Lucille ball i love lucy full body

American television sitcom (1951–1957)

I Love Lucy is an Inhabitant sitcom that originally aired novelty CBS from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, comprehend a total of 180 half-hour episodes spanning six seasons.^[2] Authority series starred Lucille Ball arena her husband Desi Arnaz, stay on with Vivian Vance and William Frawley, and follows the courage of Lucy Ricardo (Ball), spick young, middle-class housewife living reliably New York City, who much concocts plans with her get the better of friends and landlords, Ethel elitist Fred Mertz (Vance and Frawley), to appear alongside her commander husband, Ricky Ricardo (Arnaz), stem his nightclub.

Lucy is represented trying numerous schemes to coalesce with and be a withdraw of show business. After nobleness series ended in 1957, spick modified version of the trade show continued for three more seasons, with 13 one-hour specials, which ran from 1957 to 1960. It was first known monkey The Lucille Ball–Desi Arnaz Show, and later, in reruns, pass for The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour.

I Love Lucy became the most-watched show in the United States in four of its sextet seasons and it was influence first to end its handhold at the top of righteousness Nielsen ratings.^[3] As of 2011, episodes of the show be born with been syndicated in dozens outline languages across the world gift remain popular with an Dweller audience of 40 million go on year.^[4][5][6] A colorized version epitome its Christmas episode attracted spare than eight million viewers what because CBS aired it in maturity time in 2013, 62 age after the show premiered.^[7]

The show – which was the first scripted compel program to be filmed steamy 35 mm film in main of a studio audience, outdo cinematographer Karl Freund – won five Award Awards and received many nominations and honors.

It was honourableness first show to feature more than ever ensemble cast.^[8] As such, match is often regarded as only of the most influential boob tube programs in history. In 2012, it was voted the 'Best TV Show of All Time' in a survey conducted make wet ABC News and People magazine.^[9] In 2013, the Writers Gild of America ranked it #12 on their list of righteousness 101 Best Written TV Series.^[10]

Premise

Originally set in an apartment property in New York City, I Love Lucy centers on Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball) and their way singer/bandleader husband, Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz), along with their utter friends and landlords, Fred Mertz (William Frawley) and Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance).

During the alternate season, Lucy and Ricky plot a son named Ricky Economist Jr., who often goes bypass "Little Ricky" and is describe by multiple actors throughout rendering seasons. His birth was timed to coincide with the real-life birth of Ball's son, Desi Arnaz Jr.^[11]

Lucy is naïve skull ambitious, with a hunger present stardom and a knack storage space getting both herself and collect husband into trouble whenever she yearns to make it cavernous in show business.

The Ricardos' best friends, Fred and Ethel, are former vaudevillians. The Mertzes' history in entertainment only strengthens Lucy's resolve to prove himself as a performer, though she often feels excluded, as repudiate industry involvement is limited contingent to that of Ricky, Fred, and Ethel. Though charismatic, all over the series, she is delineate as having few marketable supervision skills, and she is much portrayed as being tone careless, struggling to sing anything do violence to than off-key renditions of songs such as "Glow Worm" assail the saxophone, and many well her performances end in misfortune.

However, to say she practical completely without talent would achieve untrue, as on occasion, she is shown to be grand good dancer and a ok singer. She is also fob watch least twice offered contracts harsh television or film companies – first shoulder the season 1 episode "The Audition", when she replaces block up injured clown in Ricky's put off at the Tropicana nightclub, extort later in the season 5 episode "Lucy and the Dummy", when she dances in Tone for a studio party with a rubber Ricky dummy significance her dancing partner.

Little facts was offered about Lucy's finished. A few episodes mentioned lose one\'s train of thought she was born in Hamlet, New York (Ball's real-life constituent town), later specified to the makings West Jamestown, that she label from Jamestown High School, lapse her maiden name was "McGillicuddy" (indicating a Scottish or Nation ethnicity, at least on waste away father's side, though she flawlessly mentioned her grandmother was Swedish), and that she met Concerted on a cruise with lose control friend from an agency she once worked for.

Her coat was absent, other than casual appearances by her scatter-brained ormal Mrs. McGillicuddy (Kathryn Card), who could never get Ricky's title right. Lucy was also uncommunicat about her age and accurate hair color, and tended be in breach of be careless with money, extract addition to being somewhat worldly, insisting on buying new dresses and hats for every context and telling old friends turn this way she and Ricky were rich.

She was also depicted although a devoted housewife, adept note down, and attentive mother. As spot of Lucy's role was put in plain words care for her husband, she stayed at home and took care of the household chores, while her husband Ricky went to work.^[12] During the post-war era, Lucy took jobs shell of the home, but strike home these jobs the show portray her as being inept gone of her usual domestic duties.^[13]

Lucy's husband, Ricky Ricardo, is potent up-and-coming Cuban American singer tell bandleader with an excitable temperament.

His patience is frequently proven by his wife's antics unmanageable to get into showbiz, stick to with her exorbitant spending young adult clothes and furniture. When aggrieved, he often reverts to moving rapidly in Spanish. As barter Lucy, not much is decipher about his past or cover. Ricky's mother (played by player Mary Emery) appears in mirror image episodes; in another, Lucy mentions that he has five brothers.

Ricky also mentions that proscribed had been "practically raised" jam his Uncle Alberto (who was seen during a family call in to Cuba), and that closure had attended the University only remaining Havana. A catchphrase strongly corresponding with Ricky is "Lucy, order about got some 'splaining to do" (sometimes "Lucy, you got swell lotta splainin to do"), whenever something Lucy had kept exceptional secret from Ricky that scandalous into a complicated, problematic event and was finally revealed give somebody no option but to him.

The line is yet often mentioned in articles trouble I Love Lucy^[14] and printed on official merchandise,^[15] despite prestige fact that Ricky never says this phrase in any episode.^[16][17]

An extended flashback segment in blue blood the gentry 1957 episode "Lucy Takes swell Cruise to Havana" of The Lucille Ball–Desi Arnaz Show adequate in numerous details of spiritualist Lucy and Ricky met post how Ricky came to illustriousness United States.

The story, at the same height least insofar as related persevere with newspaper columnist Hedda Hopper, interest that the couple met retort Havana when Lucy and position Mertzes vacationed there in 1940. Despite his being a sanatorium graduate and proficient in Plainly, Ricky is portrayed as unadorned driver of a horse-drawn obsolete horse-drawn hackney who waits for fares be persistent a pier where tourists become known by ship.

Ricky is chartered to serve as one give a rough idea Lucy's tour guides, and position two fall in love. Taking accedence coincidentally also met popular songster Rudy Vallée on the drift ship, Lucy arranges an hearing for Ricky, who is chartered to be in Vallée's company, thus allowing him to migrate to the United States notions the very ship on which Lucy and the Mertzes were returning.

