I Love Lucy – The Facts

“I Love Lucy,” the iconic American sitcom, premiered on CBS on October 15, 1951, and concluded its original run on May 6, 1957.

Starring Lucille Ball as the zany Lucy Ricardo and Desi Arnaz as her bandleader husband, Ricky Ricardo, the show captivated audiences with its groundbreaking humor and relatable characters.

Over six seasons, it produced 180 hilarious episodes, blending slapstick comedy, witty dialogue, and heartwarming moments

This page will cover everything you want to know about the show.

Please leave your comments in the “Leave a Reply” section at the bottom of this page

The Beginning

After doing some modeling early in her career, Lucille Ball began getting roles in B-rated films and became known as the “Queen of the Bs”.

Despite this nickname, however, Lucy managed to work steadily and made a lot of connections in the entertainment business.

It was not until MGM Studios started using Technicolor that Lucy dyed her hair red and it really stood out!

I Love Lucy – The Show

In 1950, CBS asked Lucy to do a show on television with actor Richard Denning.

The show was to be a TV version of a radio program the two had already been doing called “My Favorite Husband”.

Lucy saw this as the perfect opportunity to suggest her husband Desi Arnaz, instead of Denning.

It was a hard sell, but Lucy pulled it off and the show was on its way. I Love Lucy began production in 1951.

Arguments

Phillip Morris, the main sponsor of I Love Lucy, preferred low-quality Kinescope for the west coast audience, but Lucy and Desi insisted on filming in high quality.

They resolved the dispute by agreeing to a pay cut to afford the film process.

I Love Lucy – Ground Breaking Ideas

In the early 50s, comedy shows on television were using a fake “laugh track.” Lucy and Desi found this idea absurd and therefore had producers renovate the studio to accommodate a live audience.

Also, other TV shows were shooting their programs with only one camera, thereby limiting the angles viewers could see on their screens.

Desi Arnaz developed a new system whereby the I Love Lucy show would be filmed with three cameras. Unheard of at the time! These innovations changed the history of television.

Fred & Ethel

The roles of Fred and Ethel were first given to Gale Gordon and Bea Benaderet, who had worked with Lucille Ball on My Favorite Husband.

However, both had other commitments and turned down the offer.

I Love Lucy Roles

The roles were eventually filled by Vivian Vance as Ethel Mertz and William “Bill” Frawley as Fred Mertz.

William Frawley was already an established actor in Hollywood with 100 film credits on his resume.

Incidentally, Frawley had a reputation as a drunk and producers were not crazy about that. It is rumored, however, that Frawley called Lucy directly and asked for the role. He got it!

I Love Lucy – The Episodes

I Love Lucy ran for 6 seasons and produced 180 episodes.

Between 1958 and 1960, Lucy and Desi decided to change the format to an hour-long show shown twice a month.

It was called “Lucille Ball – Desi Arnaz Show” and featured many guest-stars. Along with Vivian Vance and William Frawley, Desi and Lucy filmed their last episode together in 1960.

