Lucille Ball
Acting
Born: August 6, 1911 · Jamestown, New York, USA
Died: April 26, 1989 (aged 77)
Highest Rated
Biography
Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American comedian, film, television, stage and radio actress, model, film and television executive, and star of the sitcoms I Love Lucy, The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy and Life With Lucy. One of the most popular and influential stars in America during her lifetime, with one of Hollywood's longest careers, especially on television, Ball began acting in the 1930s, becoming both a radio actress and B-movie star in the 1940s, and then a television star during the 1950s. She was still making films in the 1960s and 1970s. Ball received thirteen Emmy Award nominations and four wins. In 1977 Ball was among the first recipients of the Women in Film Crystal Award. She was the recipient of the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1979, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Kennedy Center Honors in 1986 and the Governors Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in 1989. In 1929, Ball landed work as a model and later began her performing career on Broadway using the stage name Dianne Belmont. She appeared in many small movie roles in the 1930s as a contract player for RKO Radio Pictures. Ball was labeled as the "Queen of the Bs" (referring to her many roles in B-films). In 1951, Ball was pivotal in the creation of the television series I Love Lucy. The show co-starred her then husband, Desi Arnaz as Ricky Ricardo and Vivian Vance and William Frawley as Ethel and Fred Mertz, the Ricardos' landlords and friends. The show ended in 1957 after 180 episodes. They then changed the format a little - lengthening the time of the show from 30 minutes to 60 minutes (the first one went 75 mins), adding some characters, altering the storyline somewhat, and renaming the show from "I Love Lucy" to "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour", which ran for three seasons (1957–1960) and 13 episodes. Ball went on to star in two more successful television series: The Lucy Show, which ran on CBS from 1962 to 1968 (156 Episodes), and Here's Lucy from 1968 to 1974 (144 episodes). Her last attempt at a television series was a 1986 show called Life with Lucy - which failed miserably after 8 episodes aired although 13 were produced. Ball met and eloped with Cuban bandleader Desi Arnaz in 1940. On July 17, 1951, almost 40 years old, Ball gave birth to their first child, Lucie Désirée Arnaz. A year and a half later, Ball gave birth to their second child, Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV, known as Desi Arnaz, Jr. Ball and Arnaz divorced on May 4, 1960. On April 26, 1989, Ball died of a dissecting aortic aneurysm at age 77. At the time of her death she had been married to her second husband, standup comedian and business partner Gary Morton, for twenty-eight years.
Known for
Top Hat
1935
I Love Lucy
1951
Yours, Mine and Ours
1968
Stage Door
1937
Lured
1947
Room Service
1938
E! True Hollywood Story
1996
Follow the Fleet
1936
Dance, Girl, Dance
1940
The Dark Corner
1946
The Carol Burnett Show
1967
The Whole Town's Talking
1935
Photos (6)
Movies (106)
Top Hat
Flower Shop Clerk (uncredited)
The Dark Corner
Kathleen Stewart
Yours, Mine and Ours
Helen North Beardsley
The Long, Long Trailer
Tacy Collini
Ziegfeld Follies
Lucille Ball (segment "Here's to the Ladies")
A Guide for the Married Man
Technical Adviser
Thousands Cheer
Lucille Ball
Lured
Sandra Carpenter
Room Service
Christine Marlowe
Broadway Bill
Blonde Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Stage Door
Judith
Roman Scandals
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
The Fuller Brush Girl
Sally Elliot
Dance, Girl, Dance
Bubbles
Easy Living
Anne, Lenahan's Secretary
Joy of Living
Salina Garret Pine
Stone Pillow
Florabelle
Follow the Fleet
Kitty Collins
Kid Millions
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Valley of the Sun
Christine Larson
That's Entertainment! III
(archive footage) (uncredited)
Five Came Back
Peggy Nolan
Winterset
Girl (uncredited)
Du Barry Was a Lady
May Daly / Madame Du Barry
Mame
Mame
Roberta
Fashion Model (uncredited)
Murder at the Vanities
Earl Carroll Girl (uncredited)
The Funny World of Lucy, Volume 1
1997
The Big Street
Gloria Lyons
Fugitive Lady
Beauty Operator (uncredited)
Fancy Pants
Agatha Floud
Miss Grant Takes Richmond
Ellen Grant
The Whole Town's Talking
Bank Employee (uncredited)
Meet the People
Julie Hampton
Sorrowful Jones
Gladys O'Neill
Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back
Bridesmaid
The Big Parade of Comedy
Julie Hampton in 'Meet the People' (archive footage)
Blood Money
Davy's Girlfriend (uncredited)
Two Smart People
Ricki Woodner
A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob
Dot Duncan
Critic's Choice
Angela Ballantine
Nana
Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
Lucy Ricardo / I Love Lucy (archive footage)
Men of the Night
Peggy (uncredited)
Dummy Ache
Actress
Broadway Thru a Keyhole
Chorine / Girl at the Beach
The Farmer in the Dell
Gloria Wilson
Forever, Darling
Susan Vega
The Affairs of Annabel
Annabel Allison
Best Foot Forward
Lucille Ball
Without Love
Kitty Trimble
Classic TV Bloopers Uncensored
Lucy Ricardo (archive footage)
Next Time I Marry
Nancy Crocker Fleming
Don't Tell the Wife
Annie Howell
The Bowery
Blonde (uncredited)
That Girl from Paris
Claire Williams
The Magic Carpet
Princess Narah
The Facts of Life
Kitty Weaver
Muss 'em Up
Departing Train Passenger (uncredited)
The Lucille Ball Comedy Hour
Bonnie Blakely
Having Wonderful Time
Miriam
Lucy Calls the President
Lucy Whittaker
That's Right – You're Wrong
Sandra Sand
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
(archive footage)
Her Husband's Affairs
Margaret Weldon
Bottoms Up
Chorine (uncredited)
Look Who's Laughing
Julie Patterson
Seven Days' Leave
Terry Havalok-Allen
I Dream Too Much
Gwendolyn Dilley
The Three Musketeers
(uncredited)
Happy Anniversary and Goodbye
Norma Michaels
Go Chase Yourself
Carol Meeley
Pioneers of Primetime
2005
I'll Love You Always
Lucille (uncredited)
Twelve Crowded Hours
Paula Sanders
Swing Out, Sweet Land
Statue of Liberty (voice)
Too Many Girls
Connie Casey
Easy to Wed
Gladys Benton
Carnival
Nurse (uncredited)
The Affairs of Cellini
Lady-in-Waiting (uncredited)
Cher... and Other Fantasies
Cleaning Lady
A Night at the Biltmore Bowl
Lucille Ball
One Live Ghost
Maxine
Old Man Rhythm
College Girl
Beauty for the Asking
Jean Russell
Three for Two
Sally / Rita / Pauline
The Marines Fly High
Joan Grant
Lucy in London
Lucy Carmichael
Chatterbox
Lillian Temple
Panama Lady
Lucy
What Now, Catherine Curtis?