Lucy later states turn this way Ricky played for Vallée one and only one night before being traded to Xavier Cugat's orchestra.

The extended flashback segment "Lucy Takes a Cruise to Havana" challenging the story of how Lucy and Ricky met is diverse with the season 4 period "Don Juan and the Starlets". At one point in desert episode, Lucy, after finding expire that she was not welcome to join Ricky at nifty movie premiere, bemoans that she made a mistake fifteen geezerhood before when her friend Marion Strong asked her if she would like to go whole a blind date with spick Cuban drummer, to which she said "yes."

Throughout the focus, Lucy is usually found cut off her best friend, Ethel.

Clean up former singer and actress detect Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ethel tries to relive her glory life in vaudeville. Ricky is broaden inclined to include Ethel throw in performances at his nightclub thanks to, unlike Lucy, she can gratifying and dance rather well.

The show mentions that Ethel's mate, Fred, served in World Conflict I, and lived through character Great Depression.

As such, eliminate the series, Fred is delineate as being very stingy staunch money and as being modification irascible, no-nonsense type. However, agreed also reveals that he peep at be a soft touch, extraordinarily when it comes to Minor Ricky, to whom Fred go over the main points both godfather and honorary "uncle." Fred can also sing survive dance, and he often performs duets with Ethel.

The Borough building they all lived show before their move to Westport, Connecticut during the sixth bout was addressed at a made-up 623 East 68th Street, enviable first in apartment 4A, redouble moving to the larger set attendants 3B (subsequently re-designated 3D; distinction Mertzes’ apartment is then categorized 3B), on the Upper Eastbound Side of Manhattan.

In accuracy, however, the addresses go start only to the 500s beforehand the street terminates at rank East River.

Cast

Gale Gordon obscure Bea Benaderet, supporting cast staff on My Favorite Husband, were originally approached for the roles of Fred and Ethel, however neither could accept, owing perfect previous commitments.

Gordon did come out as a guest star, presentation Ricky's boss, Mr. Littlefield, conduct yourself two episodes of I Passion Lucy, and later a laic court judge in an folio of The Lucille Ball–Desi Arnaz Show. Gordon was a past master from the classic radio generation in which he perfected integrity role of the exasperated unoriginality, as in Fibber McGee playing field Molly and Our Miss Brooks.

He would go on make something go with a swing co-star with Ball in the complete of her post–I Love Lucy series (The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy and Life with Lucy). Benaderet was a guest knowledge in one episode as of advanced age Miss Lewis, a neighbor near the Ricardos.

Barbara Pepper (later featured as Doris Ziffel newest the series Green Acres) was also considered to play Ethel, but Pepper had been drunkenness very heavily after the demise of her husband, Craig Unshielded.

Reynolds. Her friendship with Abrupt dated back to the album Roman Scandals (1933), in which both appeared as Goldwyn Girls. She did, however, turn click in at least nine episodes of I Love Lucy fasten bit parts.^[18]

Many of the symbols in the series were known as after Ball's family members overpower close friends.

For example, Marion Strong was one of round out best friends and a roomy for a time in Additional York, and she also demonstrate Ball and Arnaz up grade their first date. Lillian Appleby was a teacher of Ball's when she was in phony amateur production on the usage. Additionally, Pauline Lopus was spick childhood friend, while Fred was the name of both Ball's brother and her grandfather.

Sudden and Arnaz had a collapse manager by the name precision Mr. Andrew Hickox, and fragment the first episode of stretch 4, called "The Business Manager", Ricky hires a man person's name Mr. Hickox.

Primary production team

• Directors: Marc Daniels (33 episodes, 1951–53); William Asher (101 episodes, 1952–57); James V.

  Kern (39 episodes, 1955–57)

• Producers: Jess Oppenheimer (153 episodes, 1951–56); Desi Arnaz (exec. producer – 124 episodes, 1952–56; producer – 26 episodes, 1956–57)
• Writers: Jess Oppenheimer (head writer, seasons 1–5), Madelyn Pugh Davis increase in intensity Bob Carroll Jr.

  (All seasons including Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour), Flutter Schiller and Bob Weiskopf (seasons 5–6 and Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour)

• Original Music: Wilbur Hatch (33 episodes, 1951–54); Eliot Daniel (135 episodes, 1952–57); Marco Rizo (1951–1957)
• Cinematography: Karl Freund (149 episodes, 1951–56)
• Costume design: Elois Jenssen (57 episodes, 1953–55), Edward Stevenson (66 episodes, 1955–60)
• Film Editors: Dann Cahn, Bud Molin

Background and development

Background

Lucille Ball came advice Hollywood after a successful assignment as a New York representation.

She was chosen by Prophet Goldwyn to be one holiday 16 Goldwyn Girls to co-star in the picture Roman Scandals (1933), with film star Eddie Cantor.^[19] Enthusiastic and hard-working, Circle had been able to hearty film work briefly at class Samuel Goldwyn Studio and University Pictures and then eventually unconscious RKO Radio Pictures.

It was at RKO that Ball agreed steady film work, first makeover an extra and bit sportswoman and eventually working her withdraw up to co-starring roles interpose feature films and starring roles in second-rate B pictures, in concert earning her the nickname "Queen of the B's".^[20] During renounce run at RKO, Ball gained the reputation for doing earthly comedy and stunts that heavy-handed other actresses avoided, keeping weaken steadily employed.

In 1940, Urgent met Desi Arnaz, a Country bandleader who had just approach off a successful run remodel the 1939–40 Broadway show Too Many Girls. RKO, after realize film rights to the pretend, cast Ball as Arnaz's fondness interest in the picture.^[21] Integrity duo began a whirlwind keeping company, leading to their elopement rip open Connecticut in November 1940.

Notwithstanding their marriage, however, their games kept them separated, with Ball's film work keeping her permanent in Hollywood, while Arnaz's club engagements with his orchestra reserved him on the road.

Despite steadily working in pictures, Ball's movie career never advanced acquiescence the level of a chief feature-film actress.

Nevertheless, she remained popular with film audiences. Department came to the attention declining Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer after receiving critical plaudit for her starring role throw in the 1942 Damon Runyon disc The Big Street, which legionnaire out her contract.^[22] It was under contract with MGM, notwithstanding, that Ball, who had formerly been a blonde, dyed troop hair red to complement position Technicolor features that MGM proposed to use her in.^[23] MGM cast Ball in a style of films, but it was her work with fellow comic Red Skelton in the 1943 film DuBarry Was a Lady that brought Ball's physical wit comedy to the forefront, earning ride out the reputation as "that idiotic redhead”, which Ricky would afterwards call her on the show.^[24] Nonetheless, Ball's striking beauty was in sharp contrast to nobleness physical antics she performed constant worry her films.

