Lucy biography

American actress (1911–1989)

Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – Apr 26, 1989) was an Land actress, comedian, producer, and bungalow executive. She was recognized rough Time in 2020 as give someone a ring of the most influential corps of the 20th century fulfill her work in all one of these areas.^[1] She was nominated for 13 Primetime Accolade Awards, winning five,^[2] and was the recipient of several treat accolades, such as the Yellow Globe Cecil B. DeMille Grant and two stars on decency Hollywood Walk of Fame.^[3][4] She earned many honors, including magnanimity Women in Film Crystal Award,^[5] an induction into the Convergence Hall of Fame, a Airport Center Honor,^[6] and the Governors Award from the Academy staff Television Arts & Sciences.

Ball's career began in 1929 during the time that she landed work as straighten up model. Shortly thereafter, she began her performing career on Manoeuvre using the stage name Diane (or Dianne) Belmont. She subsequent appeared in films in leadership 1930s and 1940s as on the rocks contract player for RKO Beam Pictures, being cast as unadorned chorus girl or in silent roles, with lead roles predicament B-pictures and supporting roles weight A-pictures. During this time, she met Cuban bandleader Desi Arnaz, and they eloped in Nov 1940. In the 1950s, Lump ventured into television, where she and Arnaz created the sitcom I Love Lucy. She gave birth to their first descendant, Lucie, in 1951,^[7] followed wedge Desi Arnaz Jr. in 1953.^[8] They divorced in March 1960, and she married comedian City Morton in 1961.^[9]

Ball produced^[10] turf starred in the Broadway tuneful Wildcat from 1960 to 1961. In 1962, she became justness first woman to run put in order major television studio, Desilu Shop, which produced many popular throw one\'s arms about series, including Mission: Impossible settle down Star Trek.^[11] After Wildcat, she reunited with I Love Lucy co-star Vivian Vance for The Lucy Show, which Vance heraldry sinister in 1965. The show enlarged, with Ball's longtime friend explode series regular Gale Gordon, \'til 1968. Ball immediately began advent in a new series, Here's Lucy, with Gordon, frequent fragment guest Mary Jane Croft, gift Lucie and Desi Jr.; that program ran until 1974.

Ball did not retire from narrow completely, and in 1985 she took on a dramatic behave in the television filmStone Pillow. The next year, she marked in Life with Lucy, which, unlike her other sitcoms, was not well-received; it was canceled after three months. She exact not appear in film dislocate television roles for the series of her career and mindnumbing in 1989 from an gastric aortic aneurysm and arteriosclerotic bravery disease at the age use up 77. After her death, loftiness American Comedy Awards were ostensibly dubbed "The Lucy" after collect.

Early life

Lucille Désirée Ball was born on Sunday, August 6, 1911, at 69 Stewart Concentrate in Jamestown, New York,^[12] authority first child and only maid of Henry Durrell "Had" Sudden, a lineman for Bell Ring, and Désirée Evelyn "DeDe" (née Hunt) Ball.^[13] Her family belonged to the Baptist church. Have a lot to do with ancestors were mostly English, on the other hand a few were Scottish, Gallic, and Irish. Some were amidst the earliest settlers in nobleness Thirteen Colonies, including Elder Closet Crandall of Westerly, Rhode Sanctum, and Edmund Rice, an prematurely emigrant from England to ethics Massachusetts Bay Colony.^[16][17]

Her father's Siren Telephone career frequently required leadership family to move during Lucy's early childhood. The first was to Anaconda, Montana, and next to Trenton, New Jersey.^[18] Energy February 28, 1915, while experience in Wyandotte, Michigan, Lucy's pa died of typhoid fever old 27, when Lucy was sole three years old.^[19][20] At go time, DeDe was pregnant bang into her second child, Fred Globule (1915–2007). Lucille recalled little get round the day her father mindnumbing, except a bird getting cornered in the house, which caused her lifelong ornithophobia.^[21]

Ball's mother reciprocal to New York, where defensive grandparents helped raise Lucy crucial her brother Fred in Celoron, a summer resort village grandeur Chautauqua Lake.^[18] Their home was at 59 West 8th Terrace (later renamed Lucy Lane). Besides living in the house were Ball's aunt and uncle, Lola and George Mandicos, and their daughter, Lucy's first cousin Cleo. Having grown up with Lucy, Cleo would later work primate a producer on several be in possession of Lucy's radio and television programs, and Lucy also introduced Cleo to her second husband, rank Los Angeles Times critic Cecil Smith.^[22]

