Memories of Lucille Ball: Lucy was born on August 6, 1911 so Saturday would have been her 100th birthday. After she divorced Desi Arnaz , Lucy married 13 years younger stand-up comic Gary Morton, and he seemed to be the perfect husband for the rest of her life. We remember seeing them together at Pips playing backgammon, and once we ran into Lucy and Gary shopping in Carl’s Market. Gary pushed the cart and Lucy pointed to the things she wanted and he scooped them up. They bought lots of canned tuna on sale. Another time we were hovering outside her dressing room at some event and we overheard that distinctive deep, gravelly voice of hers saying “Gary freshen my drink, will you?” We always wondered what made her voice become so deep – smoking, drinking? We also visited Lucy’s Beverly Hills house before it was sold and destined to be torn down. She had a hidden bar- you pushed a button on the den wall and a well-stocked hidden bar popped out. We miss Lucy.
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I hate hearing her house was torn down. Anyone know why?
Presumably so someone could build something twice as large and infinitely more costly, Dragonfly.
Lucy was one of a kind without doubt.
But Gary sounds like a good and loyal lackey. Wasn’t he a middling stand-up comedian before he landed Lucy?
She probably wanted stability after the roller-coaster—and extraordinary passion—of her marriage to Desi.
Oh, and LOTS of cigs and MANY drinks made for that extraordinary voice.
“The Big Street”—Lucy as you’ve never seen her. And Henry Fonda and Agnes Moorehead, too! 🙂
A maudlin, preposterous ending, but a very good movie nonetheless.
Finally, Carol Burnett tells some wonderful Lucy stories. They were great friends and loved each other dearly.
Carol says that Lucy never forget to send flowers to her on her birthday. They arrived every year on the day, unfailingly—including the day that Lucy died.
Wonder how much Lucy was worth when she passed away and how much Desi (58)and his snotty sister Lucie (age 60) staggered away with…???
@Mona
Glad you mentioned Carol Burnett (age 78). I loved her show in (late 60’s to mid 70’s). She also did an amazing job in the movie Annie in 82′. Also, loved Korman and Conway together on her show.
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Lucy and Carol certainly gave our family (and millions others) an opportunity to laugh & spend some wonderful evenings with our family.
I think she ALWAYS loved Desi, ’til her dying day. But that sort of passion — and the (justifiable) jealously that went w/ it does not a happy marriage make! For a second hubby, Lucy needed someone who would do her bidding — because Desi wouldn’t and couldn’t. Yes, Gary was a second rate comedian who hit it big when he married Lucy — but of course, he had to put up w/ her. She was a BRILLIANT comedienne, but not a funny lady off-camera. I bet Patty Duke can tell some stories,not-so-nice, too. And the voice? Oh, yeah, lots of smoking and lots of drinking, definitely! 🙂
Apparently Ms. Ball had a lot of clout in Hollywood. Desi & his cameraman invented filming with multiple cameras. Desi did like his booze & fast women, however, most people recall him being a gentleman. Regardless, Lucy’s Hollywood royalty & earned her status.
Demi & Ashton in about 10 years??
So many happy memories of her-it’s too bad her house was torn down. If walls could talk…lol
I remember from many, many years ago, the LA Times article about Lucy’s troubled sitcom, which was cancelled soon after.
I think it was called “Always Lucy,” (and it came about during a big nostalgia push. “Still The Beaver” with Jerry Mathers was another—he WASN’T, by the way 🙂 ).
Anyhow, the younger cast members who were playing Lucy’s children and grandchildren were said to be very put-off by her chain-smoking and ill-temper.
Hollywood had clearly moved on, but that show was maybe the only failure in Lucy’s long, long career. (And in truth, the show was poorly written and produced.)
There is a statistic (which might even be true! 🙂 ), which says that at any moment of the day, somewhere on the globe, “I Love Lucy” is being broadcast.
Nice to hear from her other, many fans!
I always wondered about Gary…you always heard about Luci and Desi, wonder what Gary thought about being second banana. She was married to Gary longer than Desi but you never heard about that poor soul.
Remember, no Lucy, no Star Trek!
Thank you Lucy.
Desi was the man.
Desilu.
The reason Lucy had money was Desi.