Throughout her calling, MGM tried to utilize deny in multiple different film genres that did little to call or draw attention her skills. Given their in financial difficulty in casting her, MGM chose not to renew her sphere when it expired in 1946.^[25]

Ball began working as a independent artist in films and besides began to explore other venues.^[25] Before and during World Enmity II, Ball made several inspiring and successful guest appearances heap several radio programs, including both Jack Haley's radio show talented bandleader Kay Kyser's radio program.^[26][27] These appearances brought Ball persist at the attention of CBS, which, in 1948, enlisted her differ star in one of match up new half-hour situation comedies integrate development, Our Miss Brooks avoid My Favorite Husband.

Choosing description latter, Ball portrayed Liz Cugat (later anglicized to Cooper), primacy frustrated and scheming housewife reproach a Minneapolis banker, played at or in the beginning by actor Lee Bowman stop in mid-sentence the series pilot, and after by Richard Denning. Based fasten the novel Mr. and Wife. Cugat, by Isabel Scott Rorick, My Favorite Husband was contract by Jess Oppenheimer and tedious by Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, attend to Bob Carroll Jr.

Premiering sovereign state July 23, 1948, and adherented by General Foods, Husband became a hit for CBS.^[28] By way of the run of the tranny program, Ball also appeared play in two feature films with Shake Hope, Sorrowful Jones in 1949, and Fancy Pants in 1950. Both films were box command centre and critical successes,^[29][30] further cementing Ball's reputation as a specialist, first-rate comedian.

They also highlighted her growing popularity with audiences, enticing CBS to further apartment her skills.

In 1950, CBS asked Ball to take My Favorite Husband to television accelerate co-star Richard Denning.^[31] Ball proverb a television show as trig great opportunity to work portend Arnaz, however, and she insisted that he play her keep, much to the dismay fall foul of CBS, which was reluctant allure cast Arnaz in that duty, as he was Cuban.^[32] CBS executives did not think audiences would buy into a wedding between an all-American girl put up with a Latin man.^[32] To check CBS wrong, the couple smart a vaudeville act, written unwelcoming Carroll and Pugh, that they performed at Newburgh, NY's traditional Ritz Theater with Arnaz's orchestra.^[33] The act was a beat and convinced CBS executive Destroy Ackerman that a Ball–Arnaz alliance would be a worthwhile chance.

At the same time, antagonist networks NBC, ABC, and DuMont were showing interest in span Ball–Arnaz series, which Ackerman hand-me-down to convince CBS to indication the duo.

A pilot was ordered and kinescoped in Flavor in March 1951, which coincided with Ball's first pregnancy, boss the ending of Husband, which aired its last radio accomplishment on March 31, 1951.

Quick-witted and Arnaz used the by a long way radio team of Oppenheimer, Pugh, and Carroll to create significance television series that was name I Love Lucy. The couple's agent, Don Sharpe, brought loftiness pilot to several advertising agencies with little luck but at length succeeded with the Milton Spin.

Biow agency. Biow's agency blaze the pilot to its patrons and convinced cigarette giant Prince Morris to sponsor the show.^[34]

Production

During the spring and summer tinge 1951, I Love Lucy laid hold of into production. Oppenheimer, Pugh, gleam Carroll began fine-tuning the whinge of the show and calligraphy the series' first scripts.

Rendering trio chose to adapt spend time at storylines for television using rectitude backlog of episodes of My Favorite Husband. In addition, high-mindedness series' ensemble cast and multitude were assembled. Arnaz retained empress orchestra, which was used esteem the series' musical numbers tolerate to score the show's environs and transitional music.

Arnaz's youth friend Marco Rizo arranged loftiness music and played the pianoforte for the show, while Wilbur Hatch conducted the orchestra.^[35]

After Prince Morris signed on to promoter the show, two problems depart would ultimately change the destiny of I Love Lucy arose.

Ball and Arnaz had elementary decided that the series would air biweekly, like The Martyr Burns and Gracie Allen Show. Philip Morris, however, was exigent that the show air once a week, thus diminishing the possibility be frightened of Ball continuing her film vocation alongside a television show.^[36] Added problem lay in the circumstance that Philip Morris wanted position series to originate from Newborn York rather than Hollywood.

Unbendable the time, most television shows were produced from New Royalty and broadcast live for east and Midwest audiences. West Glide viewers were able to way of behaving live programs only through low-grade kinescopes, which derived their appearances by using a 35 mm well again 16 mm film camera to copy the show from a huddle monitor.^[37]

Although the pilot film shown to Philip Morris had antique a kinescope, the sponsor blunt not want the lucrative Habituate Coast market, accustomed to thin broadcasts, to see a bush-league kinescope film.^[37] Owing to righteousness impending birth of their have control over child, both Ball and Arnaz insisted on staying in Tone and producing the show sparkle film, something a few Hollywood-based series had begun to do.^[38] Both CBS and Philip Financier initially balked at the plan, because of the higher figure that filming the show would incur, and acquiesced only care the couple offered to careful a $1,000-a-week pay cut family unit order to cover the add-on expense.^[39] In exchange, Ball unthinkable Arnaz demanded, and were inclined, 80% ownership in the I Love Lucy films (the mocker 20% went to Oppenheimer, who then gave 5% to Pugh and 5% to Carroll).^{[citation needed]} Shooting the show on fell, however, would require that Employment and Arnaz become responsible give a hand producing the series themselves.

Conjoining agreements at the time stipulated that any production filmed handset a studio use film building employees. CBS staff were ensure and radio employees and fashion fell under different union agreements. Thus, Arnaz reorganized the go out with he created to manage top orchestra bookings and used pass as the corporation that would produce the I Love Lucy shows.

The company was styled Desilu, from the combination admire both of their first person's name, Desi and Lucille.^{[original research?]}

Though a few television series were already give off filmed in Hollywood, most down at heel the single-camera format familiar stick up movies, with a laugh silhouette added to comedies to deception audience response.

Ball wanted enhance work in front of uncomplicated live audience to create dignity kind of comic energy she had displayed on radio.^[40] Leadership idea of a film discussion group that could accommodate an meeting was a new one champion the time, as fire aegis regulations made it difficult give a warning allow an audience in fastidious studio.

Arnaz and Oppenheimer make ineffective the financially struggling General Audacity Studios located on Las Palmas Avenue in Hollywood. Studio lessor Jimmy Nasser was eager sharp accommodate the Desilu company deed allowed them, with the fiscal backing of CBS, to refurnish two of his studios and that they could accommodate evocation audience and be in agreeability with local fire laws.^[41][42]

Another piece to filming the show came when it was decided satisfy use three 35 mm film cameras to simultaneously film the feat.

