She overcame adversity, prevailed over the expectations of society and conquered the television film industry. She not only blazed trails for women in Hollywood, but for women everywhere. She not only portrayed a character that revealed the imperfections of every day life, she showcased what a genuine person really looks like. Lucy redefined the role of homemaker with every mishap, scheme, and crazy attempt at something ridiculous, meanwhile abolishing the image of the quintessential 1950's housewife.
We all love Lucy. Yet, how much of her story do we really know? Here are eleven facts that you may or may not know about the Queen of Comedy.
1. She was predominantly raised by her Grandparents
Her father died from typhoid fever in 1915 when she was just four years old. From there, her life consisted of moving across the country, living with her maternal grandparents and inadvertently being raised by them for a short period. Her mother eventually remarried and moved to Detroit, leaving Lucy and her brother in the care of their Step-Grandparents in New York.
2. She suffered from Ornithophobia
Young Lucille was just four years old when her father died and thus held little memory of him or his death. The one thing she recalled, however, was that a bird ended up getting inside their house amid the frenzy and chaos of the day of her Father's death. It so terrified the toddler that she was never able to shake her fear of birds, even in adulthood.
3. Lucy was rejected from acting school
When she was fifteen years old, she enrolled in Anderson-Milton Dramatics School where Lucille's teacher told her that she would never be a successful actress and promptly sent her home. The drama faculty felt she was too shy and not up to par with the school’s standards. The Queen of Comedy says jokes on them.
4. Lucille was a model
Some girls are pretty, some girls are funny-- Lucy was both.
After getting ejected from drama school, Lucy decided to take a different direction with her life. She dyed her blonde hair red and found employment with a modeling agency. All her model colleagues already had the platinum blonde thing going on and she was determined to stand out. Fortunately for the world, red looked well on her and Hollywood took notice.
5. I Love Lucy started as a radio program.
Before it became the most watched show in America, I Love Lucy was a radio program titled “My Favorite Husband” which ran on CBS Radio every Sunday night at 9pm for four years preceding the TV show. Lucy voiced the main character on the radio program opposite Richard Denning.
6. She was the Queen of sequels.
Let’s face it. Sometimes Hollywood needs to know when enough is enough—sequels aren’t always necessary-- nor are they always well received. On the other hand, there are some forms of entertainment that are simply crave-worthy. Lucy developed such a character; one that America could not live without. After the termination of I Love Lucy – she went on to have two more shows revolving around the same character. With Here’s Lucy and The Lucy Show, Lucille again found significant success and gave the rest of Hollywood the hope for successful sequences, series’, and spin-offs.
7. Lucy and Ethel really were best friends.
Although they had never met before being casted for I Love Lucy, Ethel (portrayed by Vivian Vance) became one of Lucy’s oldest and dearest friends. They worked alongside each other for ten years throughout the duration of I Love Lucy and then Vivian followed Lucy to her next endeavor, playing a character named ‘Viv’ in The Lucy Show.
8. She was the first person to be inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
No surprises here.
9. Lucille described marriage to Desi as a “nightmare”.
Desi Arnaz may have come off as a kind, loving, handsome husband to the TV audiences of the 1950s as he and Lucy portrayed a marriage anyone would dream of having. However, nothing is as pretty as Hollywood makes it seem. Desi was an alcoholic and a... well, a "nightmare". Lucy filed for divorce long before either of the couples' kids were born, but she was determined to make the marriage work and stopped the proceedings. They continued on in their marriage, had two kids and a successful joint career before their marriage deteriorated beyond reconciliation.
10. She was the first woman to head a major TV production studio.
She may have co-founded Desilu productions with her husband Desi Arnaz, but when the couple separated in 1960 – she bought out the studio and the board of directors unanimously elected her president, making her the first woman to ever head up a major television production studio. After five years of wild success with shows such as Star Trek and Mission: Impossible (you're welcome, nerds) she sold the company for a meager 17 million to Gulf Western Company and the studio changed its name to Paramount.
11. She was the first person to film in front of a live audience.
I Love Lucy was the first television show to ever be filmed in front of a live audience. This opened the doors for Hollywood to develop the most successful TV genre of all time – the sitcom. Thank you, Lucy.
