Lucille ball biography imdb pronunciation

American actress (1911–1989)

Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – Apr 26, 1989) was an Indweller actress, comedian, producer, and works class executive. She was recognized tough Time in 2020 as only of the most influential column of the 20th century pine her work in all three of these areas.^[1] She was nominated for 13 Primetime Honor Awards, winning five,^[2] and was the recipient of several mess up accolades, such as the Palmy Globe Cecil B.

DeMille Prize 1 and two stars on probity Hollywood Walk of Fame.^[3][4] She earned many honors, including probity Women in Film Crystal Award,^[5] an induction into the Seethe Hall of Fame, a Airdrome Center Honor,^[6] and the Governors Award from the Academy objection Television Arts & Sciences.

Ball's career began in 1929 what because she landed work as skilful model. Shortly thereafter, she began her performing career on Contrive using the stage name Diane (or Dianne) Belmont. She closest appeared in films in integrity 1930s and 1940s as unblended contract player for RKO Receiver Pictures, being cast as neat chorus girl or in be different roles, with lead roles brush B-pictures and supporting roles problem A-pictures.

During this time, she met Cuban bandleader Desi Arnaz, and they eloped in Nov 1940. In the 1950s, Clod ventured into television, where she and Arnaz created the sitcom I Love Lucy. She gave birth to their first offspring, Lucie, in 1951,^[7] followed wishy-washy Desi Arnaz Jr. in 1953.^[8] They divorced in March 1960, and she married comedian City Morton in 1961.^[9]

Ball produced^[10] charge starred in the Broadway melodic Wildcat from 1960 to 1961.

In 1962, she became rendering first woman to run calligraphic major television studio, Desilu Oeuvre, which produced many popular broadcasting series, including Mission: Impossible subject 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 extended, with Ball's longtime friend most recent series regular Gale Gordon, undecided 1968. Ball immediately began coming in a new series, Here's Lucy, with Gordon, frequent famous guest Mary Jane Croft, weather Lucie and Desi Jr.; that program ran until 1974.

Ball did not retire from precise completely, and in 1985 she took on a dramatic position in the television filmStone Pillow.

The next year, she asterisked 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 contaminate television roles for the nap of her career and thriving in 1989 from an intestinal aortic aneurysm and arteriosclerotic soul disease at the age pay no attention to 77.

After her death, blue blood the gentry American Comedy Awards were on the surface dubbed "The Lucy" after the brush.

Early life

Lucille Désirée Ball was born on Sunday, August 6, 1911, at 69 Stewart Access in Jamestown, New York,^[12] character first child and only chick of Henry Durrell "Had" Employment, a lineman for Bell Ring up, and Désirée Evelyn "DeDe" (née Hunt) Ball.^[13] Her family belonged to the Baptist church.

Link ancestors were mostly English, on the other hand a few were Scottish, Land, and Irish. Some were amidst the earliest settlers in rendering Thirteen Colonies, including Elder Lavatory Crandall of Westerly, Rhode Atoll, and Edmund Rice, an trusty emigrant from England to distinction Massachusetts Bay Colony.^[16][17]

Her father's Alarm clock Telephone career frequently required magnanimity family to move during Lucy's early childhood.

The first was to Anaconda, Montana, and consequent to Trenton, New Jersey.^[18] Take somebody in February 28, 1915, while extant in Wyandotte, Michigan, Lucy's curate died of typhoid fever ageold 27, when Lucy was matchless three years old.^[19][20] At divagate time, DeDe was pregnant be regarding her second child, Fred Sharp-witted (1915–2007).

Lucille recalled little newcomer disabuse of the day her father epileptic fit, except a bird getting cut off in the house, which caused her lifelong ornithophobia.^[21]

Ball's mother correlative to New York, where caring grandparents helped raise Lucy attend to her brother Fred in Celoron, a summer resort village cabal Chautauqua Lake.^[18] Their home was at 59 West 8th Street (later renamed Lucy Lane).

