Ball, Lucille (1911-1989), was one of the most popular comediennes in the history of American television. She gained fame as the zany heroine of the TV comedy series “I Love Lucy” (1951-1957), co-starring her husband, Desi Arnaz. She continued the same type of character in the television comedy series “The Lucy Show” (1962-1968) and “Here’s Lucy” (1968-1974). She and Arnaz founded Desilu Productions, one of the most profitable United States TV production companies.
Ball was born on Aug. 6, 1911, near Jamestown, New York, and began her career as a model. In the early 1930’s, she moved to Hollywood. She made her film debut in 1933, playing small parts in musicals and comedies. In the 1940’s, her movie roles grew bigger and more varied, though she was still known as a comic actress. In 1940, she married Arnaz, a Cuban bandleader. They were divorced in 1960. Love, Lucy, an autobiography, was published in 1996, after her death on April 26, 1989.
See also Arnaz, Desi ; I Love Lucy .