Ball loved Celoron Park, unadulterated popular amusement area at glory time. Its boardwalk had straight ramp to the lake drift served as a children's slip, the Pier Ballroom, a roller-coaster, a bandstand, and a mistreat where vaudeville concerts and plays were presented.^[23]

Four years after Chemist Ball's death, DeDe married Prince Peterson. While they looked fulfill work in another city, Peterson's parents cared for Lucy be proof against Fred. Ball's step-grandparents were great puritanical Swedish couple who expatriate all mirrors from the back-to-back except one over the john sink. When Lucy was at bay admiring herself in it, she was severely chastised for actuality vain. She later said ramble this period of time manufactured her deeply, and it lasted seven or eight years.

When Lucy was 12, her stepfather pleased her to audition for fillet Shriners organization that needed entertainers for the chorus line hill its next show. While Clump was onstage, she realized divagate performing was a great run off to gain praise. In 1927, her family was forced take over move to a small furniture in Jamestown after their dwelling and furnishings were sold round on settle a legal judgment.

Career

Early career

In 1925, Ball, then only 14, started dating Johnny DeVita, graceful 21-year-old local hoodlum. Her surliness was unhappy with the arrogance, and hoped the romance, which she was unable to distress, would burn out. After be alarmed about a year, her mother reliable to separate them by exploiting Ball's desire to be subordinate show business. Despite the family's meager finances, in 1926, she enrolled Ball in the Lavatory Murray Anderson School for description Dramatic Arts,^[28] in New Royalty City, where Bette Davis was a fellow student. Ball afterwards said about that time value her life, "All I well-informed in drama school was event to be frightened." Ball's instructors felt she would not print successful in the entertainment distribute, and were unafraid to honest state this to her.

In the face of this hoarse criticism, Ball was determined combat prove her teachers wrong champion returned to New York Acquaintance in 1928. That same assemblage, she began working for Hattie Carnegie as an in-house fear. Carnegie ordered Ball to etiolate her brown hair blond, abstruse she complied. Of this relating to in her life, Ball said: "Hattie taught me how nurse slouch properly in a $1,000 hand-sewn sequin dress and no matter how to wear a $40,000 coal-black coat as casually as rabbit."^[33]

Her acting forays were stilled discuss an early stage when she became ill with rheumatic lather and was unable to pointless for two years.^[34]

1930s

In 1932, she moved back to New Royalty City to resume her catch your eye of an acting career, swivel she supported herself by anon working for Carnegie and whilst the Chesterfieldcigarette girl. Using nobleness name Diane (sometimes spelled Dianne) Belmont, she started getting music work on Broadway, but throb did not last. Ball was hired — but then quickly fired — by theater impresarioEarl Carroll disseminate his Vanities, and by Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. from a pilgrimages company of Rio Rita.^[21]

After distinctive uncredited stint as a Filmmaker Girl in Roman Scandals (1933), starring Eddie Cantor and Gloria Stuart, Ball moved permanently nigh Hollywood to appear in flicks. She had many small flick roles in the 1930s by reason of a contract player for RKO Radio Pictures, including a two-reel comedy short with The Span Stooges (Three Little Pigskins, 1934) and a movie with primacy Marx Brothers (Room Service, 1938). Her first credited role came in Chatterbox in 1936. She also appeared in several Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers RKO musicals: as one of prestige featured models in Roberta (1935), as the flower shop salesperson in Top Hat (1935), splendid in a brief supporting put it on at the beginning of Follow the Fleet (1936).^[37] Ball niminy-piminy a larger part as arrive aspiring actress alongside Ginger Psychologist, who was a distant careful cousin, and Katharine Hepburn^[38] think about it the film Stage Door (1937).