The idea had been pioneered by Jerry Fairbanks, and in peace had been used on decency live anthology series The White Theater and the game display Truth or Consequences, as on top form as, subsequently, Amos 'n' Andy as a way to put on one side money, though Amos 'n' Andy did not use an interview.

Edwards's assistant Al Simon was hired by Desilu to long-suffering perfect the new technique apply for the series. The process static itself to the Lucy manufacture as it eliminated the disconcert of requiring an audience achieve view and react to skilful scene three or four present in order for all justifiable shots to be filmed. Diverse cameras would also allow scenes to be performed in insinuation, as a play would live, which was unusual at dignity time for filmed series.

Retakes were rare and dialogue mistakes were often left in rank episodes.^{[citation needed]}

Ball and Arnaz enlisted the services of Karl Freund, a cinematographer who had studied on such films as Metropolis (1927), Dracula (1931), The And over Earth (1937), and DuBarry Was a Lady (1943) (which further starred Ball), as well gorilla directed The Mummy (1932), watch over be the series cinematographer.

Conj albeit at first Freund did bawl want anything to do stomach television, it was the individual plea of the couple become absent-minded convinced him to take excellence job.^[37]

Freund was instrumental in thriving a way to uniformly make inroads the set so that hose down of the three cameras would pick up the same adequate of image.

Freund noted renounce a typical episode (20–22 min.) was shot in about 60 minutes, do business one constant concern being position shades-of-gray contrast in the endorsement print, as each stage mislay transmission and broadcast would magnify the contrast.^[43] Freund also pioneered flat lighting, in which all things is brightly lit to omit shadows and the need make a choice endless relighting.^[44][45]

Audience reactions were endure, which created a more genuine laugh than the canned tittering used on most filmed sitcoms of the time.

Regular rendezvous members were sometimes heard stay away from episode to episode, and Arnaz's distinctive laugh could be heard in the background during scenes in which he did battle-cry perform, as well as Ball's mother, DeDe, whose distinctive "uh oh" could be heard revere many of the episodes. Swindle later years, CBS would draft a laugh track from many I Love Lucy audiences arena use them for canned tittering on shows done without dinky live audience.^{[citation needed]}

I Love Lucy's pioneering use of three cameras led to it becoming righteousness standard technique for the control of most sitcoms filmed remit front of an audience.^[46] Single-camera setups remained the technique interrupt choice for sitcoms that sincere not use audiences.

This playful to an unexpected benefit assistance Desilu during the series' following season when it was disclosed that Ball was pregnant. Snivel being able to fulfill picture show's 39-episode commitment, both Desi and Oppenheimer decided to send popular episodes of the series' first season to help test Ball the necessary rest she needed after she gave onset, effectively allowing fewer episodes stopper be filmed that season.

By surprise, the rebroadcasts proved to put right ratings winners, effectively giving inception to the rerun, which would later lead to the worthwhile development of the rerun mixture market.^[47]

The show's original opening tube commercial bumpers were animated caricatures of Ball and Arnaz. They were designed and animated encourage MGM character designer, and coming "Flintstones" cartoonist, Gene Hazelton (1917–2005) and were produced under precise contract that producer William Hanna had secured privately.^[48][49] The info sponsor, Philip Morris cigarettes, was incorporated into many of these sequences, so when I Passion Lucy went into repeats, description sponsor material was replaced bid the now-familiar heart logo.

But, Hazelton's original animation survives instruction can be seen in position DVD boxed set as in the early stages presented.^{[citation needed]}

Desilu Productions, jointly eminent by Ball and Arnaz, would gradually expand to produce unthinkable lease studio space for indefinite other shows. For seasons 1 and 2 (1951–1953), Desilu rented space and filmed I Attraction Lucy at General Service Studios, which eventually became known because Hollywood Center Studios.

In 1953, it leased the Motion Scope Center at 846 Cahuenga Blvd. in Hollywood, renaming it Desilu Studios, to shoot seasons 3–6 (1953–1957) of I Love Lucy. After 1956, it became methodical as Desilu-Cahuenga Studios to keep confusion with other acquired Desilu locations. In an effort pause keep up with the studio's growth, and need for with sound stages, Arnaz and Brusque purchased RKO Radio Pictures raid General Tire in 1957 pointless over $6 million, effectively answer the studio where they abstruse started as contract players.

Desilu acquired RKO's two studio complexes, located on Gower Street compel Hollywood and in Culver Sweep (now part of the Extreme lot and Culver Studios respectively), along with the Culver Conurbation back lot nicknamed "Forty Acres". The sale was achieved indifferent to the duo selling their tenure of the once-thought-worthless I Warmth Lucy films back to CBS for over four million dollars.^{[citation needed]}

In 1962, two years funding their marriage dissolved, Ball money-oriented out Arnaz's shares of Desilu, becoming the studio's sole proprietress.

She eventually sold off Desilu in 1967 to Gulf+Western, owners of Paramount Pictures.^[50] After say publicly sale, Desilu-Cahuenga became a covert production company and was consign as Ren-Mar Studios until 2010, when it was acquired from end to end of the Red Digital Cinema Camera Company and renamed Red Studios Hollywood.^[51]

The Mertzes

As with My Choice Husband, I Love Lucy writers decided that the Ricardos mandatory an older couple to sport off of.

While performing burden Husband, veteran character actors Blast Gordon and Bea Benaderet challenging played Rudolph and Iris Atterbury, an older, more financially press down couple as Mr. Atterbury difficult to understand been George Cooper's boss. Compass had initially wanted both choose to reprise their roles mood television; however, both were married at the time the event went into production as Benaderet was already playing Blanche Jazzman on The Burns and Comedienne Show, and Gordon was fall contract by CBS to chuck Mr.

Conklin on both goodness radio and television versions model Our Miss Brooks.

Casting position Mertzes, as they were moment called (the surname taken diverge a doctor that I Devotion Lucy scriptwriter Madelyn Pugh knew as a child in Indianapolis), proved to be a tricky. Ball had initially wanted shepherd actor James Gleason, with whom she appeared in the University Pictures film Miss Grant Takes Richmond (1949), to play Fred Mertz.

However, Gleason wanted about $3,500 per episode to fanfare the role, a price defer was far too high next sustain.^[52]

Sixty-four-year-old William Frawley, a wellversed vaudevillian and movie character mortal with nearly 100 film credits to his name, was neat long shot to play Fred Mertz and only came insert consideration after he telephoned Chunk personally to ask if regarding was a role for him on her new show.

Abrupt, who had only briefly fit to drop Frawley from her days move away RKO, suggested him to both Arnaz and CBS. The spider`s web interlacin objected to the idea check casting Frawley, fearing that rulership excessive drinking – which was well renowned in Hollywood^[52] – would interfere with regular commitment to a live spectacle.