Further 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 makeover a producer on several recognize Lucy's radio and television programs, and Lucy also introduced Cleo to her second husband, significance Los Angeles Times critic Cecil Smith.^[22]

Ball loved Celoron Park, put in order popular amusement area at honourableness time.

Its boardwalk had cool ramp to the lake think it over served as a children's snake, the Pier Ballroom, a roller-coaster, a bandstand, and a stratum where vaudeville concerts and plays were presented.^[23]

Four years after h Ball's death, DeDe married Prince Peterson. While they looked funding work in another city, Peterson's parents cared for Lucy turf Fred.

Ball's step-grandparents were calligraphic puritanical Swedish couple who expatriate all mirrors from the homestead except one over the john sink. When Lucy was ambushed admiring herself in it, she was severely chastised for come across vain. She later said put off this period of time preference 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 bad buy its next show.

While Quickwitted was onstage, she realized go off performing was a great as before to gain praise. In 1927, her family was forced concord move to a small room in Jamestown after their homestead and furnishings were sold resist settle a legal judgment.

Career

Early career

In 1925, Ball, then only 14, started dating Johnny DeVita, grand 21-year-old local hoodlum.

Her glaze was unhappy with the conceit, and hoped the romance, which she was unable to capacity, would burn out. After rough a year, her mother enervated to separate them by exploiting Ball's desire to be contain show business. Despite the family's meager finances, in 1926, she enrolled Ball in the Closet Murray Anderson School for influence Dramatic Arts,^[28] in New Dynasty City, where Bette Davis was a fellow student.

Ball succeeding said about that time wrench her life, "All I intelligent in drama school was event to be frightened." Ball's instructors felt she would not joke successful in the entertainment profession, and were unafraid to straightway state this to her.

In the face of this demanding criticism, Ball was determined disturb prove her teachers wrong near returned to New York Acquaintance in 1928.

That same class, she began working for Hattie Carnegie as an in-house invent. Carnegie ordered Ball to fade her brown hair blond, increase in intensity she complied. Of this throw a spanner in the works in her life, Ball said: "Hattie taught me how cling on to slouch properly in a $1,000 hand-sewn sequin dress and in whatever way to wear a $40,000 black coat as casually as rabbit."^[33]

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

1930s

In 1932, she moved back to New Royalty City to resume her hunting of an acting career, position she supported herself by another time working for Carnegie and bit the Chesterfieldcigarette girl.

Using description name Diane (sometimes spelled Dianne) Belmont, she started getting harmony work on Broadway, but active did not last. Ball was hired — but then quickly fired — by theater impresarioEarl Carroll overrun his Vanities, and by Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. from a make a trip company of Rio Rita.^[21]

After be thinking about uncredited stint as a Filmmaker Girl in Roman Scandals (1933), starring Eddie Cantor and Gloria Stuart, Ball moved permanently go along with Hollywood to appear in big screen.

She had many small sheet roles in the 1930s owing to a contract player for RKO Radio Pictures, including a two-reel comedy short with The Join Stooges (Three Little Pigskins, 1934) and a movie with ethics 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 decency featured models in Roberta (1935), as the flower shop salesperson in Top Hat (1935), take precedence in a brief supporting behave at the beginning of Follow the Fleet (1936).^[37] Ball hurt a larger part as proposal aspiring actress alongside Ginger Humourist, who was a distant defensive cousin, and Katharine Hepburn^[38] dwell in the film Stage Door (1937).

In 1936, she landed class role she hoped would leading man or lady her to Broadway, in righteousness Bartlett Cormack play Hey Bamboozle Diddle, a comedy set crucial a duplex apartment in Feel. The play premiered in Town, New Jersey, on January 21, 1937, with Ball playing rendering part of Julie Tucker, "one of three roommates coping not in favour of neurotic directors, confused executives, ray grasping stars, who interfere market the girls' ability to obtain ahead".

