Speaking Volumes | Remembering the pioneering TV show ‘I Love Lucy’ at 70
This month marks the 70th anniversary of the beloved and groundbreaking TV sitcom, “I Love Lucy”, starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. The title “I Love Lucy” may evoke images of Lucy and Desi’s zany comedic antics, but in addition to being entertainers the couple were shrewd business people and pioneers in the television industry.
Born in Jamestown, N.Y., in 1911, Lucille Ball loved performing and set her sights on a career in show business early on. After a disappointing experience in drama school, a brief career as a model, and some minor film roles, Ball received the lead role in the radio comedy “My Favorite Husband”.
Desi Arnaz fled from Cuba to Miami with his family after Batista’s rise to power. He began working as a musician and bandleader, which led to roles in films. In 1940 he met Ball at the RKO studios where he was filming “Too Many Girls”. Five months later they were married.
When CBS decided to make a version of “My Favorite Husband” for television, Ball wanted Arnaz to play her TV husband. The couple met with resistance. The studio was reluctant to cast a Cuban in a lead role. The couple stood firm in their battle against this discrimination and eventually they were cast as Lucy and Ricky Ricardo in “I Love Lucy”.
Ball further broke barriers in television in 1953 when her second pregnancy was worked into the storyline of the show. Both CBS and the sponsor of the show, Phillip Morris, had objected to a pregnant woman appearing on television. Initially, even the word “pregnant” was changed to” expectant” in the scripts.
The innovations of the “I Love Lucy” production brought lasting changes to the television industry. Most TV shows of that time were filmed live. Ball and Arnaz offered to pay out of their own pocket to record episodes on high quality film if they could retain ownership of the films.
With the profits from syndication, they grew their production company, Desilu Studios. The studio went on to produce hits like “Mission: Impossible”, and “Star Trek”. When Ball bought out Arnaz’s interest in the company after their divorce, she became the first woman to head a Hollywood studio.
The library has several books available about Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and their shows are available on DVD and Hoopla, the library’s digital media service.
After Ball’s death in 1989, an autobiography written in the 1960s was found among her personal papers. This was later published as “Love, Lucy.” Family photos paired with Ball’s reflections on her early days and stories of navigating the business make this an engaging read.
“Desilu: The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz,” by Coyne Steven Sanders and Tim Gilbert is a behind-the-scenes look at the professional and personal partnership of Ball and Arnaz.
Among the very popular “Who Was?” series of illustrated biographies for children, you will find “Who Was Lucille Ball?” by Pam Polack and Meg Belviso. This book blends the story of Lucile Ball’s life with interesting bits of trivia.
For more information, you can access your library online at: www.mymanatee.org/library. Free masks are available at all library locations. Manatee Libraries are fine free! Please note that lost/damaged fees still apply.
Mary Lysaght is the librarian for Manatee County’s Central Library in Bradenton.
This story was originally published October 13, 2021 at 12:22 PM.