Lucille Ball Biography Presentation
Transcript of Lucille Ball Biography Presentation
Lucille Ball
Miss Boolman
Period 7
7th Grade ER
March 19, 2014
Background
• Born- August 6
1911, in
Jamestown, New
York
• Daughter of Henry
Durrell Ball and
Desiree Evelyn
Hunt Ball
• February 1915-
Lucy’s father dies of
typhoid fever
• Lucy and brother,
Frederick, raised
by her mother and
grandparents. Her
mother remarried,
and her stepfather
didn’t like kids.
• Very, very poor.
Adolescent Years
• Frequently attended
vaudeville shows with her
family
• Her grandfather
encouraged her to
participate in school
plays.
• Left high school at age
15.
Lucy’s Career Beginning
• 1927- Lucy sent to
the John Murray
Anderson School for
the Dramatic Arts in
New York City
• Sent home a few
weeks later when
drama coaches told
her that she "had
no future at all as a
performer”.
Lucy’s Career
• After a while, she started
modeling for Hattie Carnegie.
• Her first role was in an
appearance in Eddie Cantor’s
musical “Roman Scandals” in
1933.
Lucy’s Career
• Also, in 1933 she
went to Hollywood
as movie showgirl
• Later, became a
successful actress
appearing in more
than 75 films
– Under contract with
Sam Goodwin,
Columbia and RKO
• 1940 - Married
Desiderio Alberto
Arnaz y de Acha
III (Desi Arnaz)
– Cuban
percussionist she
met while filming
the movie Too
Many Girls
Who was Desi?• Lucille Ball’s first
husband, DesiArnaz, produced the show “Star Trek.”
• He also produced the movie “Mission Impossible.”
• He became a powerful and respectful producer because of his great works.
I Love Lucy• 1951 – Desi and Lucy
formed Desilu
Productions with
$5,000.
• I Love Lucy began six
year domination of TV
comedy.
• Lucie Desiree Arnaz
born on July 17, 1951.
I Love Lucy
• In 1953, the I Love
Lucy episode in
which Lucy Ricardo
gave birth to Little
Ricky premiered on
January 19, 1953,
– This was the same
day that Lucille gave
birth to second child
Desiderio Alberto
Arnaz y Acha IV
(Desi, Jr.).
– Lucy was the first
woman on TV to
appear pregnant.
Lucy’s Career Continues
• 1957 - Desilu
purchased RKO
Studios and began
producing other TV
programs
• 1960 - The Arnaz’s
divorced, and Desi
sold his share of
the studio to Lucy
for 3 million
dollars.
• 1961 - Lucy married Morton Goldapper (Gary Morton), who became her executive producer
• 1962 - Lucille returned to the airwaves with a successful solo launch of The Lucy Show
• 1967 - Lucy sold Desilu to Gulf and Western Industries for 18 million dollars.
• 1974 - Lucille played the title role in the movie version of Mame
• 1985 – In first dramatic role in years, Lucy played a New York City bag lady in the CBS teleplay Stone Pillow
• 1986 - Life With Lucy was launched by ABC – Despite hard work,
was not successful
Achievements
• 1953- Lucy received first two Emmy Awards- Best Comedian and Best Situation Comedy on the Air
• December 17, 1986, honored with an award for life-long achievement at Kennedy Center by President Reagan.
Lucille’s Legacy
• 1989 - On April 18,
Lucille underwent
emergency heart
surgery
• She died a week
later on April 26,
1989.
• Was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George H. W. Bush on July 6,1989
• Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People of the Century”
• Inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame
• 2007- Awarded the Legacy of Laughter Award at the fifth Annual TV Land Awards
• I Love Lucy was named the Greatest TV Series by Hall of Fame Magazine
• Chosen second out of the 50 Greatest TV Icons (Johnny Carson was first).
Lucille Ball opened doors for women on television, in
the board room, on the factory assembly line, in the
office, and at home. She created a character who
diligently tried to work outside the home while
juggling being housewife and mother was a new
concept for the majority of wives and mothers in the
50’s. Being a woman who owned a film production
company in the 60’s was unknown for women of the
time. She is and will continue to be an American icon
who shared her successes with women around the
world then and now.
Importance in History
I can remember the first episode of I Love Lucy I ever
saw. We didn’t have cable growing up, and I came
across I Love Lucy on TV Land when I was staying at
my aunt’s house. I first saw an episode when Lucy
decided to go skiing. There was something about this
zaney woman that I adored. In talking with my dad
later, I found out she had red hair! I felt that I had a
personal connection with her because of her goofy
personality; the red hair was icing on the cake! I
found her to be inspiring in a lot of ways. She really
paved the way for women in many aspects of life.
Conclusion
"Lucille Ball." 2014. The Biography Channel website. Mar 12 2014, 11:27 http://www.biography.com/people/lucille-ball-9196958.
Works Cited
Lucille
Desiree
Ball