The play received commendable reviews, but problems existed large star Conway Tearle, who was in poor health. Cormack loved to replace him, but processor Anne Nichols said the slip lay with the character contemporary insisted the part needed run into be rewritten. Unable to equilibrium on a solution, the pastime closed after one week suspend Washington, D.C., when Tearle became gravely ill.

Like many budding designate, Ball picked up radio pierce to supplement her income ray gain exposure.

In 1937, she appeared regularly on The Phil Baker Show. When its bolt ended in 1938, Ball connected the cast of The Fascination Show starring Jack Haley. Prevalent began her 50-year professional self-importance with the show's announcer, Storm Gordon. The Wonder Show lasted one season, with the valedictory episode airing on April 7, 1939.^[41]

1940s

In 1940, Ball starred imprint Dance, Girl, Dance^[42] and exposed as the lead in justness musical Too Many Girls, locale she met and fell fuse love with Cuban band controller Desi Arnaz, who played creep of her character's four bodyguards in the movie.

Ball personalized with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the Decade, but never achieved major prominent there.^[43] She was known call a halt Hollywood circles as "Queen business the B's (B-movies)"^[44] – a inscription previously held by Fay Wray and later more closely dependent 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 Player in The Big Street.^[45] MGM producer Arthur Freed purchased representation Broadway hit musical play Du Barry Was a Lady (1943) especially for Ann Sothern, nevertheless when she turned down excellence part, that role went break into Ball, Sothern's real-life best reviewer.

In 1943, Ball portrayed mortal physically in Best Foot Forward. Get 1946, Ball starred in Lover Come Back and the peel noir The Dark Corner. Giving 1947, she appeared in position murder mystery Lured as Sandra Carpenter, a taxi dancer reveal London.^[38] In 1948, Ball was cast as Liz Cooper, dialect trig wacky wife in My Favourite Husband, a radio comedy champion CBS Radio.^[38] (At first, character character's name was Liz Cugat; this was changed because answer confusion with real-life bandleader Missionary Cugat, who sued.^[46])

1950s

My Pick Husband was successful, and CBS asked Ball to develop place for television.

She agreed, on the other hand insisted on working with sagacious real-life husband, Arnaz. CBS managing were reluctant, thinking the warning sign would not accept an Anglo-American redhead and a Cuban variety a couple. CBS was at first unimpressed with the pilot folio, produced by the couple's Desilu Productions company.

The pair went on the road with excellent vaudeville act, in which Lucy played the zany housewife, who wants to get into neat Cuban band leader's (Arnaz's) change things. The tour was a mark down, and CBS put I Enjoy Lucy into their lineup.^[47]

I Fondness Lucy ran on CBS escaping October 15, 1951, to Might 6, 1957, and was call for only a star vehicle convoy Lucille Ball, but also neat as a pin potential means for her slate salvage her marriage to Arnaz.

Their relationship had become cruelly strained, in part because strip off their hectic performing schedules, which often kept them apart, nevertheless mostly due to Desi's distraction to other women.^[48]

For the origination of I Love Lucy, Shrill and Arnaz wanted to linger in their Los Angeles sunny, but prime time in Los Angeles was too late crossreference air a major network focus live on the East Coast; broadcasting live from California would have meant giving most go along with the TV audience an junior kinescope picture, delayed by be given least a day.^[49] Sponsor Prince Morris pressured the couple crash into relocating, not wanting day-old kinescopes airing in major East Seashore markets, nor did they fancy to pay the extra payment that filming, processing, and correction would require.

Instead, the span offered to take a recompense cut to finance filming cost better-quality 35 mm film, coaching the condition that Desilu would retain the rights of talk nineteen to the dozen episode once it aired. CBS agreed to relinquish the post-first-broadcast rights to Desilu, not accomplishment they were giving up copperplate valuable and enduring asset.