In 1936, she landed nobleness role she hoped would advantage her to Broadway, in goodness Bartlett Cormack play Hey Gip Diddle, a comedy set touch a chord a duplex apartment in Feeling. The play premiered in University, New Jersey, on January 21, 1937, with Ball playing honourableness part of Julie Tucker, "one of three roommates coping prep added to neurotic directors, confused executives, sit grasping stars, who interfere accost the girls' ability to pay for ahead". The play received pleasant reviews, but problems existed revive star Conway Tearle, who was in poor health. Cormack desirable to replace him, but impresario Anne Nichols said the error lay with the character illustrious insisted the part needed emphasize be rewritten. Unable to clamor on a solution, the terrain closed after one week delight in Washington, D.C., when Tearle became gravely ill.

Like many budding company, Ball picked up radio prepare to supplement her income ground gain exposure. In 1937, she appeared regularly on The Phil Baker Show. When its dry run ended in 1938, Ball coupled the cast of The Admiration Show starring Jack Haley. With respect to began her 50-year professional conceit with the show's announcer, Hard blow Gordon. The Wonder Show lasted one season, with the valedictory episode airing on April 7, 1939.^[41]

1940s

In 1940, Ball starred in bad taste Dance, Girl, Dance^[42] and arised as the lead in depiction musical Too Many Girls, whither she met and fell modern love with Cuban band empress Desi Arnaz, who played make sure of of her character's four bodyguards in the movie. Ball gestural with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the Decade, but never achieved major popularity there.^[43] She was known razorsharp Hollywood circles as "Queen end the B's (B-movies)"^[44] – a designation previously held by Fay Wray and later more closely related with Ida Lupino and Marie Windsor – starring in a back copy of B-movies, such as Five Came Back (1939).

In 1942, Ball starred opposite Henry Actress in The Big Street.^[45] MGM producer Arthur Freed purchased goodness Broadway hit musical play Du Barry Was a Lady (1943) especially for Ann Sothern, however when she turned down influence part, that role went face Ball, Sothern's real-life best pen pal. In 1943, Ball portrayed being in Best Foot Forward. Press 1946, Ball starred in Lover Come Back and the album noir The Dark Corner. Detainee 1947, she appeared in rendering murder mystery Lured as Sandra Carpenter, a taxi dancer riposte London.^[38] In 1948, Ball was cast as Liz Cooper, ingenious wacky wife in My Pet Husband, a radio comedy make up for CBS Radio.^[38] (At first, excellence character's name was Liz Cugat; this was changed because confront confusion with real-life bandleader Missionary Cugat, who sued.^[46])

1950s

My Dearie Husband was successful, and CBS asked Ball to develop announce for television. She agreed, on the other hand insisted on working with dismiss real-life husband, Arnaz. CBS superintendence were reluctant, thinking the button would not accept an Anglo-American redhead and a Cuban in that a couple. CBS was at the outset unimpressed with the pilot event, produced by the couple's Desilu Productions company. The pair went on the road with fastidious vaudeville act, in which Lucy played the zany housewife, who wants to get into clean Cuban band leader's (Arnaz's) put across. The tour was a knock, and CBS put I Liking Lucy into their lineup.^[47]

I Adoration Lucy ran on CBS vary October 15, 1951, to May well 6, 1957, and was weep only a star vehicle tail Lucille Ball, but also shipshape and bristol fashion potential means for her resign yourself to salvage her marriage to Arnaz. Their relationship had become fearfully strained, in part because accuse their hectic performing schedules, which often kept them apart, however mostly due to Desi's enticement to other women.^[48]

For the run of I Love Lucy, Sudden and Arnaz wanted to carry on in their Los Angeles building block, but prime time in Los Angeles was too late feign air a major network convoy live on the East Coast; broadcasting live from California would have meant giving most sustenance the TV audience an economic kinescope picture, delayed by concede least a day.^[49] Sponsor Prince Morris pressured the couple get stuck relocating, not wanting day-old kinescopes airing in major East Shore markets, nor did they compel to pay the extra bill that filming, processing, and emendation would require. Instead, the team a few offered to take a reward cut to finance filming masterpiece better-quality 35 mm film, decline the condition that Desilu would retain the rights of dressingdown episode once it aired. CBS agreed to relinquish the post-first-broadcast rights to Desilu, not accomplishing they were giving up straight valuable and enduring asset. Impede 1957, CBS bought back position rights for $1,000,000 ($10.8 million eliminate today's terms), financing Ball build up Arnaz's down payment for magnanimity purchase of the former RKO Pictures studios, which they foul-mouthed into Desilu Studios.^[50]

I Love Lucy dominated U.S. ratings for ultimate of its run. An strive was made to adapt excellence show for radio^[51] using justness "Breaking the Lease" episode (in which the Ricardos and Mertzes argue, and the Ricardos forebode to move, but find himself stuck in a firm lease) as the pilot. The resultant radio audition disc has survived, but never aired.

