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Biography: Lucille Ball

player at RKO Studios (which her and her husband, Desi Arnaz and later herself would own as Desilu Productions). She appeared in such films as "Roberta" with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (1935); "Stage Door" (1937), where her and Ginger Rogers played aspiring actresses, which also starred legendary actress Katherine Hepburn, as well as some movies with the Three Stooges and the Marx Brothers. In the 1940's Lucy was signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), but she never really became a big movie star; in fact she was basically a B- Movie Actress, earning the reputation as "Queen of the B's"-a title that was formerly held by Fay Wray, of "King Kong" fame.

In 1940, Lucille married Desiderio Alberto Arnaz Y De Acha, better known as Desi Arnaz, who was a a rising Cuban bandleader, which was considered unusual at the time as Lucy was Irish and Desi was Cuban. Because of the racial tensions of the time, Lucy and Desi eloped, marrying on November 11,1940. They would be married for 20 years, despite the fact that they argued constantly mainly because of Desi's dalliances with other women. In 1948, Lucy was cast in a popular radio show "My Favorite Husband" on CBS as Liz Cugat (later Cooper) and Richard Denning, (who became more famous in later decades as Governor of Hawaii Paul Jameson on the 1970's TV cop show "Hawaii Five-O"), as her husband. It became so popular than it transitioned to television in 1951 with its new title: "I Love Lucy." But there appeared to be a problem: Lucy would not appear on the show unless it was with her real-life husband, Desi Arnaz. Because of the prejudices of the time, the producers did not think the public would go for a white comedienne and her Cuban husband. So Lucy and Desi decided to give it a draft run, they would perform live on stage. They were such a hit, that they were cast on the sitcom without question.

The show debuted on CBS TV on October 15,1951. The show was a smash, lasting for nine seasons, its last episode was in January 1960. During the run of "I Love Lucy", the Arnazes had two children, Lucie Desiree Arnaz, born July 17.1951, and Desi Arnaz, Jr. on January 19,1953, whose birth was so famous it took precedent even over the inauguration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and made headlines the same day-January 20,1953. The birth was depicted on an episode of "I Love Lucy" which was considered as controversial for its day, as TV producers could not depict a woman's being pregnant on television, nor could they


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Biography: Lucille Ball

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    Lucille Desiree Ball, best known for her 23 year television series stardom, was one of the most influential woman of the

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    These words are very familiar to Luciholics, "Lucy, I am home!"

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