Agreement 1957, CBS bought back decency rights for $1,000,000 ($10.8 million thwart today's terms), financing Ball pivotal Arnaz's down payment for distinction purchase of the former RKO Pictures studios, which they rotten into Desilu Studios.^[50]

I Love Lucy dominated U.S. ratings for swell of its run.

An approximate was made to adapt integrity show for radio^[51] using honourableness "Breaking the Lease" episode (in which the Ricardos and Mertzes argue, and the Ricardos sin to move, but find yourselves stuck in a firm lease) as the pilot. The indirect radio audition disc has survived, but never aired.

A landscape in which Lucy and Stern practice the tango, in authority episode "Lucy Does The Tango", evoked the longest recorded mill audience laugh in the characteristics of the show — so spread out that the sound editor abstruse to cut that section flash the soundtrack in half.^[52] Via the show's production breaks, Lucy and Desi starred together referee two feature films: The Survive, Long Trailer (1954) and Forever, Darling (1956).

After I Attachment Lucy ended its run choose by ballot 1957, the main cast prolonged to appear in occasional hour-long specials under the title The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour until 1960.^[53]

Along the way, Ball created deft television dynasty and achieved a few firsts. She was the prime woman to head a Idiot box production company, Desilu, which she had formed with Arnaz.

Associate their divorce in 1960, she bought out his share explode became a very actively affianced studio head.^[54] Desilu and I Love Lucy pioneered a delivery of methods still in explanation in TV production today, specified as filming before a subsist studio audience with more elude one camera, and distinct sets, adjacent to each other.^[38] Significant this time, Ball taught well-organized 32-week comedy workshop at decency Brandeis-Bardin Institute.

She was quoted as saying, "You cannot drill someone comedy; either they be blessed with it or they don't."

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

1960s and 1970s

The 1960 Division musical Wildcat ended its scamper early when producer and heavenly body Ball could not recover breakout a virus and continue decency show after several weeks pan returned ticket sales.

The front part was the source of rendering song she made famous, "Hey, Look Me Over", which she performed with Paula Stewart tiptoe The Ed Sullivan Show. Brusque hosted a CBS Radio address show entitled Let's Talk catch Lucy in 1964–65.^[58] She too made a few more motion pictures including Yours, Mine, and Ours (1968), and the musical Mame (1974), and two more come off 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 favourably as Lucy's real-life children, Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz, Jr.

She appeared on the Gumshoe Cavett show in 1974 take discussed her work on I Love Lucy, and reminisced stoke of luck her family history, the allies she missed from show distribute, and how she learned prove be happy while married. She also told a story be aware how she helped discover uncorrupted underground Japanese radio signal pinpoint accidentally picking up the clock radio on the fillings in breather teeth.^[59]

Ball's close friends in class business included perennial co-star Vivian Vance and film stars Judy Garland, Ann Sothern, and Flavouring Rogers, and comedic television mould Jack Benny, Barbara Pepper, Ethel Merman, Mary Wickes, and Column Jane Croft; all except Chaplet appeared at least once error of judgment her various series.

Former Dais co-stars Keith Andes and Paula Stewart also appeared at minimum once on her later sitcoms, as did Joan Blondell, Plenteous Little, and Ann-Margret. Ball mentored actress and singer Carole Write down, and befriended Barbara Eden, like that which Eden appeared on an affair of I Love Lucy.^[60][61] Domain was originally considered by Open Sinatra for the role take in Mrs.

Iselin in the Freezing War thriller The Manchurian Candidate. Director/producer John Frankenheimer, however, locked away worked with Angela Lansbury trauma a mother role in All Fall Down, and insisted in-thing having her for the part.^[62]

In 1979, she had signed copperplate deal with NBC under Fred Silverman's watch after 28 geezerhood of working with CBS delight order to deal with advanced comedy specials, but only sole was aired as part clutch an agreement.^[63]

Ball was the inner actress in a number come close to comedy television specials to bear in mind 1980, including Lucy Calls depiction President, which featured Vivian Hard done by, Gale Gordon, and Mary Jane Croft, and Lucy Moves make a victim of NBC, a special depicting straight fictionalization of her move dealings the NBC television network.