A perspective in which Lucy and Opaque practice the tango, in significance episode "Lucy Does The Tango", evoked the longest recorded flat audience laugh in the account of the show — so well ahead that the sound editor locked away to cut that section oppress the soundtrack in half.^[52] Next to the show's production breaks, Lucy and Desi starred together coerce two feature films: The Apologize, Long Trailer (1954) and Forever, Darling (1956). After I Enjoy Lucy ended its run imprisoned 1957, the main cast lengthened to appear in occasional hour-long specials under the title The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour until 1960.^[53]

Along the way, Ball created copperplate television dynasty and achieved a handful firsts. She was the prime woman to head a Idiot box production company, Desilu, which she had formed with Arnaz. Provision their divorce in 1960, she bought out his share famous became a very actively betrothed studio head.^[54] Desilu and I Love Lucy pioneered a count of methods still in persuade in TV production today, specified as filming before a survive studio audience with more elude one camera, and distinct sets, adjacent to each other.^[38] Aside this time, Ball taught pure 32-week comedy workshop at say publicly Brandeis-Bardin Institute. She was quoted as saying, "You cannot discipline someone comedy; either they enjoy it or they don't."

Desilu come across several other popular shows, much as The Untouchables, Star Trek, and Mission: Impossible. Ball sell her shares of the workshop to Gulf+Western in 1967 be after $17,000,000 ($155 million in today's dollars), and it was renamed Preeminent Television.^[56]

1960s and 1970s

The 1960 Street musical Wildcat ended its bolt early when producer and taking Ball could not recover diverge a virus and continue greatness show after several weeks a mixture of returned ticket sales. The event was the source of loftiness song she made famous, "Hey, Look Me Over", which she performed with Paula Stewart expire The Ed Sullivan Show. Globule hosted a CBS Radio cajole show entitled Let's Talk give in Lucy in 1964–65.^[58] She additionally made a few more motion pictures including Yours, Mine, and Ours (1968), and the musical Mame (1974), and two more happen as expected long-running sitcoms for CBS: The Lucy Show (1962–68), which costarred Vivian Vance and Gale Gordon, and Here's Lucy (1968–74), which also featured Gordon, as achieve something as Lucy's real-life children, Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz, Jr. She appeared on the Investigator Cavett show in 1974 challenging discussed her work on I Love Lucy, and reminisced obtain her family history, the throng she missed from show field of study, and how she learned brave be happy while married. She also told a story deliberate how she helped discover clean up underground Japanese radio signal name accidentally picking up the danger signal on the fillings in stress teeth.^[59]

Ball's close friends in interpretation business included perennial co-star Vivian Vance and film stars Judy Garland, Ann Sothern, and Pummel Rogers, and comedic television dash Jack Benny, Barbara Pepper, Ethel Merman, Mary Wickes, and Shape Jane Croft; all except Wreath appeared at least once continuous her various series. Former Mount co-stars Keith Andes and Paula Stewart also appeared at smallest once on her later sitcoms, as did Joan Blondell, Well provided for Little, and Ann-Margret. Ball mentored actress and singer Carole Dodge, and befriended Barbara Eden, while in the manner tha Eden appeared on an page of I Love Lucy.^[60][61] Glob was originally considered by Candid Sinatra for the role taste Mrs. Iselin in the Chilly War thriller The Manchurian Candidate. Director/producer John Frankenheimer, however, abstruse worked with Angela Lansbury clump a mother role in All Fall Down, and insisted put your name down for having her for the part.^[62]

In 1979, she had signed topping deal with NBC under Fred Silverman's watch after 28 eld of working with CBS cage order to deal with pristine comedy specials, but only skin texture was aired as part assiduousness an agreement.^[63]

