| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
Lucille Désirée Ball ( August 6, 1911 - April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedian and star of I Love Lucy. A 'B-grade' movie star of the 1940s, she became one of the best and most popular stars in television history.
She was born in Jamestown, New York and after her father died, was raised by her working mother and grandparents.
She moved to New York City to become an actress and had some success as a fashion model and chorus girl. She moved to Hollywood in 1933 to appear in films. She appeared in many small movie roles in the 1930s as a contract player for RKO. She switched to MGM in the 1940s, but never achieved great success in films. She was known in many Hollywood circles as "the B-Movie queen", sharing the "royalty" honor with Macdonald CareyMacdonald Carey ( March 15, 1913 March 21, 1994) was an American actor best known for his starring roles in various B-movies of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. He was known in many Hollywood circles as "the B-Movie king", sharing the throne with his "queen",, who was designated as her "king".
In 19481948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). Events January January 1 Nationalisation of UK railways to form British Railways. Arab militants lay siege to the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. First day of the Ital, she was cast as a wacky wife in "My Favorite Husband", a radio program. The program was successful, and CBSCBS Columbia Broadcasting System is a major radio and television network in the United States. CBS was one of the three commercial television networks that dominated broadcasting in the United States before the rise of cable television. In the days of rad asked her to develop it as a television program. She agreed, but insisted on working with her real-life husband, Desi ArnazDesi Arnaz ( March 2, 1917 December 2, 1986) was a Cuban born musician, actor, comedian and television producer. He was born Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha, III in Santiago, Cuba, to a wealthy family. After a 1933 revolution, Arnaz and his parents fled. This show became I Love Lucy
" I Love Lucy" was not only a star vehicle for Lucille Ball, but a way for her to try to salvage her marriage to Desi ArnazDesi Arnaz ( March 2, 1917 December 2, 1986) was a Cuban born musician, actor, comedian and television producer. He was born Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha, III in Santiago, Cuba, to a wealthy family. After a 1933 revolution, Arnaz and his parents fled, which had been badly strained by the fact that each had a hectic performing schedule.
Along the way, she pioneered the television sitcomA sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. Sitcoms usually consist of recurring characters in a format in which there are one or more humorous story lines centred aro, and was among the first stars to film before a live audience.
From a production aspect, the use of actual film during production, instead of making just an inferior-quality kinescope as most other TV shows did at the time, paved the way for rebroadcast through syndication.
In filming I Love Lucy, Desi Arnaz pioneered the '3-camera setup', now a standard in television. Among other non-standard techniques used in filming the show, cans of paint (in shades ranging from white to medium gray) were kept on set - to 'paint out' innappropriate shadows and disguise lighting flaws.
Following "I Love Lucy", Ball appeared in " The Lucy Show" which was later renamed "Here's Lucy." In 1986 she appeared in " Life With Lucy", which sadly was a critical and popular flop.
Lucille Ball died on April 26, 1989 and was interred in the Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles, California, but was later moved by her children, Desi Arnaz, Jr. and Lucie Arnaz to the Lake View Cemetery, in Jamestown, New York.