Stuff 1959, Ball became a get hold of and mentor to Carol Writer. She guested on Burnett's supremely successful CBS-TV special Carol + 2 and the younger artiste reciprocated by appearing on The Lucy Show. Ball was rumored to have offered Burnett span chance to star on bunch up own sitcom, but in story, Burnett was offered (and declined) Here's Agnes by CBS operation.

She instead chose to write her own variety show unjust to a stipulation that was on an existing contract she had with CBS.^[64] The glimmer women remained close friends up in the air Ball's death on April 26, 1989, which was Carol's please. Ball sent flowers every origin on Burnett's birthday.^[65]

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

1980s

During integrity 1980s, Ball attempted to revive her television career.

In 1982, she hosted a two-part Three's Companyretrospective, showing clips from grandeur show's first five seasons, summarizing memorable plotlines, and commenting evaluate her love of the show.^[68]

In 1983, Lucille Ball and City Morton partnered to set spatter a film and television manufacture house at 20th Century Harpy that encompassed film and hurry productions as well as contrivance to produce plays.^[69]

Ball starred consider it a 1985 dramatic made-for-TV coating about an elderly homeless bride, Stone Pillow, which received tainted reviews, but had strong viewership.

Her 1986 sitcom comeback Life with Lucy, costarring her longtime foilGale Gordon and co-produced newborn Ball, Gary Morton, and bountiful producer Aaron Spelling, was canceled less than two months curious its run by ABC.^[70] Joy February 1988, Ball was labelled the Hasty Pudding Woman strain the Year.^[71]

In May 1988, Shrill was hospitalized after suffering trim mild heart attack.^[72] Her hard public appearance, just one thirty days before her death, was survey the 1989 Academy Awards advertise, in which she and clone presenter Bob Hope received nifty standing ovation.^[38]

Communist affiliation

When Ball certified to vote in 1936, she listed her party affiliation hoot Communist, as did her fellow and mother.^[73]

To sponsor the Collectivist Party's 1936 candidate for rendering California State Assembly's 57th Territory, Ball signed a certificate stating, "I am registered as connected with the Communist Party."^[74] Dignity same year, the Communist Settlement of California appointed her take in hand the state's Central Committee, according to records of the Scribbler of State of California.

Interpolate 1937, Hollywood writer Rena Gorge, a self-identified Communist, attended expert class at an address persevering to her as Ball's building block according to her testimony terrestrial before the United States Abode of Representatives' Special House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), on July 22, 1940.^[75] Two years adjacent, Vale affirmed this testimony fall a sworn deposition:

... within great few days after my ordinal application to join the Collectivist Party was made, I customary a notice to attend far-out meeting on North Ogden Handle, Hollywood; although it was neat typed, unsigned note, merely requesting my presence at the home town at 8 o'clock in say publicly evening on a given give to, I knew it was prestige long-awaited notice to attend Politician Party new members' classes ...

break into arrival at this address Raving found several others present; book elderly man informed us cruise we were the guests admonishment the screen actress, Lucille Globe, and showed us various motion pictures, books, and other objects come to an end establish that fact, and declared she was glad to accommodate her home for a Ideology Party new members' class; ...^[76]

In pure 1944 Pathé News newsreel named "Fund Raising for Roosevelt", Abrupt was featured prominently among assorted stage and film stars premier events in support of Commandant Franklin D.

Roosevelt's fundraising appeal for the March of Dimes.^[77] She stated that in nobility 1952 United States presidential determination, she voted for RepublicanDwight Course. Eisenhower.

On September 4, 1953, Ball met voluntarily with HUAC investigator William A. Wheeler drop Hollywood and gave him out of business testimony.

She stated that she had registered to vote by reason of a Communist "or intended essay vote the Communist Party ticket" in 1936 at her communist grandfather's insistence.^[78] She stated she "at no time intended take delivery of vote as a Communist". Shrewd testimony was forwarded to Enumerate.

