LB
Lucille Ball
Actor, Director
Died April 26, 1989 (77 years)
Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American comedian, film, television, stage and radio actress, model, film and television executive, and star of the sitcoms I Love Lucy, The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy and Life With Lucy. One of the most popular and influential stars in America during her lifetime, with one of Hollywood's longest careers, especially on television, Ball began acting in the 1930s, becoming both a radio actress and B-movie star in the 1940s, and then a television star during the 1950s. She was still making films in the 1960s and 1970s.
Ball received thirteen Emmy Award nominations and four wins. In 1977 Ball was among the first recipients of the Women in Film Crystal Award. She was the recipient of the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1979, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Kennedy Center Honors in 1986 and the Governors Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in 1989.
In 1929, Ball landed work as a model and later began her performing career on Broadway using the stage name Dianne Belmont. She appeared in many small movie roles in the 1930s as a contract player for RKO Radio Pictures. Ball was labeled as the "Queen of the Bs" (referring to her many roles in B-films). In 1951, Ball was pivotal in the creation of the television series I Love Lucy. The show co-starred her then husband, Desi Arnaz as Ricky Ricardo and Vivian Vance and William Frawley as Ethel and Fred Mertz, the Ricardos' landlords and friends. The show ended in 1957 after 180 episodes. They then changed the format a little - lengthening the time of the show from 30 minutes to 60 minutes (the first one went 75 mins), adding some characters, altering the storyline somewhat, and renaming the show from "I Love Lucy" to "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour", which ran for three seasons (1957–1960) and 13 episodes. Ball went on to star in two more successful television series: The Lucy Show, which ran on CBS from 1962 to 1968 (156 Episodes), and Here's Lucy from 1968 to 1974 (144 episodes). Her last attempt at a television series was a 1986 show called Life with Lucy - which failed miserably after 8 episodes aired although 13 were produced.
Ball met and eloped with Cuban bandleader Desi Arnaz in 1940. On July 17, 1951, almost 40 years old, Ball gave birth to their first child, Lucie Désirée Arnaz. A year and a half later, Ball gave birth to their second child, Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV, known as Desi Arnaz, Jr. Ball and Arnaz divorced on May 4, 1960.
On April 26, 1989, Ball died of a dissecting aortic aneurysm at age 77. At the time of her death she had been married to her second husband, standup comedian and business partner Gary Morton, for twenty-eight years.
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Filmography
| 2015 | Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration · as Lucy Ricardo (archive footage) |
| 2011 | These Amazing Shadows · as Bubbles (clip from Dance, Girl, Dance (1940)) |
| 2004 | TV in Black: The First Fifty Years · as Unknown |
| 2003 | Lucy! TV's Comedy Queen · as actor |
| 1996 | E! True Hollywood Story (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1994 | That's Entertainment! III · as (archive footage) |
| 1986 | Life with Lucy (TV Series) · as Lucy Barker |
| 1985 | Stone Pillow · as Florabelle |
| 1980 | Lucy Moves to NBC · as Lucille Ball |
| 1979 | Cher... and Other Fantasies · as Cleaning Lady |
| 1977 | Lucy Calls the President · as Lucy Whittaker |
| 1976 | What Now, Catherine Curtis? · as Catherine Curtis |
| 1975 | Three for Two · as Rita/Sally/Pauline |
| 1975 | Lucy Gets Lucky · as Lucy Collins |
| 1974 | Mame · as Mame Dennis |
| 1974 | Happy Anniversary and Goodbye · as Norma Michaels |
| 1973 | The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1970 | The Flip Wilson Show (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1969 | The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1968 | Yours, Mine and Ours · as Helen North Beardsley |
| 1968 | Here's Lucy (TV Series) · as Lucy Carter |
| 1967 | The Carol Burnett Show (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1963 | Critic's Choice · as Angela Ballantine |
| 1962 | The Lucy Show (TV Series) · as Lucy Carmichael |
| 1961 | Password (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1960 | The Facts of Life · as Kitty Weaver |
| 1958 | The Ann Sothern Show (TV Series) · as Lucy Ricardo |
| 1956 | Forever, Darling · as Susan Vega |
| 1956 | Lucy's Really Lost Moments · as Lucy Ricardo |
| 1955 | The Phil Silvers Show (TV Series) · as Fainting Fan |
| 1954 | The Long, Long Trailer · as Tacy Collini |
| 1953 | Make Room for Daddy (TV Series) · as Lucy Ricardo |
| 1951 | The Magic Carpet · as Princess Narah |
| 1951 | I Love Lucy (TV Series) · as Lucy Ricardo |
| 1950 | Fancy Pants · as Agatha Floud |
| 1950 | The Fuller Brush Girl · as Sally Elliot |
| 1950 | A Woman of Distinction · as Lucille Ball (uncredited) |
| 1950 | The Jack Benny Program (TV Series) · as Rachel Revere |
| 1949 | Miss Grant Takes Richmond · as Ellen Grant |
| 1949 | Easy Living · as Anne, Lenahan's Secretary |
| 1949 | The Emmy Awards (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1947 | |
| 1947 | Her Husband's Affairs · as Margaret Weldon |
| 1946 | The Dark Corner · as Kathleen Stewart |
| 1946 | Easy to Wed · as Gladys Benton |
| 1946 | Two Smart People · as Ricki Woodner |
| 1945 | Without Love · as Kitty Trimble |
| 1945 | Ziegfeld Follies · as Lucille Ball |
| 1943 | Best Foot Forward · as Lucille Ball |
| 1943 | Du Barry Was a Lady · as May Daly / Madame Du Barry |
| 1942 | The Big Street · as Gloria Lyons |
| 1942 | Seven Days' Leave · as Terry Havalok-Allen |
| 1942 | Valley of the Sun · as Christine Larson |
| 1940 | Dance, Girl, Dance · as Bubbles |
| 1940 | Too Many Girls · as Connie Casey |
| 1939 | Five Came Back · as Peggy Nolan |
| 1939 | Beauty for the Asking · as Jean Russell |
| 1938 | Joy of Living · as Salina Garret Pine |
| 1938 | Annabel Takes a Tour · as Annabel Allison |
| 1938 | Next Time I Marry · as Nancy Crocker Fleming |
| 1938 | Room Service · as Christine Marlowe |
| 1937 | Stage Door · as Judith |
| 1936 | Follow the Fleet · as Kitty Collins |
| 1936 | Winterset · as Girl (uncredited) |
| 1936 | Chatterbox · as Lillian Temple |
| 1936 | Dummy Ache · as Actress |
| 1935 | Roberta · as Fashion Model |
| 1935 | The Whole Town's Talking · as Bank Employee (uncredited) |
| 1935 | Hooray for Love · as Chorine (uncredited) |
| 1935 | Carnival · as Nurse |
| 1935 | A Night at the Biltmore Bowl · as Lucille Ball |
| 1935 | Top Hat · as Flower Shop Clerk (uncredited) |
| 1934 | Broadway Bill · as Blonde Telephone Operator (uncredited) |
| 1934 | Kid Millions · as Goldwyn Girl (uncredited) |
| 1934 | The Affairs of Cellini · as Lady-in-Waiting |
| 1934 | Nana · as Chorus Girl (uncredited) |
| 1934 | Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back · as Bridesmaid |
| 1933 | Roman Scandals · as Goldwyn Girl (uncredited) |
| 1933 | The Bowery · as Blonde (uncredited) |