"One of the greatest gifts to mankind is laughter, and one of the greatest gifts to laughter is Lucille Ball. God has her now but thanks to television, we'll have her forever."~ Bob Hope
"Lucy was the show! Viv, Fred and I were just props... and good props! But props nevertheless. P.S. "I Love Lucy" was never just a title."~ Desi Arnaz
As did we all, Lucy!
Born on the 6th of August, 1911, Lucille Désirée Ball, Lucy would bring to the world an incredible sense of joy, a sense of happiness and laughter in her work. The audiences would roar in laughter during her days on the television screen as she portrayed the beloved character in "I Love Lucy", Lucy Ricardo...
as would they (her thousands of fans) morn just as hard if not harder on that tragic day of April 26th, 1989, when Lucy would be forced to leave us decades later.
'"I Love Lucy" was never just a title."
And so in commemoration of this iconic beauty, talented actress and comedian, I have compiled a list of 10 unknown facts about the gorgeous redhead whose memory lives on through the roaring laughter provoked from that television screen where we all first met and fell deeply in love with Lucy.
(1.) Lucille Ball became the president of Desilu in 1962, making her the first female to claim a role as such in the entertainment industry.
(2.) Lucille Ball with her television baby, little Ricky appeared on the first cover of TV Guide in Jan. 1953. Ball ended up appearing on the cover of the magazine more than any other celebrity. Her total appearances amounting to 39.
(3.) When little Ricky was born, a greater audience viewed that episode of "I Love Lucy" than the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II as well as President Eisenhower's presidential inauguration.
(4.) After the death of her father in 1914 from typhoid fever, Lucille was mostly raised by her mother Desiree otherwise referred to as "Dede" Ball and her stepfather Ed Peterson. Their family had been so stricken with poverty that Lucille couldn't even find the means to afford a pencil, an experience that would later cause Lucille's habitual hoarding of pencils throughout the rest of her life.
(5.) Initially, Lucille Ball resorted to bleaching her hair blonde in hopes of better fitting in whilst pursuing both acting and modeling in New York.
(6.) I Love Lucy was the first comedy to be filmed in the presence of a live audience. In fact, when it aired, department stores closed early and telephone and water usage declined.
(7.) When CBS disagreed with Lucille and Desi Arnaz's insistence upon shooting "I Love Lucy" on pricy film in Hollywood, the couple agreed to take a pay cut in exchange for retaining complete ownership rights to the show as well as running it under their newly formed "Desilu Productions".
(8.) Thank to the suggestion of Max Factor and with the use of a henna rinse, Lucille dyed her hair red to stand out against the ocean of other actresses and models.
(9.) On February the 8th in the year 1960, Lucille Ball received not only one, but two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for motion pictures, located at 6436 Hollywood Blvd., the other for TV, located at 6100 Hollywood Blvd.
(10.) The theme song to "I Love Lucy" as a matter of fact, has lyrics. Desi sang them to her in the episode entitled "Lucy's Last Birthday", the lyrics are as follows:
"I love Lucy and she loves me
We're as happy as two can be
Sometimes we quarrel but then
How we love making up again
Lucy kisses like no one can
She's my missus and I'm her man
And life is heaven you see
'Cause I love Lucy, Yes I love Lucy and Lucy loves me!"
So, with all that said... Happy 103rd Birthday Lucy! Thanks for all of the joy you've brought each and everyone of us! There'll never be anyone else like you! xoxo
We Love you Lucy!
~ Erin <3
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