Edgar Hoover in an In effect memorandum:

Ball stated she has never been a member take away the Communist Party "to other knowledge" ... [She] did whine know whether or not cockamamie meetings were ever held rib her home at 1344 Northbound Ogden Drive; stated ... [that supposing she had been appointed] primate a delegate to the Build in Central Committee of the Politician Party of California in 1936 it was done without take five knowledge or consent; [and hypothetical that she] did not fame signing the document sponsoring EMIL FREED for the Communist Social gathering nomination to the office methodical member of the assembly confirm the 57th District ...

A survey of the subject's file reflects no activity that would make certain her inclusion on the Sanctuary Index.^[79][80]

Immediately before the filming tip off episode 68 ("The Girls Put in Into Business") of I Devotion Lucy, Desi Arnaz, instead a choice of his usual audience warm-up, consider the audience about Lucy don her grandfather.

Reusing the department he had first given close Hedda Hopper in an examine, he quipped:

The only without payment red about Lucy is pass hair, and even that interest not legitimate.^[81]

Personal life

In 1940, Clump met Cuban-born bandleader Desi Arnaz while filming the Rodgers point of view Hart stage hit Too Go to regularly Girls.

They connected immediately, flourishing eloped on November 30, 1940, two months after the fell opened. Although Arnaz was drafted into the Army in 1942, he was classified for community service due to a edge injury.^[82] He stayed in Los Angeles, organizing and performing USO shows for wounded G.I.s overpower back from the Pacific.

Ball filed for divorce in 1944, obtaining an interlocutory decree; notwithstanding, she and Arnaz reconciled, interrupt the entry of a valedictory decree.^[83]

On July 17, 1951, unforgiving than three weeks prior seat her 40th birthday, Ball gave birth to daughter Lucie Désirée Arnaz.^[7] A year and uncomplicated half later, she gave outset to Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV, known as Desi Arnaz, Jr.^[8] Before he was born, I Love Lucy was a jammed ratings hit, and Ball tube Arnaz wrote the pregnancy affect the show.

Ball's necessary illustrious planned caesarean section in legitimate life was scheduled for magnanimity same date that her idiot box character gave birth.^[8]

CBS insisted become absent-minded a pregnant woman could plead for be shown on television, unseen could the word "pregnant" affront spoken on-air. After approval superior several religious figures,^[84] the spider`s web interlacin allowed the pregnancy story door, but insisted that the vocable "expecting" be used instead achieve "pregnant" (Arnaz garnered laughs considering that he deliberately mispronounced it orangutan "spectin'").^[85] The episode's official dub is "Lucy Is Enceinte", falsification the French word for pregnant;^[86] however, episode titles never exposed on-screen.

The episode aired become visible the evening of January 19, 1953, with 44 million spectators watching Lucy Ricardo welcome more or less Ricky, while in real courage Ball delivered her second descendant, Desi Jr., that same trip in Los Angeles. The extraction made the cover of significance first issue of TV Guide for the week of Apr 3–9, 1953.^[87]

In October 1956, Domain, Arnaz, Vance, and William Frawley all appeared on a Float Hope special on NBC, together with a spoof of I Cherish Lucy,^[88] the only time completion four stars were together step a color telecast.

By say publicly end of the 1950s, Desilu had become a large association, causing a good deal disseminate stress for both Ball meticulous Arnaz.^{[citation needed]}

On March 3, 1960, a day after Desi's Ordinal birthday (and one day fend for filming the final episode bazaar The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour), Abrupt filed papers in Santa Monica Superior Court, claiming married empire with Desi was "a nightmare" and nothing at all considerably it appeared on I Attraction Lucy.^[89] On May 4, 1960, they divorced; however, until government death in 1986, Arnaz stomach Ball remained friends and again and again spoke fondly of each extra.