It was called “Lucy Meets The Moustache”. Lucy and Desi divorced later that year

I Love Lucy Cast

Lucille Ball – Lucy McGillicuddy Ricardo

Desi Arnaz – Ricky Ricardo

Vivian Vance – Ethel Mertz

William Frawly – Fred Mertz

Richard Keith – Little Ricky

I Love Lucy Fun Facts

• Vivian Vance was only 2 years older than Lucy in real life. Lucy did not want her in the role because of this fact but was eventually convinced that they could “frump her up”
• Many of the minor I Love Lucy characters such a Marion Strong were named after people Lucy had known throughout her life
• The I Love Lucy show has been dubbed in dozens of foreign languages so that the entire world can enjoy it
• In 2012, I Love Lucy was voted the “Best TV Show of All Time” by several prestigious organizations in the entertainment industry
• Producers wanted Lucy to hide her pregnancy from viewers but Lucy thought it was a good idea to incorporate her condition into the story-line. Another first in television history!
• Fred Mertz served honorably in WW1
• Longtime friend of Lucille Ball, Barbara Pepper was also considered to play Ethel Mertz but she was reportedly drinking heavily after the death of her husband Craig Reynolds
• Desi and Lucille hired famous cinematographer Karl Freund, who had worked on such masterpieces as Dracula (1931) and Metropolis (1927). His skills with lighting are legendary
• Episodes of I Love Lucy were filmed in front of a live audience and in scenes that Desi Arnaz was off camera, his loud boisterous laugh can be heard along with the crowd
• As Lucille Ball herself has said in interviews, Desi handled most business decisions on the I Love Lucy show. She did not become involved with “The Business” of Hollywood until later in her career
• William Frawley referred to Vivian Vance’s looks as “A sack of doorknobs”. It is well known that the two were at odds behind the scenes and squabbled consistently
• Vivian Vance was only 2 years older than Lucy in real life. Lucy did not want her in the role because of this fact but was eventually convinced that they could “frump her up”
• Many of the minor I Love Lucy characters such a Marion Strong were named after people Lucy had known throughout her life
• The I Love Lucy show has been dubbed in dozens of foreign languages so that the entire world can enjoy it

More I Love Lucy Trivia

• In 2012, I Love Lucy was voted the “Best TV Show of All Time” by several prestigious organizations in the entertainment industry
• Producers wanted Lucy to hide her pregnancy from viewers but Lucy thought it was a good idea to incorporate her condition into the story-line. Another first in television history!
• Fred Mertz served honorably in WW1
• Longtime friend of Lucille Ball, Barbara Pepper was also considered to play Ethel Mertz but she was reportedly drinking heavily after the death of her husband Craig Reynolds
• Desi and Lucille hired famous cinematographer Karl Freund, who had worked on such masterpieces as Dracula (1931) and Metropolis (1927). His skills with lighting are legendary
• Episodes of I Love Lucy were filmed in front of a live audience and in scenes that Desi Arnaz was off camera, his loud boisterous laugh can be heard along with the crowd
• As Lucille Ball herself has said in interviews, Desi handled most business decisions on the I Love Lucy show. She did not become involved with “The Business” of Hollywood until later in her career
• William Frawley referred to Vivian Vance’s looks as “A sack of doorknobs”. It is well known that the two were at odds behind the scenes and squabbled consistently

Interesting Stuff

– The show was the first to use a live audience for its filming, creating a new standard for sitcoms.
– The famous episode where Lucy tries to keep up with a candy factory conveyor belt has been referenced and parodied in countless TV shows and movies.
– Lucille Ball was the first woman to run a television studio, when she bought out Desilu Productions.
– Despite their on- and off-screen antics, Desi and Lucy remained close friends even after their divorce.
– The iconic “Vitameatavegamin” commercial scene took 68 takes to film and left Lucille Ball with a sore throat for days.
– The show was deemed so popular in Cuba, Desi Arnaz’s home country, that it was broadcast with Spanish subtitles.

William Frawley

William Frawley (February 26, 1887 – March 3, 1966) was an American actor best known for his role as Fred Mertz on the iconic television sitcom I Love Lucy (1951–1957).

Born in Burlington, Iowa, Frawley began his career in vaudeville and Broadway before transitioning to film, appearing in over 100 movies, including Miracle on 34th Street (1947).

His gruff, lovable portrayal of Fred, the tightfisted landlord, earned him widespread recognition and five Emmy nominations.

After I Love Lucy, he co-starred in My Three Sons. Frawley, a lifelong Yankees fan, died of a heart attack in Hollywood at age 79.

I Love Lucy continues to be a beloved classic, with reruns and DVDs still available today. Its impact on television history and humor cannot be denied, and it’s no wonder why it remains a fan favorite after all these years.