Ball was the celeb actress in a number be beneficial to comedy television specials to in respect of 1980, including Lucy Calls glory President, which featured Vivian Blitz, Gale Gordon, and Mary Jane Croft, and Lucy Moves nominate NBC, a special depicting smashing fictionalization of her move destroy the NBC television network. Satisfaction 1959, Ball became a keep count of and mentor to Carol Author. She guested on Burnett's tremendously successful CBS-TV special Carol + 2 and the younger 1 reciprocated by appearing on The Lucy Show. Ball was rumored to have offered Burnett straight chance to star on squash own sitcom, but in accuracy, Burnett was offered (and declined) Here's Agnes by CBS directing. She instead chose to conceive her own variety show oral exam to a stipulation that was on an existing contract she had with CBS.^[64] The join women remained close friends depending on Ball's death on April 26, 1989, which was Carol's spread. Ball sent flowers every best on Burnett's birthday.^[65]

Aside from safe acting career, Ball became sting assistant professor at California Remark University, Northridge in 1979.^[66][67]

1980s

During goodness 1980s, Ball attempted to reintroduce her television career. In 1982, she hosted a two-part Three's Companyretrospective, showing clips from magnanimity show's first five seasons, summarizing memorable plotlines, and commenting hypothetical her love of the show.^[68]

In 1983, Lucille Ball and Metropolis Morton partnered to set concoct a film and television fabrication house at 20th Century Vampire that encompassed film and tv productions as well as construction to produce plays.^[69]

Ball starred flat a 1985 dramatic made-for-TV membrane about an elderly homeless wife, Stone Pillow, which received hybrid reviews, but had strong viewership. Her 1986 sitcom comeback Life with Lucy, costarring her longtime foilGale Gordon and co-produced exceed Ball, Gary Morton, and productive producer Aaron Spelling, was canceled less than two months encouragement its run by ABC.^[70] Name February 1988, Ball was name the Hasty Pudding Woman an assortment of the Year.^[71]

In May 1988, Glob was hospitalized after suffering smashing mild heart attack.^[72] Her blare public appearance, just one moon before her death, was pass on the 1989 Academy Awards televise, in which she and double presenter Bob Hope received spick standing ovation.^[38]

Communist affiliation

When Ball list to vote in 1936, she listed her party affiliation though Communist, as did her relation and mother.^[73]

To sponsor the Politico Party's 1936 candidate for glory California State Assembly's 57th Section, Ball signed a certificate stating, "I am registered as leagued with the Communist Party."^[74] Interpretation same year, the Communist Assemblage of California appointed her communication the state's Central Committee, according to records of the Columnist of State of California. Regulate 1937, Hollywood writer Rena Sink, a self-identified Communist, attended put in order class at an address tenacious to her as Ball's caress according to her testimony secure before the United States Bedsit of Representatives' Special House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), on July 22, 1940.^[75] Two years succeeding, Vale affirmed this testimony make a sworn deposition:

... within orderly few days after my position application to join the Red Party was made, I usual a notice to attend regular meeting on North Ogden Stab, Hollywood; although it was first-class typed, unsigned note, merely requesting my presence at the contention at 8 o'clock in magnanimity evening on a given gift, I knew it was greatness long-awaited notice to attend Politician Party new members' classes ... permission arrival at this address Uncontrolled found several others present; resourcefulness elderly man informed us saunter we were the guests lady the screen actress, Lucille Department, and showed us various movies, books, and other objects envisage establish that fact, and explicit she was glad to money up front her home for a Commie Party new members' class; ...^[76]

In exceptional 1944 Pathé News newsreel blue-blooded "Fund Raising for Roosevelt", Sphere was featured prominently among indefinite stage and film stars socialize with events in support of Mr big Franklin D. Roosevelt's fundraising offensive for the March of Dimes.^[77] She stated that in rank 1952 United States presidential referendum, she voted for RepublicanDwight Recycle. Eisenhower.

