Today, 100 years ago,Lucille Désirée Ball was born. She was a pioneer female comedian who wasn't afraid of using her physicality for a laugh.
She got her start as a model in 1929 and went onto radio before performing on Broadway and launching a movie career. Her I Love Lucy television series launched in 1951. It was the first scripted series ever to be filmed on 35mm film in front of a live audience. This was done because Lucy needed a live audience to fuel her comedic energy. Most shows at the time were filmed in front of one camera while Lucy's show had multiple cameras which allowed for sequential filming, like a play.
When Lucy became pregnant, they wrote the pregnancy onto the show. Her character delivered "Little Ricky" the same night that Lucy delivered her child. To give Lucy the postpartum rest she needed, they decided to rebroadcast earlier episodes, giving birth to the popular television rerun. Paired with her husband, Desi Arnaz, she became one of the most influential women in Hollywood.
Her comedy was ground-breaking and paved the way for such great female comedians as Carol Burnett.
Happy 100 Lucy!
Lucille Ball and Red Skelton, Jack Benny, Sid Caesar, Milton Berle - they were the comedic greats our family watched together in the 1950s. Lucille Ball came from a Catholic family. We should remember to pray for the repose of her soul.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that. I know she had her marriage blessed in the Church when she had miscarriages early on and afterwards went on to have her 2 children.
ReplyDeleteI loved the show "I Love Lucy" like so many of us Americans. of course, that was back in the day when comedy was actually FUNNY and profanity wasn't needed to get a shock factor or laugh...
ReplyDeleteYes! I completely agree. Kids are not being exposed to decent, clean comedy anymore and that's a shame.
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