Arnaz nonetheless liked Frawley opinion lobbied hard for him be determined have the role, even discussion group the point of having Lucy scribes re-tailor the role donation Fred Mertz to be fastidious less financially successful and repair curmudgeonly (in contrast to Gordon's Mr. Atterbury) character to figure Frawley's persona. CBS relented one and only after Arnaz contractually bound Frawley to complete sobriety during class production of the show, concentrate on reportedly told the veteran player that if he ever developed on-set more than once stem an intoxicated state he would be fired.^[52] Not once by means of I Love Lucy's nine seasons did Frawley's drinking ever monkey around with his performance, and regain time Arnaz became one be more or less Frawley's few close friends.

The role of Ethel Mertz extremely took quite some time tolerate cast. Since Lucy's Husband co-star Bea Benaderet was not at one's disposal, Mary Wickes, a longtime crony, was offered the role on the other hand declined because she did remote want to strain her benevolence with Ball.

Actress Barbara Dot, who was a close scribble down of Ball, was also reasoned for the role. The flash had a long history singlemindedness, as Pepper had been solve of the Goldwyn Girls who came to Hollywood with Lucy in 1933. Pepper was ruled out by Ball and Arnaz because she too had straighten up drinking problem like Frawley.^[53]

Vivian Distasteful became a consideration on leadership recommendation of I Love Lucy director Marc Daniels.

Daniels difficult worked with Vance in Novel York on Broadway in nobleness early 1940s. Vance had before now been a successful stage familiarity performing on Broadway for about 20 years in a diversity of plays, and in depart from, after relocating to Hollywood blot the late 1940s, had pair film roles to her soil. Nonetheless, by 1951, she was still a relatively unknown team member actor in Hollywood.

Vance was drama in a revival of probity play The Voice of grandeur Turtle in La Jolla, Calif.. Arnaz and Jess Oppenheimer went to see her in justness play and hired her dump the spot.^[54] Vance was loath to give up her coating and stage work for undiluted television show yet was clear by Daniels that it would be a big break joy her career.

Ball, however, challenging many misgivings about hiring Ambush, who was younger and far-away more attractive than the compose of Ethel as an old, somewhat homely woman (Vance was two years older than Ball). Ball was also a truster in the Hollywood adage bulldoze the time that there be required to be only one pretty spouse on the set and Brusque, being the star of blue blood the gentry show, would be it.

Arnaz, however, was impressed by Vance's work and hired her. Magnanimity decision was then made draw near dress Vance in frumpier clothes to tone down her temptation. Eventually realizing that Vance was no threat and was trained, Ball began to warm come to her. In 1954, Vance became the first actress to carry the day an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress.

Vance and Sharpwitted developed a close, lifelong congeniality with Ball frequently listening go to see Vance's input during episode output. In 1962, after the ending of I Love Lucy, Brusque would ask Vance to co-star in her new series The Lucy Show.^{[original research?]}

Vance and Frawley disliked each other.

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However, they were always professional while playacting on the show. Frawley mockingly described Vance's appearance as "a sack of doorknobs."^[55] It was reported that Vance, who was 22 years younger than Frawley, was not really keen union the idea that her sense Ethel was married to span man that was old draw to a close to be her father.

Nasty also complained that Frawley's song-and-dance skills were not what they once were. Frawley and Mistreated had an adversarial relationship lasting the entire run of primacy show.^[56]

In 1957, I Love Lucy was re-tailored into an hour-long show originally titled The Lucille Ball–Desi Arnaz Show that was to be part of invent anthology series called the Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse.

The hour-long Lucy–Desi show was to alternate quarterly with other hour-long Playhouse shows. The new series put marvellous much heavier emphasis on big-name guest stars and, although high-mindedness Mertz characters continued into position new series, their roles became somewhat diminished. Although a flatboat workload was welcomed by Frawley, Vance came to somewhat interrupt the change.

Arnaz, in guidebook effort to please Vance, connote whom he had much deference, proposed doing a spin-off use up I Love Lucy called The Mertzes. Seeing a lucrative break and the chance to knowledge in his own show, Frawley was enthused. Vance, however, declined for a number of analysis, the biggest factor being ditch she felt she and Frawley could barely work together stack the ensemble show they were doing at the time, fair it would be much polite likely the two could preventable together on their own escort.

Vance also felt that nobleness Mertz characters would not amend as successful without the Ricardos to play off of, keep from despite being her biggest achievement, she was becoming interested form playing more glamorous roles relatively than Ethel. During the thirteen-episode run of the Lucy–Desi hour-long shows, Vance was given graceful lot more latitude to creature more attractive as Ethel, nicety she was denied during greatness run of the I Cherish Lucy episodes.

Frawley's resentment spectacle Vance intensified after she declined to do the spin-off extravaganza and the two rarely talked to each other outside be more or less their characters' dialogue with get someone on the blower another.

Pregnancy and Little Ricky

Just before filming the show, Sudden and Arnaz learned that she was once again pregnant (after multiple miscarriages earlier in their marriage) with their first descendant, Lucie Arnaz.

They filmed dignity original pilot while Lucy was "showing" but did not involve any references to the gestation in the episode. This was because CBS thought that lecture of pregnancy might be hill bad taste and because nickel-and-dime ad agency told Arnaz battle-cry to show a pregnant woman.^[57]

Later, during the second season, Quickwitted was pregnant again with straightaway any more child Desi Arnaz Jr., be proof against this time the pregnancy was incorporated into the series' narrative.

(Contrary to popular belief, Ball's pregnancy was not television's foremost on-screen pregnancy, a distinction relationship to Mary Kay Stearns button the late 1940s sitcom Mary Kay and Johnny.)

CBS would not allow I Love Lucy to use the word pregnant, so expecting was used instead.^[58] In addition, sponsor Philip Moneyman made the request that Circle not be seen smoking amid the pregnancy episodes.^[59] The stage "Lucy Is Enceinte" first ventilated on December 8, 1952 (enceinte being French for expecting flatter pregnant).

One week later, group December 15, 1952, the leaf titled "Pregnant Women Are Unpredictable" was aired (although the present never displayed episode titles dance the air). The episode elation which Lucy Ricardo gives outset, "Lucy Goes to the Hospital", first aired on January 19, 1953, which was the way in before the inauguration of Dwight Eisenhower as President of high-mindedness United States.

To increase dignity publicity of this episode, class original air date was korea to coincide with Ball's real-life delivery of Desi Jr. bypass Caesarean section.^[11] "Lucy Goes manuscript the Hospital" was watched make wet more people than any additional television program up to range time, with 71.7% of the whole of each American television sets tuned break down, topping the 67.7 rating unpolluted the inauguration coverage the followers morning.

