Lucille Ball
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.
Known for
I Love Lucy
Lucy Ricardo
The Lucy Show
Lucy Carmichael
The Carol Burnett Show
Self - Guest
Intimate Portrait
Self (archive footage)
Roman Scandals
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
What's My Line?
Self
Here's Lucy
Lucy Carter
Dinah!
Self
The Whole Town's Talking
Bank Employee (uncredited)
This Is Your Life
Self
Roberta
Fashion Model (uncredited)
The Jack Benny Program
Rachel Revere
Sorrowful Jones
Gladys O'Neill
The Danny Kaye Show
Self
Carnival
Nurse
The Three Musketeers
(uncredited)
The Facts of Life
Kitty Weaver
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
Self
The Dark Corner
Kathleen Stewart
Ziegfeld Follies
Lucille Ball (segment "Here's to the Ladies")
Valley of the Sun
Christine Larson
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
This Is Bob Hope...
Self (archive footage)
The Kennedy Center Honors
Self
A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob
Dot Duncan
Easy Living
Anne, Lenahan's Secretary
Broadway Bill
Blonde Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Blood Money
Davy's Girlfriend (uncredited)
Five Came Back
Peggy Nolan
Miss Grant Takes Richmond
Ellen Grant
Easy to Wed
Gladys Benton
Du Barry Was a Lady
May Daly / Madame Du Barry
The Big Street
Gloria Lyons
Go Chase Yourself
Carol Meeley
A Star Is Born World Premiere
Self
Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Dance, Girl, Dance
Bubbles
The Long, Long Trailer
Tacy Collini
Her Husband's Affairs
Margaret Weldon
Bunker Bean
Rosie Kelly
Fugitive Lady
Beauty Operator (uncredited)
Joy of Living
Salina Garret Pine
Next Time I Marry
Nancy Crocker Fleming
Stage Door
Judith
Yours, Mine and Ours
Helen North Beardsley
You Can't Fool Your Wife
Clara Fields Hinklin
Critic's Choice
Angela Ballantine
The Flip Wilson Show
Self
Stone Pillow
Florabelle
Best Foot Forward
Lucille Ball
The Bowery
Blonde (uncredited)
Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back
Bridesmaid
Having Wonderful Time
Miriam
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Self
My Darling Vivian
Self (archive footage)
The Big Parade of Comedy
Julie Hampton in 'Meet the People' (archive footage)
Room Service
Christine Marlowe
The Dean Martin Christmas Show
Self - Guest (uncredited)
That's Right – You're Wrong
Sandra Sand
That Girl from Paris
Claire Williams
Mame
Mame Dennis
Nana
Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Panama Lady
Lucy
I Dream Too Much
Gwendolyn Dilley
Old Man Rhythm
College Girl
The Ann Sothern Show
Lucy Ricardo
The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender
Self (archive footage)
Winterset
Girl (uncredited)
Startime
The Lucille Ball Comedy Hour
Bonnie Blakely
The Affairs of Cellini
Lady-in-Waiting (uncredited)
Judy Garland: By Myself
Self (archive footage)
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Self
Lured
Sandra Carpenter
Lucy and Desi
Self (archive footage)
Three for Two
Sally / Rita / Pauline
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
Self
The Greatest Show on Earth
Kate Reynolds
Showbiz Goes to War
(archive footage)
Thousands Cheer
Lucille Ball
Body Language
Self
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
Lucy Ricardo
Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed
Self (archive footage)
All Star Party for Clint Eastwood
Self
Two Smart People
Ricki Woodner
The Fuller Brush Girl
Sally Elliot
A Beverly Hills Christmas
Self
I'll Love You Always
Lucille (uncredited)
Moulin Rouge
Show Girl (uncredited)
Password
Hooray for Love
Chorine (uncredited)
Don't Tell the Wife
Annie Howell
Kid Millions
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Beauty for the Asking
Jean Russell
The Farmer in the Dell
Gloria Wilson
Murder at the Vanities
Earl Carroll Girl (uncredited)
Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story
Self (archive footage)
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood
Self (uncredited)
