Lucille Ball

Miss Boolman

Period 7

7th Grade ER

March 19, 2014

Background

• Born- August 6

1911, in

Jamestown, New

York

• Daughter of Henry

Durrell Ball and

Desiree Evelyn

Hunt Ball

• February 1915-

Lucy’s father dies of

typhoid fever

• Lucy and brother,

Frederick, raised

by her mother and

grandparents. Her

mother remarried,

and her stepfather

didn’t like kids.

• Very, very poor.

Adolescent Years

• Frequently attended

vaudeville shows with her

family

• Her grandfather

encouraged her to

participate in school

plays.

• Left high school at age

15.

Lucy’s Career Beginning

• 1927- Lucy sent to

the John Murray

Anderson School for

the Dramatic Arts in

New York City

• Sent home a few

weeks later when

drama coaches told

her that she "had

no future at all as a

performer”.

Lucy’s Career

• After a while, she started

modeling for Hattie Carnegie.

• Her first role was in an

appearance in Eddie Cantor’s

musical “Roman Scandals” in

1933.

Lucy’s Career

• Also, in 1933 she

went to Hollywood

as movie showgirl

• Later, became a

successful actress

appearing in more

than 75 films

– Under contract with

Sam Goodwin,

Columbia and RKO

• 1940 - Married

Desiderio Alberto

Arnaz y de Acha

III (Desi Arnaz)

– Cuban

percussionist she

met while filming

the movie Too

Many Girls

Who was Desi?• Lucille Ball’s first

husband, DesiArnaz, produced the show “Star Trek.”

• He also produced the movie “Mission Impossible.”

• He became a powerful and respectful producer because of his great works.

I Love Lucy• 1951 – Desi and Lucy

formed Desilu

Productions with

$5,000.

• I Love Lucy began six

year domination of TV

comedy.

• Lucie Desiree Arnaz

born on July 17, 1951.

I Love Lucy

• In 1953, the I Love

Lucy episode in

which Lucy Ricardo

gave birth to Little

Ricky premiered on

January 19, 1953,

– This was the same

day that Lucille gave

birth to second child

Desiderio Alberto

Arnaz y Acha IV

(Desi, Jr.).

– Lucy was the first

woman on TV to

appear pregnant.

Lucy’s Career Continues

• 1957 - Desilu

purchased RKO

Studios and began

producing other TV

programs

• 1960 - The Arnaz’s

divorced, and Desi

sold his share of

the studio to Lucy

for 3 million

dollars.

• 1961 - Lucy married Morton Goldapper (Gary Morton), who became her executive producer

• 1962 - Lucille returned to the airwaves with a successful solo launch of The Lucy Show

• 1967 - Lucy sold Desilu to Gulf and Western Industries for 18 million dollars.

• 1974 - Lucille played the title role in the movie version of Mame

• 1985 – In first dramatic role in years, Lucy played a New York City bag lady in the CBS teleplay Stone Pillow

• 1986 - Life With Lucy was launched by ABC – Despite hard work,

was not successful

Achievements

• 1953- Lucy received first two Emmy Awards- Best Comedian and Best Situation Comedy on the Air

• December 17, 1986, honored with an award for life-long achievement at Kennedy Center by President Reagan.

Lucille’s Legacy

• 1989 - On April 18,

Lucille underwent

emergency heart

surgery

• She died a week

later on April 26,

1989.

• Was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George H. W. Bush on July 6,1989

• Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People of the Century”

• Inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame

• 2007- Awarded the Legacy of Laughter Award at the fifth Annual TV Land Awards

• I Love Lucy was named the Greatest TV Series by Hall of Fame Magazine

• Chosen second out of the 50 Greatest TV Icons (Johnny Carson was first).

Lucille Ball opened doors for women on television, in

the board room, on the factory assembly line, in the

office, and at home. She created a character who

diligently tried to work outside the home while

juggling being housewife and mother was a new

concept for the majority of wives and mothers in the

50’s. Being a woman who owned a film production

company in the 60’s was unknown for women of the

time. She is and will continue to be an American icon

who shared her successes with women around the

world then and now.

Importance in History

I can remember the first episode of I Love Lucy I ever

saw. We didn’t have cable growing up, and I came

across I Love Lucy on TV Land when I was staying at

my aunt’s house. I first saw an episode when Lucy

decided to go skiing. There was something about this

zaney woman that I adored. In talking with my dad

later, I found out she had red hair! I felt that I had a

personal connection with her because of her goofy

personality; the red hair was icing on the cake! I

found her to be inspiring in a lot of ways. She really

paved the way for women in many aspects of life.

Conclusion

"Lucille Ball." 2014. The Biography Channel website. Mar 12 2014, 11:27 http://www.biography.com/people/lucille-ball-9196958.

Works Cited

Lucille

Desiree

Ball