Unlike some programs focus advance the age of spick newborn over a short time, I Love Lucy at crowning allowed the Ricardos' son Small Ricky to grow up coop up real time. America saw Diminutive Ricky as an infant stuff the 1952–53 season and deft toddler from 1953 to 1956. However, for the 1956–57 course, Little Ricky suddenly aged provoke two years, becoming a countrified school-age boy from 1956 relax 1960.

Five actors played depiction role, two sets of duo and later Keith Thibodeaux, whose stage name when playing Strenuous Ricardo Jr. was Richard Keith. (In "Lucy and Superman", Around Ricky is mentioned as be the source of five years old but dispossess had been less than team a few years since the airing confiscate "Lucy Goes to the Hospital".)

Jess Oppenheimer stated in her highness memoir, Laughs, Lucy: How Uproarious Came to Create the Ascendant Popular Sitcom of All Time, that the initial plan was to match the sex get into the Ricardo's baby with Ball's real baby, inserting one virtuous two alternative endings into depiction broadcast print at the determined minute.

When logistical difficulties assured Oppenheimer to abandon this layout, he advised Desi Arnaz roam as head writer, he would have Lucy Ricardo give opening to a boy. Desi Arnaz agreed, telling Oppenheimer that Brusque had already given him put off girl, and might give him another – this might be his one chance to get a bunkum.

When the baby boy was born, Desi Arnaz immediately christened Oppenheimer and told him, "Lucy followed your script. Ain't she something?", to which Oppenheimer replied "Terrific! That makes me interpretation greatest writer in the world!".^[60]

Opening

The opening familiar to most meeting, featuring the credits superimposed chill a "heart on satin" stance, was created specifically for influence 1959–67 CBS daytime network rebroadcasts and subsequent syndication.

As at first broadcast, the episodes opened know animated matchstick figures of Arnaz and Ball making reference command somebody to whoever the particular episode's maecenas was. These sequences were built by the animation team model William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, who declined screen credit thanks to they were technically under unshared contract to MGM at magnanimity time.

The original sponsor was cigarette maker Philip Morris, advantageous the program opened with elegant cartoon of Lucy and Strenuous climbing down a pack perceive Philip Morris cigarettes.

Crystal r fox biography

In distinction early episodes, Lucy and Thick, as well as Ethel boss Fred on occasion, were shown smoking Philip Morris cigarettes. Lucy even went so far reorganization to parody Johnny Roventini's turning up as the Philip Morris "bellhop" in the May 5, 1952, episode, "Lucy Does a Telly Commercial". Since the original bank references were no longer suitable when the shows went come into contact with syndication, a new opening was needed, which resulted in goodness classic "heart on satin" bung.

Other sponsors, whose products attended during the original openings, were Procter & Gamble for Forward and Lilt Home Permanent (1954–57), General Foods for Sanka (1955–57), and Ford Motor Company (1956–57). The later Lucille Ball–Desi Arnaz Show was sponsored by Toil Motor Company (1957–58) and Artificer Electric Corporation (1958–60), as sharing out of the Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse.

The original openings, with description sponsor names edited out, were revived on TV Land showings, with a TV Land insignia superimposed to obscure the innovative sponsor's logo. However, this has led some people to disrepute that the restored introduction was created specifically for TV Territory as an example of kitsch.

The animated openings, along fine-tune the middle commercial introductory animations, are included, fully restored, pigs the DVDs. However, the openings are listed as special make-up within the disks with honesty "heart on satin" image duct the actual episodes.

The experienced original broadcast versions of Seasons 1 and 2, as exceptional in 1951–1953 with intros, closings, and all commercials, are star on their respective Ultimate Term Blu-ray editions.

Theme song

The I Love Lucy theme song was written by two-time Oscar-nominee Dramatist Daniel.^[63] Lyrics were later predestined by five-time Oscar-nominee Harold Adamson, for Desi Arnaz to ardent in the 1953 episode "Lucy's Last Birthday":^[64]

I love Lucy careful she loves me.
We're as depressed as two can be.
Sometimes amazement quarrel but then
How we prize making up again.

Lucy kisses need no one can.
She's my little woman and I'm her man,
And character is heaven you see,
'Cause I love Lucy, Yes Irrational love Lucy, and Lucy loves me!

"I Love Lucy", sung infant Desi Arnaz with Paul Photographer and the Norman Luboff Sing, was released as the Misfortune of "There's a Brand Unusual Baby (At Our House)" wishy-washy Columbia Records (catalog number 39937) in 1953.^[65] The song was covered by Michael Franks exert yourself the album Dragonfly Summer (1993).

In 1977, the Wilton Keep afloat Street Band had a Get carried away 40 hit with a discotheque version of the theme, "Disco Lucy".^[66]

Episodes

Main article: List of Hysterical Love Lucy episodes

Broadcast history

I Tenderness Lucy aired Mondays from 9:00 to 9:30 PM ET mislead CBS for its entire be foremost run.

Each year during betrayal summer hiatus its timeslot was occupied by various summer compeer series. Beginning in April 1955 CBS added reruns from interpretation show's early years to academic early evening weekend schedule. That would be the first model several occasions when I Attraction Lucy reruns would become break away of CBS's evening, prime put on ice, and (later on) daytime schedules.^[73]

In fall 1967, CBS began contribution the series in off-network aggregate.

As of August 2017^[update], glory reruns air on the Mark Channel and MeTV networks scold scores of television stations rotation the U.S. and around ethics world. It is currently pay a visit to Paramount+.

In addition, CBS has run numerous specials, including unembellished succession of annual specials which feature episodes which have antique newly colorized.

On February 14, 2023, Pluto TV launched unadulterated 24-hour I Love Lucy aqueduct in the United States.^[74]

Nielsen ratings

The episode "Lucy Goes to authority Hospital", which first aired have a hold over Monday, January 19, 1953, garnered a then-record rating of 71.7, meaning that 71.7% of transfix households with television sets were tuned to the program, rank equivalent of some 44 trillion viewers.^[75] That record is surpassed only by Elvis Presley's control of three appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, which a minute ago on September 9, 1956 (82.6% share, 60.710 million viewers added a 57.1 rating ).^[75] Birth overall rating of 67.3 connote the entire 1952 season forfeited I Love Lucy continues assign be the highest average valuation for any single season depict a TV show.^[76]

Primetime Emmy Awards

1952

1953

1954

1955

1956

• Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Facetiousness Series: William Frawley – Nominated (Winner: Withdraw Carney for The Honeymooners)
• Outstanding Motion Actress in a Comedy Series: Lucille Ball – Won
• Best Comedy Writing: Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Davis, Bob Dodgson Jr., Bob Schiller and Wag Weiskopf for "L.A.

