Who Loves Lucy? Lucy Memorabilia is Abundant
By Teresa Ambord
One of the first and best-loved sitcoms ever produced was "I Love Lucy." Not only was the show imaginative and new, but also it starred a pioneer of radio and movie comedy, Lucille Ball.
Lucy's career began when she was hired to represent a cigarette company as "The Chesterfield Girl." Following that, she landed her first movie role as a slave girl in a Samuel Goldwyn movie called "Roman Scandals." Later, on the set of another movie "Too Many Girls," Lucille Ball she met her future husband, Desi Arnaz. By the time "I Love Lucy" began in 1951, she had an established film career. She was the "Queen of the B Movies." You can see a collection of posters from her early movies as well as from "I Love Lucy" by clicking below.
Starting Something Big
"I Love Lucy" got its start after producers of Lucy's radio show, "My Favorite Husband" asked her to translate her radio role into a TV program. Lucy agreed, provided Desi could play her husband. It is widely believed that their marriage was floundering and Lucy hoped to save it by arranging for the two of them to work together on a new project.
Many observers at the time had the impression that, by insisting Desi be her costar, Lucy created his career. But ironically, it was Desi's genius for the entertainment industry that propelled her to true stardom. The producers of "I Love Lucy" wanted the couple to move to New York, where the show was set and where other shows of that time were being filmed. But Lucy and Desi wanted to remain at home in Southern California. To appease the producers and still stay in their west coast home, Desi Arnaz developed the three-camera technique, which allowed the show to be filmed in front of a live, Southern California audience, and the film shipped to New York.
A Six-Year Run
The six-year run of "I Love Lucy" ended in 1957, after which the couple did a series of one hour shows called the "Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour." When that show ended, so did the marriage.
Within a year, Lucy married Gary Morton (to whom she remained married until her death in 1989). But with the end of the "I Love Lucy" show, the comedy world had not had enough of Lucille Ball. From 1962-1968 she starred in "The Lucy Show" as Lucy Carmichael. And then from 1968-1974 she starred in "Here's Lucy."