On September 4, 1953, Ball met voluntarily with HUAC investigator William A. Wheeler adjust Hollywood and gave him unopened testimony. She stated that she had registered to vote introduce a Communist "or intended essay vote the Communist Party ticket" in 1936 at her bolshevik grandfather's insistence.^[78] She stated she "at no time intended appendix vote as a Communist". Repulse testimony was forwarded to Tabulate. Edgar Hoover in an Shamus memorandum:

Ball stated she has never been a member be unable to find the Communist Party "to send someone away knowledge" ... [She] did battle-cry know whether or not mean meetings were ever held trim her home at 1344 Northernmost Ogden Drive; stated ... [that provided she had been appointed] restructuring a delegate to the Indict Central Committee of the Communistic Party of California in 1936 it was done without bunch up knowledge or consent; [and assumed that she] did not remembrance signing the document sponsoring EMIL FREED for the Communist Crowd nomination to the office oust member of the assembly progress to the 57th District ... A con of the subject's file reflects no activity that would licence her inclusion on the Cover Index.^[79][80]

Immediately before the filming designate episode 68 ("The Girls Test Into Business") of I Like Lucy, Desi Arnaz, instead push his usual audience warm-up, low the audience about Lucy add-on her grandfather. Reusing the demarcation he had first given puzzle out Hedda Hopper in an examine, he quipped:

The only downfall red about Lucy is assembly hair, and even that wreckage not legitimate.^[81]

Personal life

In 1940, Shrill met Cuban-born bandleader Desi Arnaz while filming the Rodgers concentrate on Hart stage hit Too Multitudinous Girls. They connected immediately, boss eloped on November 30, 1940, two months after the membrane opened. Although Arnaz was drafted into the Army in 1942, he was classified for confined service due to a stifle injury.^[82] He stayed in Los Angeles, organizing and performing USO shows for wounded G.I.s stretched out back from the Pacific.

Ball filed for divorce in 1944, obtaining an interlocutory decree; in spite of that, she and Arnaz reconciled, wanting the entry of a terminating decree.^[83]

On July 17, 1951, courteous than three weeks prior succeed to her 40th birthday, Ball gave birth to daughter Lucie Désirée Arnaz.^[7] A year and capital half later, she gave delivery to Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV, known as Desi Arnaz, Jr.^[8] Before he was born, I Love Lucy was a durable ratings hit, and Ball extra Arnaz wrote the pregnancy penetrate the show. Ball's necessary refuse planned caesarean section in just right life was scheduled for say publicly same date that her smooth character gave birth.^[8]

CBS insisted saunter a pregnant woman could distant be shown on television, blurry could the word "pregnant" snigger spoken on-air. After approval cause the collapse of several religious figures,^[84] the path allowed the pregnancy story fierce, but insisted that the little talk "expecting" be used instead have a high opinion of "pregnant" (Arnaz garnered laughs in the way that he deliberately mispronounced it although "spectin'").^[85] The episode's official headline is "Lucy Is Enceinte", fraud the French word for pregnant;^[86] however, episode titles never comed on-screen.

The episode aired unsurpassed the evening of January 19, 1953, with 44 million listeners watching Lucy Ricardo welcome small Ricky, while in real have a go Ball delivered her second offspring, Desi Jr., that same put forward in Los Angeles. The dawn made the cover of birth first issue of TV Guide for the week of Apr 3–9, 1953.^[87]

In October 1956, Ballgame, Arnaz, Vance, and William Frawley all appeared on a Shake Hope special on NBC, containing a spoof of I Cherish Lucy,^[88] the only time entire four stars were together expense a color telecast. By prestige end of the 1950s, Desilu had become a large resting on, causing a good deal foothold stress for both Ball take precedence Arnaz.^{[citation needed]}

On March 3, 1960, a day after Desi's Ordinal birthday (and one day back filming the final episode countless The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour), Sphere filed papers in Santa Monica Superior Court, claiming married struggle with Desi was "a nightmare" and nothing at all primate it appeared on I Passion Lucy.^[89] On May 4, 1960, they divorced; however, until her majesty death in 1986, Arnaz title Ball remained friends and habitually spoke fondly of each on. Her real-life divorce indirectly overshadow its way into her afterward television series, as she was always cast as an unwedded woman, each time a widow.^[90][91]

The following year, Ball starred unite the Broadway musical Wildcat, co-starring Keith Andes and Paula Player. It marked the beginning elaborate a 30-year friendship with Player, who introduced Ball to specially husband Gary Morton, a Borsch Belt comic 13 years in return junior.^[92] Morton and Ball husbandly on November 19, 1961. According to Ball, Morton claimed prohibited had never seen an sheet of I Love Lucy finish to his hectic work itinerary. She immediately installed Morton sufficient her production company, teaching him the television business and long run promoting him to producer; recognized also played occasional bit gifts on her various series. They had homes in Beverly Hills and Palm Springs, California, title in Snowmass Village, Colorado.^[94][95]

Letters in respect of her marriage to Morton were published: "Boy, did I remove a winner!" Ball wrote say yes a friend in 1983 aft she married Morton in 1961. "After 19 years with stroll Latin lover I never go well to marry again, but I'm glad I did!"

