2. Background
• Born- August 6
1911, in
Jamestown, New
York
• Daughter of Henry
Durrell Ball and
Desiree Evelyn
Hunt Ball
3. • February 1915-
Lucy’s father dies of
typhoid fever
• Lucy and brother,
Frederick, raised
by her mother and
grandparents. Her
mother remarried,
and her stepfather
didn’t like kids.
• Very, very poor.
4. Adolescent Years
• Frequently attended
vaudeville shows with her
family
• Her grandfather
encouraged her to
participate in school
plays.
• Left high school at age
15.
5. Lucy’s Career Beginning
• 1927- Lucy sent to
the John Murray
Anderson School for
the Dramatic Arts in
New York City
• Sent home a few
weeks later when
drama coaches told
her that she "had
no future at all as a
performer”.
6. Lucy’s Career
• After a while, she started
modeling for Hattie Carnegie.
• Her first role was in an
appearance in Eddie Cantor’s
musical “Roman Scandals” in
1933.
7. Lucy’s Career
• Also, in 1933 she
went to Hollywood
as movie showgirl
• Later, became a
successful actress
appearing in more
than 75 films
– Under contract with
Sam Goodwin,
Columbia and RKO
8. • 1940 - Married
Desiderio Alberto
Arnaz y de Acha
III (Desi Arnaz)
– Cuban
percussionist she
met while filming
the movie Too
Many Girls
9. Who was Desi?
• Lucille Ball’s first
husband, Desi
Arnaz, produced
the show “Star
Trek.”
• He also produced
the movie “Mission
Impossible.”
• He became a
powerful and
respectful producer
because of his great
works.
10. I Love Lucy
• 1951 – Desi and Lucy
formed Desilu
Productions with
$5,000.
• I Love Lucy began six
year domination of TV
comedy.
• Lucie Desiree Arnaz
born on July 17, 1951.
12. • In 1953, the I Love
Lucy episode in
which Lucy Ricardo
gave birth to Little
Ricky premiered on
January 19, 1953,
– This was the same
day that Lucille gave
birth to second child
Desiderio Alberto
Arnaz y Acha IV
(Desi, Jr.).
– Lucy was the first
woman on TV to
appear pregnant.
13. Lucy’s Career Continues
• 1957 - Desilu
purchased RKO
Studios and began
producing other TV
programs
• 1960 - The Arnaz’s
divorced, and Desi
sold his share of
the studio to Lucy
for 3 million
dollars.
14. • 1961 - Lucy
married Morton
Goldapper (Gary
Morton), who
became her
executive producer
• 1962 - Lucille
returned to the
airwaves with a
successful solo
launch of The Lucy
Show
15. • 1967 - Lucy sold
Desilu to Gulf and
Western Industries
for 18 million
dollars.
16. • 1974 - Lucille played
the title role in the
movie version of
Mame
• 1985 – In first
dramatic role in
years, Lucy played a
New York City bag
lady in the CBS
teleplay Stone Pillow
• 1986 - Life With Lucy
was launched by
ABC
– Despite hard work,
was not successful
17. Achievements
• 1953- Lucy received
first two Emmy
Awards- Best
Comedian and Best
Situation Comedy on
the Air
• December 17, 1986,
honored with an award
for life-long
achievement at
Kennedy Center by
President Reagan.
18. Lucille’s Legacy
• 1989 - On April 18,
Lucille underwent
emergency heart
surgery
• She died a week
later on April 26,
1989.
19. • Was awarded the
Presidential Medal
of Freedom by
President George H.
W. Bush on July
6,1989
• Time Magazine’s
“100 Most
Influential People of
the Century”
• Inducted into the
National Women’s
Hall of Fame
20. • 2007- Awarded the
Legacy of Laughter
Award at the fifth
Annual TV Land
Awards
• I Love Lucy was
named the Greatest
TV Series by Hall of
Fame Magazine
• Chosen second out
of the 50 Greatest
TV Icons (Johnny
Carson was first).
21. Lucille Ball opened doors for women on television, in
the board room, on the factory assembly line, in the
office, and at home. She created a character who
diligently tried to work outside the home while
juggling being housewife and mother was a new
concept for the majority of wives and mothers in the
50’s. Being a woman who owned a film production
company in the 60’s was unknown for women of the
time. She is and will continue to be an American icon
who shared her successes with women around the
world then and now.
Importance in History
22. I can remember the first episode of I Love Lucy I ever
saw. We didn’t have cable growing up, and I came
across I Love Lucy on TV Land when I was staying at
my aunt’s house. I first saw an episode when Lucy
decided to go skiing. There was something about this
zaney woman that I adored. In talking with my dad
later, I found out she had red hair! I felt that I had a
personal connection with her because of her goofy
personality; the red hair was icing on the cake! I
found her to be inspiring in a lot of ways. She really
paved the way for women in many aspects of life.
Conclusion
23. "Lucille Ball." 2014. The Biography Channel website. Mar 12
2014, 11:27 http://www.biography.com/people/lucille-ball-
9196958.
Works Cited
