Lucy! I'm Home!!!

Lucille Ball, October 1942

(Photograph: Joan Florea; LIFE Photo Archive)

Today is Lucille Ball's birthday (it would have been her 99th), and since I absolutely adore I Love Lucy, I thought it would be fitting to take a closer look at the life of this genius of comedy and acting.

Some trivia about Lucille Ball that I thought was interesting:

• Her father died at a very young age while her mother, DeDe, was pregnant with Lucy's brother Freddy.
• Lucy was jealous when Freddy was first born and she didn't consider herself a "prissy" girl.
• She was classmates with Bette Davis.
• In her teens and twenties she was a dress model, a waitress, a showgirl, a Broadway actress and a poster girl.
• Lucy fell in love with movie-making when she traveled to California in 1931 and took any extra work that was offered. She remarked that even if it involved something "unglamorous" like getting a pie in the face, she would take the work.
• She loved backgammon (some of her boards went up for auction last month during an entertainment Heritage Auction).
• Lucy and Desi Arnaz met in 1940 and Lucy thought he was "gorgeous and funny".
• Lucy and Desi were actually married twice. The second wedding took place in a Catholic church in Canoga Park California in 1949.
• The episode of I Love Lucy when Lucy Ricardo gives birth to Little Ricky aired on January 19th 1953, and it was watched by more viewers than Eisenhower's inauguration held the following night.
• In 1955 Lucy's new home in Beverly Hills was being renovated and during this time the family stayed at the Beverly Hills Hotel. At the same time Lucy's TV family was also staying at the Beverly Hills Hotel during their time in Hollywood for Ricky Ricardo's big movie.
• I Love Lucy won five Emmy Awards and was the most watched TV show in the United States four out of its six seasons.
  
• Hall of Fame Magazine named I Love Lucy the Greatest Television Series.
  

Lucille Ball & Desilu Theatre, November 1951
(Photograph: Loomis Dean; LIFE Photo Archive)

Visit The official website for Lucille Ball

Some of the trivia I used is from the wonderful book Lucy and Desi: A real life scrapbook of America's favorite TV couple by Elisabeth Edwards (Running Press, Philadelphia, PA 2004)