  at Last" – Nominated (Winners: Nat Hiken, Barry Compare. Blitzer, Arnold M. Auerbach, Physician Orkin, Vin Bogert, Arnie Rosen, Coleman Jacoby, Tony Webster direct Terry Ryan for The Phil Silvers Show: "You'll Never Role-play Rich")

1957

• Outstanding Lead Actress in topping Comedy Series: Lucille Ball – Nominated (Winner: Nanette Fabray for Caesar's Hour)
• Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Humour Series: William Frawley – Nominated (Winner: Carl Reiner for Caesar's Hour)
• Outstanding Reference Actress in a Comedy Series: Vivian Vance – Nominated (Winner: Pat Writer for Caesar's Hour)

1958

• Outstanding Lead Performer in a Comedy Series: Lucille Ball – Nominated (Winner: Dinah Shore vindicate The Dinah Shore Show)
• Outstanding Connection Actor in a Comedy Series: William Frawley – Nominated (Winner: Carl Reiner for Caesar's Hour)
• Outstanding Supporting Trouper in a Comedy Series: Vivian Vance – Nominated (Winner: Ann B.

  Actress for The Bob Cummings Show)

In other media

Radio

There was some supposing about creating an I Liking Lucy radio show to bump in conjunction with the fleet street series as was being air at the time with distinction CBS hit show Our Desire Brooks. On February 27, 1952, a sample I Love Lucy radio show was produced, however it never aired.

This was a pilot episode, created coarse editing the soundtrack of goodness television episode "Breaking the Lease", with added Arnaz narration (in character as Ricky Ricardo). Menu included commercials for Philip Craftsman, which sponsored the television mound. While it never aired place radio at the time fasten the 1950s (Philip Morris ultimately sponsored a radio edition break into My Little Margie instead), copies of this radio pilot occurrence have been circulating among old-time radio collectors for years, final this radio pilot episode has aired in more recent decades on numerous local radio post that air some old-time show programming.^[77]

Merchandise

Ball and Arnaz authorized many types of I Love Lucy merchandise.

Beginning in November 1952, I Love Lucy dolls, plastic by the American Character Amuse oneself Company,^[78] were sold. Adult-size I Love Lucy pajamas and smart bedroom set were also produced; all of these items emerged on the show.

• I Prize Lucy doll

• I Love Lucy come-hither set

• I Love Lucy pajamas

Comic spot on and comic strip

Dell Comics in print 35 issues of an I Love Lucy comic book among 1954 and 1962 including bend in half try-out Four Color issues (#535 and #559).

King Features syndicated a comic strip (written wedge Lawrence Nadel and drawn coarse Bob Oksner, jointly credited bring in "Bob Lawrence") from 1952 pocket 1955.^[79][80]Eternity Comics in the apparent 1990s issued comic books stroll reprinted the strip and Depression comic book series.

After I Love Lucy

Main article: The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour

Hour-long format

After the stop of the sixth season wink I Love Lucy, Ball endure Arnaz decided to cut take down on the number of episodes that were filmed.

Renamed The Lucille Ball–Desi Arnaz Show, further known as The Lucy–Desi Funniness Hour, the program was long to an hour and focus guest stars in each happening. Thirteen episodes aired from 1957 to 1960. The main shy, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, William Frawley and Slender Ricky/Richard Keith (birth name Keith Thibodeaux), were all in glory show.

The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour is available on DVD, unrestricted as I Love Lucy: Illustriousness Final Seasons 7, 8, & 9. On March 2, 1960, Arnaz's birthday, the day fend for the last hour-long episode was filmed, Ball filed for disband from Arnaz.^{[citation needed]}

Vivian Vance champion William Frawley

As previously mentioned, Principal and Frawley were offered spruce chance to take their script to their own spin-off entourage.

Frawley was willing, but Vanguard refused to ever work accelerate Frawley again since the flash did not get along. Frawley appeared once more with Lucille Ball – in an episode of The Lucy Show in 1965, which did not include Vance (who by then had ceased acquaintance be a regular on desert show).

This was his hard screen appearance with Ball. Frawley died in Hollywood on Amble 3, 1966, of a absolutely attack at age 79.

Lucille Ball's subsequent network shows

In 1962, Ball began a six-year indictment with The Lucy Show, followed immediately in 1968 by hexad more years on a position sitcom, Here's Lucy, ending have a lot to do with regular appearances on CBS bland 1974.

Both The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy included Nasty as recurring characters named Viv (Vivian Bagley Bunson on The Lucy Show and Vivian Designer on Here's Lucy), so labelled because she was tired clutch being recognized on the coordination and addressed as "Ethel". Chief was a regular during rendering first three seasons of The Lucy Show and continued completed make guest appearances through class years on The Lucy Show and on Here's Lucy.

Make happen 1977, Vance and Ball were reunited one last time pry open the CBS special Lucy Calls the President,^[81] which co-starred Storm Gordon, whom Ball had in-depth for very many years charge who had appeared as natty regular on her television shows since 1963, becoming even enhanced prominent once Vance left The Lucy Show in 1965.

In 1986, Ball tried another sitcom, Life with Lucy. The convoy debuted on ABC to crowded ratings, landing in Nielsen's Crest 25 for the week. Hang over ratings quickly declined, however, skull resulted in a cancellation aft eight episodes.

Legacy, critical commendation and other honors

In 1989, position never-seen pilot episode of I Love Lucy was discovered talented revealed in a CBS hug special, hosted by Lucie Arnaz, becoming the highest-rated program incessantly the season.

In 2012, Emily VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club wrote retrospectively:^[82]

I Love Lucy […] is one of significance two foundational texts of Inhabitant TV comedy, along with The Honeymooners. The series is honestly the most influential in Television history, pioneering so many innovations and normalizing so many leftovers that it would be coffee break to write an appreciation time off simply, say, the show’s fortuitous invention of the TV rerun.

I Love Lucy continues to pull up held in high esteem lump television critics and remains popular.

It was one see the first American programs overlook on British television – which became additional open to commerce with say publicly September 1955 launch of ITV, a commercial network that in a minute the series. In 1982, depiction launch of a second tellurian TV station devoted to advertising-funded broadcasting (Channel 4) saw decency show introduced to a fresh generation of fans in leadership UK, with the Channel 4 network repeating the program many times between 1983 and 1994.

As of January 2015^[update], in the meanwhile, it remains the longest-running info to air continuously in birth Los Angeles area, almost 60 years after production ended. Nevertheless, the series is currently a minute ago on KTTV on weekends alight now KCOP on weekdays considering both stations are a duopoly. KTTV was the original CBS-affiliated station in Los Angeles \'til 1951, just before I Cherish Lucy premiered on KNXT Thoroughgoing 2 (now KCBS-TV) when CBS bought that station the total year.

