Love, Lucy

Lucille Ball, Betty Hannah Hoffman

G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1996 - Biography & Autobiography - 286 pages

Over thirty years ago, the undisputed queen of comedy sat down to record the story of her life. Lucille Ball was at the pinnacle of her success in show business, having teamed with Desi Arnaz (whom she had married in 1940) to make I Love Lucy and The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour and, after her divorce from Desi, The Lucy Show. No comedienne had made America laugh so hard, no television actress had made the leap from Ziegfeld, radio, and film to land on the nation's picture tubes with such zany style and comedic charm. Lucille Ball as Lucy Ricardo was a part of our lives then - and forty-five years later she still is. A recently discovered treasure, Love, Lucy is the valentine Lucille Ball left for her fans - the story of the ingenue from Jamestown, New York, determined to go to Broadway, destined to make a big splash, bound to marry her Valentino, Desi Arnaz. It tells of their life together - both storybook and turbulent: intimate stories of their children and friends; wonderful backstage anecdotes; the creation of the most popular show on TV; the production empire they founded; the dissolution of their marriage. And, with a heartfelt happy ending, her enduring marriage to Gary Morton.

Contents

• Section 1: 3
• Section 2: 29
• Section 3: 47

About the author

Lucille Desiree Ball Morton was born on August 6, 1911, in Jamestown, New York. She started out as a fashion model for Hattie Carnegie in New York City in 1928. In 1932 she started her acting career working as the Chesterfield cigarette girl and as part of many chorus lines on Broadway. Lucille Ball then moved to Hollywood where she appeared in many small movie roles in the 1930's as a contract player for RKO Radio Pictures. In 1936 she landed the role of Julie Tucker in the play Hey Diddle Diddle which premiered in Princeton, N.J. The play received great reviews. This launched her career and she went on to star in the The Wonder Show, the musical play DuBarry was a Lady, Lover Come Back and the murder mystery Lured. In 1948 Ball was cast as a wacky wife in My Favorite Husband, a CBS Radio Show. The program was a success and CBS took it to television with Lucille Ball playing Lucy and her real life husband Desi Arnaz playing Ricky and "I Love Lucy" was born. Lucy became the head of her production company Desilu which pioneered a number of practices like filming before a live audience with several cameras and distinct sets. Lucy went on to star in two other successful T.V. shows "The Lucy Show" and 'Here's Lucy". During the 1980's Ball hosted a two part Three's Company Retrospective and she also made a T.V. film called Stone Pillow. In May 1988 Lucille Ball was hospitalized after suffering a mild heart attack. She died on April 26, 1989 in Los Angeles California.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Love, Lucy
• Authors: Lucille Ball, Betty Hannah Hoffman
• Edition: illustrated, large print
• Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1996
• Original from: the University of Michigan
• Digitized: Jun 28, 2010
• ISBN: 0399142053, 9780399142055
• Length: 286 pages
• Subjects: Biography & Autobiography / Entertainment & Performing Arts; Biography & Autobiography / General; Performing Arts / Television / General