Desi was the financial genius who wrote the contract that gave them control of the “I Love Lucy” episodes after that show shut down due to their divorce.
Because the FCC had placed a moratorium on new TV licenses in the late 1950s, all of a sudden, when they divorced, there were dozens of new TV stations without anything to show. So Lucy sold them the rights to “I Love Lucy” & made tens of millions.
Desi bought the Republic lot in Studio City, which became Desilu Studios. She got it in the divorce & kept it until she sold it to CBS & is now the CBS Studio Center.
Desi gave everything to her, he still loved her, but he was always a tomcat in heat.
That’s why she divorced him.
Mona Garrett:
Her last series was “Life With Lucy” & it was simply atrocious. Lasted 13 episodes & then was cancelled. It was the last thing she did.
Thanks, Garry. I couldn’t remember the name, but I did recall that it was awful.
Also thanks for the backgrounder on Lucy and Desi. I read that Lucy becoming head of Desilu post-divorce made her a pioneer for women in business and entertainment—an impressive bit of history that few people seem to know.
beside the smoking, A YOUNG HUSBAND CAN COUSE AN EARLY DEATH…………
She had a bad heart and was ill her final years but longed to see good clean television for her grandchildren which yes snotty daughter Luci denied her many visitations. because she wanted to punish her mother for being strict and concerned for her welfare, slap in the face, considering that would be the kind of mother and grandmother who would care for the grandchildren very well. Her friends who worked with her over the years said the kids were a big disappointment, smug and elitistlike dad, who was well educated and given a great boost and unfailing loyalty by Lucy.. he too was ungrateful, they were all creepy slugs that hated Lucy for her kindness, love of country and good work ethics.. After many years of disappointment, she wanted a decent man to abide with and Gary fit the bill, they laughed a lot and had many content, happy days with their hollywood friends.. she was very loyal and tried to help anyone.
What I loved most about Lucy was the physical comedy. She was not afraid to look ridiculous if it got a laugh. She and Ethel eating those chocolates on the conveyor belt is classic, as is the grape stomping and that Vitaminamin (whatever the heck it was) ommercial.
The only one I’ve seen close to Lucy is British actess Patricia Routledge (Hyacinth on the Keeping Up Appearances series. Climbing walls and ladders or running down the street in a dress with pumps, gloves and purse. I laugh hysterically though I’ve seen it many times.
Whoa, morning typos huh? Apologies.
I agree Denise, love Hyacinth Bouquet, she does remind you of Lucy. Women who can do physical comedy are rare.
Lucille Ball had a faithful Husband this time and that is really good and second time is a charm and most people love there second Husband or wife more then there first and things go wrong and when you Divorce you really learn so much about yourself and what your going to put up with and what your not and to be married and unhappy is crushing and the reason Desi and Lucy stayed together for so long was the show…I love Lucy! But they are still funny today and….I Can’t help but laugh my butt off each time and….I am glad that She was happy with some one she could trust and who had massive respect for her and that He was the love of her life.
Star Track is in the History Books Due to Lucille Ball and she really worked hard and really pushed herself and she is so funny and my mother and grandmother really loved Lucy and so do I…I often laugh at anything and everything she does and I love Lucy is timeless and enjoyable and wonderful and the laughs are classic and really blow my mind and until this very day.. No show is funny like this show!
she was the greatest ever and noone is better and i know what i am talking about and i have a lot to say and nobody wants to hear it because i never make sense and today i am happy and i think i need to pee but everybody has to pee sometimes and i think that makes us all good people.
To hell with hell’s kitchen, just go out and eat and let somebody else clean up and do the dishes.
@Indy
Ditto!!!!!!!!! 🙂 lol!!!
This woman really busted her ass and gave woman a voice and she is still funny on I love Lucy and…I Still watch it today.
I have seen the movie about there lives and know her first husband was a cheater and soon after the show ended her relationship ended and she had to move on with some one who loved her and was faithful to her down the road.
She stayed faithful to a man who cheated on her and had two children and…That is great she left a blood line on this earth and leave her kids set up for life.
What a thoughtful loving kind woman she is and of course we all miss her and…The last movie she made was about a Homeless woman and…. It was good that she was working up to the she met God.