Lucille Désirée Ball opened her eyes in this world on 6 August 1911. She belonged to America and worked as an actress, model, comedian, producer and studio executive. Ball was the producer and star of several sitcoms, including I Love Lucy, Here’s Lucy and The Lucy Show. In addition to this, she worked as a first female head and owner of a reputed Hollywood studio named as Desilu Productions.
The Beginning of Luci’s Era
Luci Ball began her career as a model in 1929. However, shortly she started her performing career by the stage name Dianne or Diane Belmont. In the 1930s and 40s, Luci appeared in a number of films but her role was minor. Later in November 1940, she met Desi Arnaz – a Cuban bandleader, and then in 1951 both of them created a sitcom together named as I Love Lucy. In the same year, Luci gave birth to her first child with Desi, Lucie Arnaz. In 1953, they were accompanied by Desi Arnaz Jr.
In May 1960, Arnaz and Ball got separated, and in 1961 she remarried a comedian named Gary Morton.
Some Least Known Facts About Lucille Ball
With an infectious laugh, bright red hair and perfect comedic timing; Luci Ball became a top Hollywood star in the early 1930s. In fact, even after a quarter-century of her death, she is still remembered as an unforgettable figure in the world of American comedy. Here are some more facts about this First Lady of Television that you might be interested to know.
1. She Never Graduated
In 1926, Ball was just a teenager but still she was eager to be a performer. For her passion, she left high school at the age of 15 and relocated from Jamestown to New York City for attending drama school.
Unfortunately, Luci’s theater work didn’t do well, so she tried her luck in the modeling field. However, she was never able to complete her graduation.
2. I Love Luci Changed Her Life
Ball’s entertaining and amusing side came out when she got an opportunity to take the main lead in I Love Lucy. It was a sitcom where she played a comedian. She was known to be hilarious, weird, and different. Her acts influenced people across the globe to smile, laugh and cry.
Ball displayed her skills at clowning and was applauded for that. This one role changed her life as the show won the hearts of a million followers. Today, her name is alive and vocal, because of her cheerful and striking comedy skills.
I Love Lucy was a big fortune. She played the role of Lucy Ricardo with her husband, Ricky Ricardo, as a co-star in the show. I Love Lucy was under Desilu’s Production Company, which was owned by Ball and her husband.
She once acknowledged her skills saying, “You cannot teach someone comedy; either they have it or they don’t.”
3. She Was A Fun Person
Ball was a fun person to be with. Her colleagues admired her sense of humor and creativity. She was friendly and thoughtful around the sets. Luci was known as a cheerful and optimistic individual who could make people around her laugh and pleased with her entertaining skills.
4. She Was a Responsible and Patient Individual
Lucille Ball grew up to be a credible, trustworthy, and patient woman. She had to suffer a lot when she was in her teens. In short, Ball was a survivor in true meanings. Her family faced extreme financial loss, but she was determined to do something big. Due to poor finances, she started doing small jobs initially, but her endurance bore fruits later in the life. In those tough times, Ball appeared as a very responsible woman who took charge of her family. She worked hard and patiently until she got what she deserved.
5. She Was Dedicated and Consistent
Ball began her career at a very young age as an actress and performed many roles in small movies. She was a highly organized person and a lady with glamour, so she was offered a good number of roles as a model. Ball tried her luck in acting as well as modeling and became a true performer.
However, success did not come to her until she grabbed the role in I Love Lucy. She had to wait a long while to experience stardom, which finally came up to her when she got to her 40s. Hence, after years-long patience and consistency in her acting skills; she was admired and became a hit.
She managed her career and her family, being a liable working mother and a brilliant actress, comedian.
6. She was Business-oriented
Lucille Ball was a woman with a vision, who had aims related to business. Her keen interest in business made her the first female who owned a major studio production in the Hollywood. Ball put her best efforts into earning the victory. The renowned shows like Mission: Impossible and Star Trek, were created under her production house. She gained skills, earned a name, stood firm, and achieved her goals. Her career is filled with accolades and appreciation that she received for being an accomplished businesswoman, a comedian and an actress.
7. She Was an Influencer and a Straightforward Person
Ball was a natural group leader; she spoke her heart out every time she was asked for her opinions. She naturally had the charm to influenced people around her. Luci’s achievements made her a winner with respect. She took every problem of her life as a challenge and solved it with grace, which made her a better version of herself.
8. She Was Bossy and Bold
Luci Ball was known to be logical in her decisions. She was the first pregnant lady who played the role of a pregnant woman on the screen. It was considered quite a bold act in those times. Her daring and strong outlook towards her career brought out a positive outcome. She was a woman who took risks and emerged out of her shell every time to get more diverse in her skills.
In one of the interviews, her daughter referred to her as ‘fierce, in-charge and driven’. She was open to performing different roles and played many parts which made her an actress with diversity in her career.
9. She Was Stubborn
Luci’s colleagues and family described her as stubborn because occasionally she had a controlling attitude around her people. Her negative attributes were a result of her childhood sufferings and the times of failures she had to face before stardom.
10. She Was an Achiever
Luci Ball was not only praised verbally but she was also presented with a lot of awards for her performances.
- She was nominated 13 times for Primetime Emmy Awards and won four times.
- In 1960, the Hollywood walk of fame gave her two stars for her work in TV and film.
- Ball was one of the first women to receive Film Crystal Award in 1977.
- Later in 1979, she won Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award.
- In 1986, Luci Ball was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award from Kennedy Center Honors.
Bottom Line
Success comes after failures, struggles and patience; Lucille Ball lived this statement. She was an inspiration for all the women in the World who want to pursue their dreams. She was courageous and daring yet people loved to be around her because of her positive attitude and a great sense of humor.
There are many lessons to learn from the life of this inspiring lady. She was a true example of beauty with skills. She never allowed her personal life to disturb her profession. Her dedication and hard work will always keep her alive in our hearts!