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Lucille Ball as "Connie Casey". Four football players acted as her bodyguards when the spoiled girl went to school in New Mexico. Desi Arnaz, a Cuban bandleader who had been playing the role of "Manuelito" in the Broadway production, was flown to California to star beside Ball.

Lucille fell in love with her co-star, and they married on November 30th of that year. The newlyweds would fight conflicting schedules between Lucille's demanding movie performances and Desi's rigorous band touring dates.

In despair, Lucille filed for divorce in 1944. On the day before their divorce was to become final, Lucy and Desi agreed that they could make the marriage work, if they could only work together. As they completed their separate obligations, Lucille gave birth to a daughter, Lucie Desiree Arnaz.

Lucille worked on radio during her pregnancy. From 1948 to 1951, Lucille Ball was the voice of Liz Cugat (later Liz Cooper) on the 30 minute radio show "My Favorite Husband". She was chosen to read for the show based on her work on "The Jack Haley Show" in 1938. Her outstanding performance of "Liz" on the successful show would endear CBS to Lucy.

Ready to begin her joint career with Desi, in 1949, Lucy pitched an idea to CBS of a situation comedy. CBS loved Lucy, but did not care for the heavily Spanish-accented man she wanted to play her husband.

Stating that America would reject an All-American girl being married to a Cuban bandleader, CBS refused the show after seeing three pilot episodes. Lucy would not hear of it. In 1950, Desi and Lucille would take their idea on the road in a vaudeville revival act. After much critical acclaim, CBS agreed to air a show called "I Love Lucy".

Lucille Ball would change television forever. Her combination of facial expressions, slapstick humor and comic stunts continue to influence the next generations of actors who mimic her talents.

Mary Tyler Moore, Cybill Shepard and Candice Bergen adapted her femininity during slapstick and refined her talent of being both beautiful and silly simultaneously. Bronson Pinchot, Penny Marshall, Robin Williams and Ellen Degeneris would adopt their own versions of Lucille's unusual use of props and her imaginative escapes from seemingly impossible situations.

Lucille Ball made a demand of CBS that would change how television was produced. She wanted the show to be filmed before a studio audience and edited. The added expense of production nearly kept the show off of the air. Lucy and Desi agreed to take salary cuts

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