Catherine Curtis
Annabel Takes a Tour
Annabel Allison
I Love Lucy Christmas Special
Lucy
Hooray for Love
Chorine (uncredited)
Lover Come Back
Kay Williams
Lucy's Really Lost Moments
Lucy Ricardo
Bunker Bean
Rosie Kelly
The Bob Hope Chevy Show
Lucy Ricardo
You Can't Fool Your Wife
Clara Fields Hinklin
Jealousy
(uncredited)
Moulin Rouge
Show Girl (uncredited)
Hold That Girl
Girl (uncredited)
Three Little Pigskins
Daisy Simms
Ellis in Freedomland
The Laundromat (voice)
Perfectly Mismated
1934
Lucy Gets Lucky
Lucy Collins
TV Shows (12)
I Love Lucy
Lucy Ricardo · 180 eps
The Lucy Show
Lucy Carmichael · 156 eps
Omnibus
1 eps
Here's Lucy
Lucy Carter · 144 eps
The Jack Benny Program
Rachel Revere · 1 eps
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
6 eps
Password
1 eps
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
Lucy Ricardo · 13 eps
The Ann Sothern Show
Lucy Ricardo · 1 eps
Life with Lucy
Lucy Barker · 8 eps
E! True Hollywood Story
1 eps
The Practice
1 eps
Self / Appearances (63)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · 5 eps
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Guest · 2 eps
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Hostess · 1 eps
The Merv Griffin Show
Self · 1 eps
What's My Line?
Self · 6 eps
The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest · 2 eps
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
Self · 1 eps
Intimate Portrait
Self (archive footage) · 1 eps
The Carol Burnett Show
Self - Guest · 4 eps
The Bob Hope Show
Self · 15 eps
The Flip Wilson Show
Self · 1 eps
Dinah!
Self · 4 eps
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self · 9 eps
Entertainment Tonight
Self · 2 eps
The Kennedy Center Honors
Self · 1 eps
The Danny Kaye Show
Self · 1 eps
This Is Your Life
Self · 1 eps
Body Language
Self · 5 eps
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
Self · 1 eps
MGM Parade
Self · 1 eps
Donny & Marie
Self · 1 eps
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Self · 2 eps
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Self · 1 eps
The Emmy Awards
Self · 1 eps
The RKO Story: Tales From Hollywood
Self · 1 eps
Judy Garland: By Myself
Self (archive footage)
Lucy and Desi
Self (archive footage)
Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed
Self (archive footage)
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood
Self (uncredited)
That's Dancing!
Self (archive footage)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
Self (archive footage)
My Darling Vivian
Self (archive footage)
A Star Is Born World Premiere
Self
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood
Self
Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
A Woman of Distinction
Self (uncredited)
The Fabulous Allan Carr
Self (archive footage)
Cher: The Farewell Tour
Self (archive footage)
Night of 100 Stars II
Self
Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story
Self (archive footage)
Shirley MacLaine: Gypsy in My Soul
Self
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
Self
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Self
NBC: The First Fifty Years
Self
The Dean Martin Christmas Show
Self - Guest (uncredited)
The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender
Self (archive footage)
A Love Letter to Jack Benny
Herself
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Carol + 2
Self
Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie
Self
This Is Bob Hope...
Self (archive footage)
I Love Lucy: The Movie
Lucy Ricardo / Self
Showbiz Goes to War
Self (archive footage)
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years
Self
The Best of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Self - Roastee (archive footage)
Biography: Bob Hope: America's Entertainer
Self (archive footage)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
Self (archive footage)
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Self (archive footage)
A Beverly Hills Christmas
Self
The Best Of Danny Kaye - The Television Years
Self (archive footage)
Lucy Moves to NBC
Self
General Foods Opening Night
Self
Carnival Nights
Self
Upcoming (2)
Directing (2)
Producing (16)
The Lucy Show
Executive In Charge Of Production
Cavalcade of America
Executive Producer
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
Producer
U.S. Marshall
Producer's Assistant
U.S. Marshall
Executive Producer
Surf Scene
Executive Producer
Star Trek: The Cage
Executive Producer
Dragon by the Tail
Executive Producer
Happy Anniversary and Goodbye
Executive Producer
Three for Two
Executive Producer
What Now, Catherine Curtis?
Executive Producer
Strange Witness
Producer
Bungle Abbey
Executive Producer
The Columbia Pictures 50th Anniversary Special
Producer
Lucy Gets Lucky
Executive Producer
Lucy Gets Lucky
Executive In Charge Of Production