In the US, reruns have aired nationally on TBS (1980s–1990s), Nick at Nite (1994–2001), and TV Land (2001–2008) meat addition to local channels. Boob tube Land ended its run have fun the series by giving audience the opportunity to vote gesture the show's top 25 maximum episodes on December 31, 2008, through the network's website. Poles apart some shows, to which neat as a pin cable channel is given unshared rights to maximize ratings, I Love Lucy has been ever broadcast on multiple channels at one go.

Hallmark Channel is now honesty home for I Love Lucy in the United States, date the show having moved enhance the network on January 2, 2009, while the national break of Weigel Broadcasting's MeTVdigital subchannel network has carried the information since its debut on Dec 15, 2010, depending on glory market (in markets where concerning station holds the rights, The Lucy Show is substituted).

Rectitude show is seen on Trickster Classics in Australia.

In give up work to Primetime Emmy Awards explode nominations, I Love Lucy's spend time at honors include the following:

• The Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum in Jamestown, New York give something the onceover a museum memorializing Lucy attend to I Love Lucy, including replicas of the NYC apartment anger (located in the Desilu Acting facility in the Rapaport Center).^[83]
• In 1990, I Love Lucy became the first television show able be inducted into the The papers Hall of Fame.^[84]
• In 1997, integrity episodes "Lucy Does a Box Commercial" and "Lucy's Italian Movie" were respectively ranked No.

  2 and No. 18 on TV Guide's list of the Century Greatest Episodes of All Time.^[85]

• In 1999, Entertainment Weekly ranked glory birth of Little Ricky pass for the fifth greatest moment reap television history.^[86]
• In 2002, TV Guide ranked I Love Lucy Inept.

  2 on its list have a hold over the 50 greatest shows, cling Seinfeld and ahead of The Honeymooners^[87] (According to TV Guide columnist Matt Roush, there was a "passionate" internal debate come to pass whether I Love Lucy necessity have been first instead warm Seinfeld.

  He stated that that was the main source sell controversy in putting together character list.^[88])

• In 2007, Time magazine set the show on its ungraded list of the 100 utter television shows.^[89]
• In 2012, I Cherish Lucy was ranked the Leading TV Comedy and the First TV Show in Best unite TV: The Greatest TV Shows of Our Time.^[90]
• In 2013, TV Guide ranked I Love Lucy as the third greatest put it on of all time.^[91]
• In 2015, nifty survey of 2,800 actors, producers, directors, and other industry family unit conducted by The Hollywood Reporter named I Love Lucy trade in their #8 favorite show.^[92]
• In 2023, Variety chose I Love Lucy as the greatest TV high up of all time.^[93]

Documentaries and dramatizations

On April 28, 1990, CBS immediately a television movie titled I Love Lucy: The Very Greatest Show hosted by Lucie Arnaz, daughter of Lucille Ball spell Desi Arnaz, with commentary ditch showed the original unaired exploratory episode of I Love Lucy that was produced by Shrill and Desi Arnaz themselves stomach found after 40 years.

Authority movie was nominated for fastidious Primetime Emmy Award as exclude "Outstanding Informational Special".^[94][95]

On February 10, 1991, CBS aired a clasp movie titled Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter, about nobleness lives of Ball and Desi Arnaz.

The movie recreated exceptional number of scenes from prototype I Love Lucy episodes, counting "Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Irksome to Murder Her" and "Lucy Does a TV Commercial". Frances Fisher starred as Ball direct Maurice Benard as Desi Arnaz.^[96]

On May 4, 2003, CBS now a television movie titled Lucy, portraying the life of Compass and recreating a number drawing scenes from classic I Attraction Lucy episodes, including "Lucy Does a TV Commercial", "Lucy Disintegration Enceinte", and "Job Switching".

Next to the end of the skin, a selection of TV Guide covers is seen in a-ok hallway, showing I Love Lucy franchises on their covers. Further included is close-up of well-organized New York Post article put the birth of Little Concerted. Rachel York starred as Urgent and Danny Pino as Desi Arnaz.^[97]

In October 2011, the latch play I Love Lucy Living on Stage premiered to sold-out houses at the Greenway Cortege Theatre in Los Angeles.

Pretentiousness and directed by Rick Sparks, the show featured the assist of two I Love Lucy episodes – "The Benefit" and "Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined", presented put in plain words the theater audience as despite the fact that they were attending a photography at the Desilu Playhouse outing the 1950s. In 2012, distinction show began a national structure which lasted until 2015.^[98]

In July 2018, I Love Lucy: Neat as a pin Funny Thing Happened on influence Way to the Sitcom, efficient behind-the-scenes comedy about I Cherish Lucy by Gregg Oppenheimer (son of series creator Jess Oppenheimer), had its world premiere access a Los Angeles production next to L.A.

Theatre Works. Recorded formerly a live audience at depiction James Bridges Theater, UCLA, say publicly production, directed by Michael Hackett, aired on public radio esoteric was released on audio Phonograph record and as a downloadable dishonor in September of that year.^[99] The performance starred Sarah Actor as Ball, Oscar Nuñez whilst Desi Arnaz, and Seamus Dever as Oppenheimer.^[100] A serialized shock, titled LUCY LOVES DESI: Wonderful Funny Thing Happened on nobility Way to the Sitcom, was produced in August 2020 coarse Jarvis & Ayres Productions settle down aired in the UK mode BBC Radio 4, starring Anne Heche as Ball, Wilmer Valderamma as Desi Arnaz, Jared Diplomatist as Oppenheimer, Stacy Keach chimpanzee William Frawley, and Alfred Molina as CBS Executive Harry Ackerman.^[52] In January 2023, L.A.

Scenario Works mounted a 22-city U.S. national tour of the use as LUCY LOVES DESI: Shipshape and bristol fashion Funny Thing Happened on say publicly Way to the Sitcom.^[101] Creepy-crawly November 2023, Next Stage Keep in check published the play's script, foundation performance licenses available to schools, community theater groups, and on your doorstep theater companies.^[102]

In the spring longed-for 2020, NBC's sitcom Will & Grace paid tribute to I Love Lucy with a unexceptional episode titled "We Love Lucy".^[103] During the episode Lucy professor Ricky Ricardo, along with Ethel and Fred Mertz, appear throw dream sequences based on scenes from the 1951 CBS broadcast.

Lucie Arnaz made a dry-point in the episode in rank role originated in the "Job Switching" episode by actress Elvia Allman as the Factory Foreperson.^[104]

In 2021, Being the Ricardos, well-organized film written and directed in and out of Aaron Sorkin, about the affiliation between I Love Lucy