The Best of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Self - Roastee (archive footage)
Life with Lucy
Lucy Barker
Happy Anniversary and Goodbye
Norma Michaels
Look Who's Laughing
Julie Patterson
Without Love
Kitty Trimble
A Guide for the Married Man
Technical Adviser (Mrs. Joe X)
Seven Days' Leave
Terry Havalok-Allen
The Marines Fly High
Joan Grant
Fancy Pants
Agatha Floud
Broadway Thru a Keyhole
Chorine / Girl at the Beach
The Emmy Awards
Self
A Night at the Biltmore Bowl
Lucille Ball
His Old Flame
Bob Hope's Love Affair with Lucy
(archive footage)
The Jack Benny Birthday Special
Self
The Practice
Lucy Gets Lucky
Lucy Collins
Too Many Girls
Connie Casey
That's Entertainment! III
(archive footage)
Television: The First Fifty Years
Self / Lucy Ricardo (archive footage)
Three Little Pigskins
Daisy Simms
Ann-Margret: From Hollywood with Love
Self
The Affairs of Annabel
Annabel Allison
Bottoms Up
Chorine (uncredited)
Forever, Darling
Susan Vega
Swing Out, Sweet Land
Statue of Liberty (voice)
Chatterbox
Lillian Temple
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
(archive footage)
Annabel Takes a Tour
Annabel Allison
Lucy's Really Lost Moments
Lucy Ricardo
Meet the People
Julie Hampton
What Now, Catherine Curtis?
Catherine Curtis
Dummy Ache
Actress
Ellis in Freedomland
The Laundromat (voice)
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Self
Lucy in London
Lucy Carmichael
General Foods Opening Night
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood
Self
Women I Love: Beautiful But Funny
Self
Carol + 2
Self
Follow the Fleet
Kitty Collins
Salute to Stan Laurel
Self
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
Self (archive footage)
NBC Sunday Showcase
Lucy Ricardo
One Live Ghost
Maxine
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years
Self
Lover Come Back
Kay Williams
A Woman of Distinction
Self (uncredited)
Biography: Bob Hope: America's Entertainer
Self (archive footage)
Top Hat
Flower Shop Clerk (uncredited)
The Ed Wynn Show
Self
Lucy Moves to NBC
Self
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
Self (archive footage)
Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy
Self (archive footage)
Swing It
Mary (uncredited)
All Star Party for Lucille Ball
Self
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Self (archive footage)
E! True Hollywood Story
The Magic Carpet
Princess Narah
A Love Letter to Jack Benny
Herself
Jack Benny's 20th Anniversary TV Special
Janet (uncredited)
Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie
Self
The Pearl Bailey Show
Self
The RKO Story: Tales From Hollywood
Self
Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television
(archive footage)
Classic TV Bloopers Uncensored
Lucy Ricardo (archive footage)
So and Sew
Sally Curtis
Night of 100 Stars II
Self
The Best Of Danny Kaye - The Television Years
Self (archive footage)
Hold That Girl
Girl (uncredited)
G.I. Journal
Self
Shirley MacLaine: Gypsy in My Soul
Self
I Love Lucy: The Movie
Lucy Ricardo
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
Lucy Ricardo / I Love Lucy (archive footage)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
I Love Lucy Christmas Special
Lucy
Perfectly Mismated
Cher... and Other Fantasies
Cleaning Lady
The Bob Hope Chevy Show
Lucy Ricardo
Jealousy
(uncredited)
Pioneers of Primetime
Muss 'em Up
Departing Train Passenger (uncredited)
Lucy Calls the President
Lucy Whittaker
Carnival Nights
Self
Twelve Crowded Hours
Paula Sanders
The Funny World of Lucy, Volume 1
Behind the Evidence
Secretary (uncredited)
Men of the Night
Peggy (uncredited)
NBC: The First Fifty Years
Foolish Hearts
Hat Check Girl
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Hostess
The Merv Griffin Show
Self
The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
Self
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
The Bob Hope Show
Self
Entertainment Tonight
Self
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
Self
Donny & Marie
Self
Treffpunkt New York
Self