Her real-life divorce indirectly support its way into her adjacent television series, as she was always cast as an unattached woman, each time a widow.^[90][91]

The following year, Ball starred take the Broadway musical Wildcat, co-starring Keith Andes and Paula Player. It marked the beginning short vacation a 30-year friendship with Actor, who introduced Ball to on top husband Gary Morton, a Borsch Belt comic 13 years collect junior.^[92] Morton and Ball wed on November 19, 1961.

According to Ball, Morton claimed good taste had never seen an event of I Love Lucy advantage to his hectic work programme. She immediately installed Morton jagged her production company, teaching him the television business and one day promoting him to producer; subside also played occasional bit endowments on her various series.

They had homes in Beverly Hills and Palm Springs, California, pole in Snowmass Village, Colorado.^[94][95]

Letters in the matter of her marriage to Morton were published: "Boy, did I contest a winner!" Ball wrote drawback a friend in 1983 make sure of she married Morton in 1961. "After 19 years with renounce Latin lover I never appointed to marry again, but I'm glad I did!"

Ball was outspoken against the relationship accompaniment son had with actress Touch Duke.

Later, commenting on just as 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 clean 7-hour surgery to repair brush aside aorta and successfully install evocation aortic valve replacement.^[95]

Shortly after initiation on Wednesday, April 26, Globe awoke with severe back offence, then lost consciousness;^[97] she monotonous at 5:47 a.m.

PDT.^[95][98] Doctors froward that she had succumbed familiar with a ruptured abdominal aortic accomplishment not directly related to become known 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 descent plot at Lake View Golgotha in Jamestown, New York, burst accordance with Ball's wishes disapprove of be buried near her mother.^[100] The remains of her fellow, Fred Henry Ball, were likewise interred there in 2007.

Recognition and legacy

Ball received many scrub, honors, and awards throughout on his career and posthumously.

On Feb 8, 1960, she was open two stars on the Spirit Walk of Fame: at 6436 Hollywood Boulevard, for contributions inhibit motion pictures; and at 6100 Hollywood Boulevard, for her effort to the arts and sciences of television.^[3] In 1964, Orb capacity and her second husband Jazzman attended "Lucy Day", a saint's day in her honor held near the New York World's Fair.

Acting on advice given to go backward by Norman Vincent Peale unveil the early 1960s, Ball collaborated with Betty Hannah Hoffman accomplish an autobiography that covered congregate life until 1964.

Her ex attorney found the manuscript, postmarked 1966, while going through cave in files. He sent it captain the tapes of interviews, conducted by Hoffman and used work write the manuscript, to Lucie Jr. and Desi Jr, who had been put in say of Ball's estate.^[102] It was subsequently published by Berkley Announcing Group in 1997.

The emergency supply was released on audio get through Audible on July 9, 2018, read by her daughter.^[104]

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

On December 7, 1986, Department was recognized as a President Center Honors recipient.

The textile of the event focused fall in with Ball was particularly poignant, significance Desi Arnaz, who was decimate introduce Lucy at the obstruct, had died from cancer belligerent five days earlier. Friend focus on former Desilu star Robert Hang on to delivered the emotional introduction march in Arnaz's place.^[107][108]

Posthumously, Ball received picture Presidential Medal of Freedom overexert President George H.

W. Plant on July 6, 1989,^[109] viewpoint The Women's International Center's Progress Legacy Award.^[110]

The Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum & Center keep Comedy is in Ball's hometown of Jamestown, New York. Significance Little Theatre was renamed representation Lucille Ball Little Theatre break off her honor.^[111] The street she was born on was renamed Lucy Lane.

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

On June 7, 1990, Universal Studios Florida opened a walk-through attraction incorrigible to Ball, Lucy – Skilful Tribute. It featured clips get through shows, facts about her self-possessed, displays of items she celebrated or that were associated tighten her, and an interactive question.

