Lucille Ball - Still an Inspiration 100 Years after Her Birth
Lucille Ball was born 100 years ago on August 6th, 1911. Even after all these years, everybody still loves Lucille Ball, as evidenced by the
fact that a book and a DVD set were recently released relating to her. The book, Lucille Ball FAQ gives details of her life that go beyond the usual biography, proving that people are still fascinated by this talented red head.
The other offering is four Lucille Ball movies, The Long, Long Trailer, Forever Darling, Room Service and Du Barry Was a Lady.
Although Lucille Ball had been a movie actress since the 1930’s, (she appeared in 72 films during her career) whacky Lucy Ricardo, of the 1950’s TV show, I Love Lucy, is the persona she is best remembered for.
What I find fascinating about Lucille Ball, however, is the fact that she didn’t become Lucy Ricardo, Queen of Slap Stick, until she was already 40 years old and although she met and married Cuban bandleader Desi Arnez in 1940, she didn’t have her two children until she was also in her 40’s.
In today’s culture, where youth is not only worshipped but held on to with iron fists, and actresses over age 35 have trouble getting parts, Lucille Ball is still an inspiration to the AARP set! I even remember one episode where Lucy was trying to lose 12 pounds to get into a size 12 dress to be in Ricky’s show. What! Lucy was famous and popular and a size 12? My how times have changed! Nowadays, most actresses are about a size zero.
Lucy was an inspiration not only because her age and her size 12 physique, and the fact that she was a powerhouse entertainer and comedian, she was also a smart, powerful businesswoman and the first female head of a major television production company, Desilu Productions. All this during the post World War II years when women were being told to stay home and be happy housewives to make room for returning servicemen in the job market.
Desilu produced I Love Lucy and other TV hits like the Dick Van Dyke Show and Star Trek when Lucy and Desi Arnez were running it together. In 1960, they divorced and two years later she and new husband Gary Morton bought Arnez out, and she managed the company alone for several years.
I have to admit, I’m a closet I Love Lucy fan. When nothing else is on TV and I’m cooking dinner in the kitchen, I can usually find an old episode to watch.
My daughter, who is now 25, was also fascinated with everything Lucy. She collected the Lucy doll set, she owned Lucy memorabilia and calendars. You name it, if it was about Lucy, she had it. I remember one time, I called the Lucille and Desi Center in Jamestown, New York to try and order a difficult to find Lucy item for my daughter’s birthday. I told the woman who answered the phone that my middle-school aged daughter loved Lucille Ball and she said, “You wouldn’t believe how often I hear that. Young girls still love Lucy!”
So, even after all these years, Lucy still has lessons to teach us. She showed us that true talent doesn’t depend on how young you are, or how thin. Although she’s best remembered as a whacky, comical redhead in a 1950’s TV show, Lucille Ball was a true trailblazer, both in comedy and in business.













