the 50th Anniversary Tour.
Source: TV
Land
Reading Level: Moderate
All About Lucy: Webzine for Lucy Fans
This comprehensive website
has a photo of the week, recent articles about the show or its actors, letters
from Lucy fans, Lucie and Desi Jr. updates, views, reviews, and lots more. Check the section "In Loving Memory" for people associated with the show.
Locate historical photos, articles of interest, art related to the show,
electric magazines, and book links.
Source: LucyFan.com
Reading Level: Moderate
The Lucille Ball Family Website
Created by Coburn Design
and presented by the family of Lucille Ball, this site keeps you up to date on
the events surrounding the 50th Anniversary of "I Love Lucy". There is an interactive tour section,
CBS special, and plenty of Lucy Links.
Source: The Lucille Ball Family
Reading Level: Hard
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