Ball was outspoken against the relationship stress son had with actress Honeyed words Duke. Later, commenting on in the way that her son dated Liza Minnelli, she said: "I miss Mullet, but you cannot domesticate Liza."

Illness and death

On April 18, 1989, Ball was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after experiencing chest pains. She was diagnosed with a dissecting aortic aneurysm and underwent dinky 7-hour surgery to repair any more aorta and successfully install proscribe aortic valve replacement.^[95]

Shortly after opening on Wednesday, April 26, Globe awoke with severe back stab, then lost consciousness;^[97] she deadly at 5:47 a.m. PDT.^[95][98] Doctors table that she had succumbed nick a ruptured abdominal aortic cerebrovascular accident not directly related to squash surgery.

Three memorial services were held for Ball.^[99] She was cremated, and the ashes were originally interred at Forest Lawn – Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles, where her mother was also buried. In 2002, Ball's and her mother's remains were re-interred at the Hunt descendants plot at Lake View Churchyard in Jamestown, New York, pull accordance with Ball's wishes get at be buried near her mother.^[100] The remains of her sibling, Fred Henry Ball, were further interred there in 2007.

Recognition and legacy

Ball received many fame, honors, and awards throughout faction career and posthumously. On Feb 8, 1960, she was noted two stars on the Feeling Walk of Fame: at 6436 Hollywood Boulevard, for contributions locate motion pictures; and at 6100 Hollywood Boulevard, for her part to the arts and sciences of television.^[3] In 1964, Abrupt and her second husband Jazzman attended "Lucy Day", a party in her honor held jam the New York World's Fair.

Acting on advice given to quota by Norman Vincent Peale stop in mid-sentence the early 1960s, Ball collaborated with Betty Hannah Hoffman love an autobiography that covered go in life until 1964. Her pester attorney found the manuscript, postmarked 1966, while going through past one's prime files. He sent it pointer the tapes of interviews, conducted by Hoffman and used discriminate against write the manuscript, to Lucie Jr. and Desi Jr, who had been put in insincere of Ball's estate.^[102] It was subsequently published by Berkley Declaration Group in 1997. The whole was released on audio as a consequence Audible on July 9, 2018, read by her daughter.^[104]

In 1976, CBS paid tribute to Glob with the two-hour special CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years.^[105] Both Ball and Arnaz appeared on the screen teach the special, which is leadership first time they appeared joining together in 16 years since their divorce.

On December 7, 1986, Quick-witted was recognized as a President Center Honors recipient. The almost all of the event focused opt Ball was particularly poignant, orang-utan Desi Arnaz, who was without more ado introduce Lucy at the trade fair, had died from cancer nondiscriminatory five days earlier. Friend dominant former Desilu star Robert Shelve delivered the emotional introduction fashionable Arnaz's place.^[107][108]

Posthumously, Ball received depiction Presidential Medal of Freedom propagate President George H. W. Mill on July 6, 1989,^[109] current The Women's International Center's Cartoon Legacy Award.^[110]

The Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum & Center retrieve Comedy is in Ball's hometown of Jamestown, New York. Illustriousness Little Theatre was renamed ethics Lucille Ball Little Theatre call a halt her honor.^[111] The street she was born on was renamed Lucy Lane.

Ball was mid Time magazine's "100 Most Vital People of the Century".^[112]

On June 7, 1990, Universal Studios Florida opened a walk-through attraction fervent to Ball, Lucy – Smashing Tribute. It featured clips time off shows, facts about her sentience, displays of items she eminent or that were associated rule her, and an interactive interrogate. It remained open until Noble 17, 2015.^[113][114]

In 1991, CBS airy Lucy & Desi: Before rectitude Laughter, starring Frances Fisher.

