While the show was clearly destined for success, it would not have been possible without the redheaded actress. She was very careful about what she portrayed on the show and aware of the influences of Hollywood on American culture. The show portrayed positive female friendships and the first pregnancy that was ever shown on TV. Ball’s uncanny facial expressions and the way in which her body language perfectly depicted her personality is what made the show so epic, funny, and mesmerizing.
Besides Ball’s sense of humor, her facial expressions and body language were a significant part of her role. Shooting the show was not all fun and games. Once, a fight even broke out on set with an Italian grape stomper!
She Insisted Desi Be Her Husband on the Show
She would proceed with their idea only under the condition that Arnaz would play the role of her television husband. CBS balked at the idea and didn't know how to respond. Who would tune in to watch an interracial couple- an all-American red-headed woman with a Cuban? This was the early 50s and discrimination against the Latino-American community was high. They couldn't see how a Cuban singer with an accent would appeal to an audience. However, Ball was unwilling to budge and back down.
Lucille thought that if Arnaz was to star with her on the show, he would come to settle down in Hollywood and leave behind his life on the road. She had grown tired of "meeting in the Sepulveda tunnel.” She was hoping that by acting together on the show, he would be in close proximity and it would also be a boost to his career. In order to convince the TV network that her husband would be a good fit, she went on an “I Love Lucy” vaudeville act.
They Were Too Good to Pass Up
The boys at CBS were unable to overlook the high ranking of the "I Love Lucy" Vaudeville. Thanks to the rave reviews, the network gave in and agreed to Ball's demands. There was no way they could continue the show without Lucille Ball. She was funny, she was clumsy, and Arnaz was charismatic and good looking. Together, the pair became America's most loved couple.
Ball, along with her beau and the crew at "I Love Lucy", could not gauge how successful the show would be after the first episode. While shooting the episode and seeing the audience crack up in laughter, it was clear that the outcome was going to be a good one. The best part of it all was that Ball was the only one who could give such a performance. This definitely gave her some weight and power in the studio. The show not only made Lucy's career, but it also salvaged her relationship, which was falling apart due to different schedules and Desi's attraction to other women.
Lucille Got into a Fight With an Extra on the Show
Sometimes we all get a little carried away, especially when something rubs us the wrong way. But, what happens when you are strangled on live television? In "Lucy's Italian Movie," the script had Ball stomping grapes with an extra named Teresa Tirelli. Tirelli did not speak English well and needed to use a translator in order to relay the scene. However, something got lost in translation.
Lucille and the extra began to wrestle and it immediately became comedy gold. The success didn't translate in the same way for the actors. For them, it turned into a real grape wrestling match. The wrestling turned so severe that Ball almost drowned in a puddle of grape juice. Ball picked herself up and stuffed a fist full up grapes in Tirelli's face. She was very satisfied with the move and the show becoming a success. Thanks to the high ratings they were seeing, she and Arnaz decided to make a drastic move.
They Created Their Own Network
"I Love Lucy" had become a huge success. With that success, Desi Arnaz decided it was the perfect time to create his own production studio: Desilu. He made Ball vice president and the two took on a new side of the Hollywood industry together. They were blessed with success after success. They even bought the rights to “I Love Lucy” from CBS studios and proceeded to make millions.
Everything was going great for the couple. They welcome their new son, Desi Jr. on the "I Love Lucy" show. They planned for the episode of his "TV birth" to coincide with his real birth and Ball gave birth to their son the same night that the episode was meant to be airing on January 19, 1953. 44 million viewers tuned in to watch Lucy Ricardo welcome little Ricky, while in real life, Lucy was welcoming her real son. The birth made it on to the cover of the first issue of T.V Guide for the week of April 3-9, 1953. Everything was turning out exactly as it should be. They were the all-American family that everyone found themselves relating to, and the kind of family that people aspired to be.