What I Learned about

Lucille Ball

Age 2

The Beginning: A Rough Start

• Lucille Ball was born on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, NY.

• father, Henry Ball died when she was only four years old.

• At age eight, her mother Dede Ball married Ed Peterson

• He was a man that was “unlikeable and remote.” (Kanfer 18)

• Ball was moved around a lot • Was at one point sent to live with Peterson’s parents

who were awful• She claims “I don’t do [time and affection] very well

because I haven’t gotten much of either.”

Ball as a Showgirl

A Struggling Star• Lucille Ball enrolled at the John Murrary Anderson-Robert Milton

Dramatics School •They saw that she couldn’t sing

or dance•This made Ball want to prove

them wrong•She decided to become a

showgirl•Moved back to Jamestown, this time with more luck than ever

before.

As a Chesterfield Cigarette Girl

Returning to New York• Lucille Ball landed a modeling job

• Went by the name of Diane Belmont. • She modeled at Hannie Carnegie’s

famous dress shop and Jacksons • Got the break she needed when

discovered on the street • Became the new Chesterfield

Cigarette Girl, which helped her earn national exposure.

Lucille Ball as Goldwyn Girl

B-Graded and Going Red

• Ball became a Goldwyn Girl• Starred in many, many B-grade

comedies where she had no speaking roles, sometimes even no screen

credits • Favorable press, new red hair, and marriage to Cuban bandleader Desi

Arnez set her up for success

Ball on I Love Lucy

I Love Lucy• Ball and Arnaz’s relationship was on the rocks so

in order to save it they created a TV pilot. • They proved the show’s potential, founded Desilu

Productions, and premiered I Love Lucy on October 15, 1951.

• Within 6 months the show was number one • It ran six seasons, evolved into hour-long

episodes, and won over twenty awards including five Emmys.

• I Love Lucy was the first show in television history to claim viewing in more than ten million homes.

Lucille Ball’s Legacy

Lucille Ball’s Legacy• By the time Lucille Ball passed on, the majority of the population had grown up with

Lucy in their homes • “to them she was a member of the family and

the grief was personal.” (Kanfer 208) • TV shows dedicated programs to her, and

newspapers gave her death front-page headlines.

• Ball did what she needed to fulfill her dreams of being on stage, making people laugh.