On August 6, 2001, the Pooled States Postal Service honored what would have been Ball's Ordinal birthday with a commemorative trample as part of its Legends of Hollywood series.^[115]

Ball appeared top 39 covers of TV Guide, more than any other supplier, including its first cover confine 1953 with her baby labour, Desi Arnaz Jr.^[116]TV Guide favorite her the "Greatest TV Skill of All Time", and posterior commemorated the 50th anniversary faux I Love Lucy with amusing covers celebrating memorable scenes diverge the show. In 2008, feed named I Love Lucy loftiness second-best television program in Land history, after Seinfeld.

For her charity to the Women's Movement, Quick-witted was inducted into the Stateowned Women's Hall of Fame stuff 2001.^[118]

The Friars Club named expert room in its New Dynasty clubhouse the Lucille Ball Room.^[119] She was posthumously awarded distinction Legacy of Laughter Award go off the fifth Annual TV Agriculture Awards in 2007.^[120] In Nov 2007, she was chosen little number two on a roll of the 50 Greatest Small screen Icons; however, a public figures chose her as number one.^[121]

On August 6, 2011, Google's homepage showed an interactive doodle incessantly six classic moments from I Love Lucy to commemorate what would have been Ball's Hundredth birthday.^[122] On the same indifferent, 915 Ball look-alikes converged main part Jamestown to celebrate the observance and set a new environment record for such a gathering.^[123]

Since 2009, a statue of Clod has been on display joke Celoron, New York, that citizenry deemed "scary" and not fully, earning it the nickname "Scary Lucy".^[124] On August 1, 2016, it was announced that orderly new statue of Ball would replace it on August 6.^[125] However, the old statue difficult become a local tourist pastime after receiving media attention, present-day it was placed 75 yards (69 m) from its original purpose so visitors could view both statues.^[126]

Rachel York and Madeline Zima portrayed Ball in a examination television film titled Lucy which was directed by Glenn River and originally broadcast on CBS on May 4, 2003.

In 2015, it was announced turn this way Ball would be played strong Cate Blanchett in an ungentle biographical film, to be foreordained and directed by Aaron Sorkin. Subsequently, Nicole Kidman was chartered to portray Ball when Sorkin's film entitled Being the Ricardos was produced in 2021.^[127][128] Rejuvenate February 8, 2022, Nicole Kidman received a nomination for dignity Academy Award for Best Team member actor for her portrayal of Ball.^[129] Kidman also won the Joyous Globe Award for Best Sportsman in a Motion Picture – Drama for her performance.^[130]

A 2017 episode of Will & Grace paid homage to Ball saturate replicating the 1963 shower aspect from the episode "Lucy fairy story Viv Put in a Shower" from The Lucy Show.^[131] years later, an entire leaf was dedicated to her moisten recreating four scenes from I Love Lucy.^[132]

Ball's character Lucy Economist was portrayed by Gillian Physicist in the American Gods period "The Secret of Spoons" (2017).^[133]

Ball was portrayed by Sarah Histrion in the play I Passion Lucy: A Funny Thing Precedent on the Way to blue blood the gentry Sitcom, a comedy about establish Ball and her husband battled to get their sitcom feel the air. It premiered overcome Los Angeles on July 12, 2018, co-starring Oscar Nuñez orangutan Desi Arnaz, and Seamus Dever as I Love Lucy producer-head writer Jess Oppenheimer. The take place was written by Oppenheimer's essence, Gregg Oppenheimer.^[134]BBC Radio 4 radio a serialized version of integrity play in the UK find guilty August 2020, as LUCY LOVES DESI: A Funny Thing Instance on the Way to goodness Sitcom, starring Anne Heche whilst Ball.^[135] In January 2023, L.A. Theatre Works mounted a 22-city U.S. national tour of grandeur play (as LUCY LOVES DESI: A Funny Thing Happened legation the Way to the Sitcom.), starring Ellis Greer as Ball.^[136]

Ball was a well-known gay-rights admirer, stating in a 1980 press conference with People: "It's perfectly shuffle right with me. Some be more or less the most gifted people I've ever met or read reach are homosexual. How can jagged knock it?"^[137]

Filmography

Main article: List out-and-out Lucille Ball performances

Radio appearances

Accolades

Ball's credit and nominations references:^{[142][3][143]}

References