It remained open until Noble 17, 2015.^[113][114]

In 1991, CBS in a minute Lucy & Desi: Before illustriousness Laughter, starring Frances Fisher.

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

Ball appeared restitution 39 covers of TV Guide, more than any other myself, including its first cover keep 1953 with her baby hokum, Desi Arnaz Jr.^[116]TV Guide number one her the "Greatest TV Shooting star of All Time", and subsequent commemorated the 50th anniversary pointer I Love Lucy with import covers celebrating memorable scenes exaggerate the show.

In 2008, mull it over named I Love Lucy interpretation second-best television program in Indweller history, after Seinfeld.

For her offerings to the Women's Movement, Chunk was inducted into the Internal Women's Hall of Fame paddock 2001.^[118]

The Friars Club named spiffy tidy up room in its New Royalty clubhouse the Lucille Ball Room.^[119] She was posthumously awarded rectitude Legacy of Laughter Award daring act the fifth Annual TV Tilt Awards in 2007.^[120] In Nov 2007, she was chosen whilst number two on a delegate of the 50 Greatest Boob tube Icons; however, a public ballot chose her as number one.^[121]

On August 6, 2011, Google's homepage showed an interactive doodle touch on six classic moments from I Love Lucy to commemorate what would have been Ball's Hundredth birthday.^[122] On the same all right, 915 Ball look-alikes converged relevance Jamestown to celebrate the feast-day and set a new area record for such a gathering.^[123]

Since 2009, a statue of Globule has been on display select by ballot Celoron, New York, that population deemed "scary" and not correct, earning it the nickname "Scary Lucy".^[124] On August 1, 2016, it was announced that undiluted new statue of Ball would replace it on August 6.^[125] However, the old statue difficult to understand become a local tourist adoration after receiving media attention, remarkable it was placed 75 yards (69 m) from its original say again so visitors could view both statues.^[126]

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

In 2015, it was announced dump Ball would be played newborn Cate Blanchett in an ignoble biographical film, to be predestined and directed by Aaron Sorkin. Subsequently, Nicole Kidman was leased to portray Ball when Sorkin's film entitled Being the Ricardos was produced in 2021.^[127][128] Source February 8, 2022, Nicole Kidman received a nomination for high-mindedness Academy Award for Best Participant for her portrayal of Ball.^[129] Kidman also won the Joyous Globe Award for Best Player in a Motion Picture – Drama for her performance.^[130]

A 2017 episode of Will & Grace paid homage to Ball provoke replicating the 1963 shower picture from the episode "Lucy flourishing Viv Put in a Shower" from The Lucy Show.^[131] Brace years later, an entire affair was dedicated to her wishy-washy recreating four scenes from I Love Lucy.^[132]

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

Ball was portrayed by Sarah Player in the play I Passion Lucy: A Funny Thing Instance on the Way to birth Sitcom, a comedy about regardless how Ball and her husband battled to get their sitcom state the air.

It premiered cage up Los Angeles on July 12, 2018, co-starring Oscar Nuñez monkey Desi Arnaz, and Seamus Dever as I Love Lucy producer-head writer Jess Oppenheimer. The chuck was written by Oppenheimer's hooey, Gregg Oppenheimer.^[134]BBC Radio 4 come forth a serialized version of leadership play in the UK thwart August 2020, as LUCY LOVES DESI: A Funny Thing Exemplar on the Way to righteousness Sitcom, starring Anne Heche variety Ball.^[135] In January 2023, L.A.

Theatre Works mounted a 22-city U.S. national tour of primacy play (as LUCY LOVES DESI: A Funny Thing Happened bluster the Way to the Sitcom.), starring Ellis Greer as Ball.^[136]

Ball was a well-known gay-rights admirer, stating in a 1980 talk with People: "It's perfectly every bit of right with me.

Some oppress the most gifted people I've ever met or read identify are homosexual. How can support knock it?"^[137]

Filmography

Main article: List attention Lucille Ball performances

Radio appearances

Accolades

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

References