Lucille Ball is widely regarded as America’s foremost female actress, having made significant and positive contributions to the country through her comedy. Kathleen Brady affirms that Ball is one of the greatest performing artists America has ever produced (ix). In addition to her comedic talents, Ball has distinguished herself as an accomplished businesswoman, a remarkable role model, and a recipient of various awards throughout her career.
Lucille Ball is best known for her contributions as a comedienne, showcasing her talents on various platforms such as radio, films, Broadway, and the world renowned television show I Love Lucy. Ball’s unique blend of wacky physical comedy earned her the title of the queen of TV (Dziemianowicz 54). I Love Lucy, the hit television show starring Ball, remains one of the most watched TV shows in history, largely thanks to Ball’s comedic brilliance (Zoglin 188). With impeccable timing and a knack for sight gags, the red-haired Ball portrayed a ditzy housewife in numerous episodes of this original sitcom (Biography 1). The show’s immense popularity was demonstrated when an episode aired in 1953, where Ball’s character gave birth to ‘Little Ricky’, attracted more viewers than the concurrent inauguration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower (Biography 1). Her impact on pop culture is so enduring that the name Lucy Ricardo has become synonymous with everlasting fame (Brady 342).
Before achieving success on television, Lucille Ball had already achieved considerable success on her radio show My Favorite Husband. The show was a comedy based on the delightful stories of Isobel Scott Rorick’s gay, sophisticated Mr. & Mrs. Cugat, starring Lucille Ball with Richard Denning (Brady 159). Thanks to Ball’s humor, the show became a hit. Just before Christmas 1948, General Foods agreed to sponsor My Favorite Husband to promote Jell-o (Brady 160).
Ball’s talents extended beyond radio success – she was also a talented actress. Ball’s acting career began with minor, serious roles in films such as Dance Girl, Dance and The Big Street. At the time of her discovery as an actress, people were unaware of her comedic abilities. However, this would soon change as the world would come to know her comedic prowess. After concluding her weekly television shows, Ball turned her attention to Broadway and starred in plays like Mame and Wildcat. Following her separation from Desi Arnaz, Lucille Ball finally achieved her dream of Broadway success and opened in the musical comedy Wildcat on December 16, 1960 (Moritz 34). It is evident that her talents were diverse.
Ball was not only a talented comedienne but also a highly skilled businesswoman. While married to Desi Arnaz, they acquired RKO radio station and rebranded it Desilu. Even after divorcing Arnaz, Lucy bought out all his shares in Desilu, which was unusual for women during that era when they had minimal influence. This demonstrated her strength and determination as a woman. When the time came to sell Desilu, Ball capitalized on the opportunity and sold the company to Gulf & Western in 1967 for a staggering $17,000,000. This transaction showcased her business acumen and expertise. Renowned feminist Gloria Steinem even praised her as a shrewd businesswoman who firmly controlled her professional life with intelligence and savvy. There is no doubt that she was an exceptional businesswoman.
Lucille Ball serves as a role model to many individuals due to her incredible talent as an actress, comedienne, and person in general. Rosie O’Donnell, Carol Burnett, and Bette Midler are among those who view her as an inspiration. Without a doubt, Lucille Ball has paved the way for present-day female performers. Rosie O’Donnell specifically acknowledges her influence and emphasizes the importance of recognizing those who came before us and supporting those who will follow. Undoubtedly, Lucille Ball is a prominent figure for numerous young girls to admire, regardless of their aspirations in the acting industry. Universal Studios aptly describes her as “America’s Queen of Comedy”.
Ball has won multiple awards throughout her career, showcasing her incredible talent. She has secured 4 Emmys, including Best Comedienne in 1952, Best Actress in a Continuing Performance (for I Love Lucy) in 1955, and Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series (For The Lucy Show) in both 1967 and 1968. Furthermore, she has been honored with Many Motion Picture Daily Awards for Best Performer and Best Comedienne. In 1975, she even received the prestigious Entertainer of the Year Award. These numerous accolades celebrate her remarkable contributions as both a comedienne and an actress.
Throughout her life, Lucille Ball continued to amaze and surprise the country. She was a scrabble enthusiast, a dog lover, an admirer of the painter’s Norman Rockwell and Andrew Wyeth. She has done many great things to better comedy today. To this day, I Love Lucy episodes are viewed on television. Lucille Ball will never be forgotten. Like a few great creations, but no great directors, she beat that killer, time. No one will ever forget the hilarious situations she got herself into on the set of I Love Lucy, or her famous red hair. She was such a talented actress that she has been variously called a ‘national treasure’, a monument, an institution, a legend, and a daily habit. Her work is on a par with that of Chaplin or Keaton. Despite her few flaws, Lucille Ball was an exceptional actress. To this day, she has not been forgotten. The reason that everyone has seen the famous chocolate factory episode of I Love Lucy and the hilarious Vitameatavegamin episode is because of Ball’s superb acting ability. Her impact was so great, that even after her death, Lucille Ball is watched all over the country. The most popular I Love Lucy episodes are still shown on television to this day. Obviously, this shows that Lucille Ball has made significant, positive contributions to the world. So what if Lucille Ball’s haircolor came out of a bottle? As a comic genius, she was a natural.
Works Cited “Ball, Lucille.” (1999, April). Biography.com. Biography. Retrieved on April 15, 1999 from http://www.biography.com/cgi-bin/biomain.cgi.
“Ball, Lucille.” Current Biography. 1978 ed. Ed. Charles Moritz. New York: H.W. Wilson, 1978: 32-35.
The Encyclopedia of World Biography’s 2nd edition from 1998 features an entry on Lucille Ball on pages 472-473.
Brady, Kathleen. Lucille. New York: Hyperion, 1994.
The author of the article “Our Favorite Redhead” is Joe Dziemianowicz. The article was published in Macall’s magazine in October 1996, specifically on pages 53-54.
Lucy – A Tribute is a page on MCA.com, published on April 29, 1999. The page can be found at http://www.mca.com/unicity/attractions/lucy.html.
“100 Years of Great Women.” ABCNEWS Special. ABC. 30 April 1999.
Zoglin, Richard. “Lucille Ball: The First Lady of Comedy Brought us Laughter as Well as Emotion Truth.” Time June 1998: 188-191.
