Known For
Acting
Born
Aug 06, 1911
Died
Apr 26, 1989
Place of Birth
Jamestown, New York, USA
Credits
218 titles
Lucille Ball
Biography
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
Filmography
A Grammy Celebration of Latin Music
Lucy Ricardo (archive footage) (uncredited)
Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed
Self (archive footage)
Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story
Self (archive footage)
Lucy and Desi
Self (archive footage)
My Darling Vivian
Self (archive footage)
This Is Bob Hope...
Self (archive footage)
The Fabulous Allan Carr
Self (archive)
I Love Lucy Christmas Special
Lucy
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
Lucy Ricardo / I Love Lucy (archive footage)
Classic TV Bloopers Uncensored
Lucy Ricardo (archive footage)
Pioneers of Primetime
Judy Garland: By Myself
Self (archive footage)
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
(archive footage)
Biography: Bob Hope: America's Entertainer
Self (archive footage)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
Self (archive footage)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
Self (archive footage)
Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy
Self (archive footage)
Television: The First Fifty Years
Self / Lucy Ricardo (archive footage)
The Best of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Self - Roastee (archive footage)
The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender
Self (archive footage)
The Funny World of Lucy, Volume 1
E! True Hollywood Story
That's Entertainment! III
(archive footage)
Intimate Portrait
Self (archive footage)
The Best Of Danny Kaye - The Television Years
Self (archive footage)
Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie
Self
Chicago Joe and the Showgirl
In Memory Of
Bob Hope's Love Affair with Lucy
(archive footage)
A Tribute to Lucy
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Self
A Beverly Hills Christmas
Self
The RKO Story: Tales From Hollywood
Self
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
Self
All Star Party for Clint Eastwood
Self
Life with Lucy
Lucy Barker
Stone Pillow
Florabelle
Night of 100 Stars II
Self
That's Dancing!
Self (archive footage)
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Self (archive footage)
All Star Party for Lucille Ball
Self
Body Language
Self
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Showbiz Goes to War
Self (archive footage)
Women I Love: Beautiful But Funny
Self
Entertainment Tonight
Self
Bungle Abbey
Director
A Love Letter to Jack Benny
Herself
Lucy Moves to NBC
Self
Cher... and Other Fantasies
Cleaning Lady