Biography
As one of America's most beloved comediennes and one of Hollywood's more astute businesswomen, the legendary Lucille Ball rose from being a B-movie film actress to one of television's most iconic figures, boasting more than 50 years of continuous employment in Hollywood. Because of her eternally syndicated sitcom, "I Love Lucy" (CBS, 1951-57), which broke new ground in too many areas to count, Ball remained a constant presence on the small …
Latest Tv Credits
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Career Milestones
| Appeared in a series of one-hour specials under the umbrella title of "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour/The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show"; episodes aired as part of "Desilu Playhouse" | ||
| As president of Desilu, became first woman ever to head a major Hollywood film production company | ||
| Changed professional name to Diane Belmont in the late 1920s | ||
| Played leading roles in a number of B films for RKO including "The Affairs of Annabel" (1938) and "Five Came Back" (1939) | ||
| Raised in Celoron, NY | ||
| Starred on radio in "My Favorite Husband" playing a scatter-brained wife opposite actor Richard Denning | ||
1927 | Hired to dance in touring company of "Rio Rita" but fired because she couldn't handle choreography; later fired from chorus jobs in three shows (date approximate) | |
1929 | Feature film debut in "Bulldog Drummond" | |
1931 | Worked briefly as a Hattie Carnegie model before being paralyzed from waist down with rheumatoid arthritis; cured two years later (date approximate) | |
1933 | Selected as a Goldwyn Girl to appear in "Roman Scandals," starring Eddie Cantor | |
1935 | Joined Columbia appearing in bit parts, walk-ons and as a foil for the Three Stooges; first film billing in "Carnival"; fired by Columbia in an economy move | |
1935 | Signed by RKO | |
1937 | Breakthrough film, "Stage Door" | |
1938 | Acted in "Room Service," supporting the Marx Brothers | |
1940 | First acted onscreen with Desi Arnaz in "Too Many Girls" | |
1942 | Signed by MGM to be groomed as musical star; learned comic use of props on backlot from Buster Keaton | |
1942 | Starred opposite Henry Fonda in "The Big Street," playing the uncharacteristically dramatic role of a crippled nightclub singer | |
1943 | Teamed with Red Skelton in the film version of the Broadway musical "Du Barry Was a Lady" | |
1946 | Worked freelance after MGM contract expired | |
1949 | First screen teaming with Bob Hope in "Sorrowful Jones" | |
1949 | Returned to Columbia with a three-picture deal | |
1950 | Again appeared opposite Hope in "Fancy Pants" | |
1951 | Formed Desilu Productions Arnaz | |
1951 | Starred in the TV sitcom, "I Love Lucy" (CBS); she and Arnaz had undertaken a stage tour in part to prove to CBS executives that audiences would accept them as a married couple and that they could work together as a team | |
1954 | Co-starred with Arnaz in "The Long, Long Trailer" | |
1956 | Reteamed with Arnaz for the feature "Forever Darling" | |
1957 | Desilu Productions bought old RKO Studio lot (date approximate) | |
1960 | Reteamed with Bob Hope for the feature "The Facts of Life" | |
1960 | Starred in Broadway musical "Wildcat"; run cut short reportedly due to Ball's health | |
1962 | Bought out Desi Arnaz's share of Desilu | |
1962 | Starred in the popular TV sitcom "The Lucy Show" (CBS); show reteamed her with sidekick Vivian Vance and also featured Gale Gordon | |
1963 | Starred opposite Bob Hope in "Critics Choice" | |
1967 | Formed Lucille Ball Productions | |
1967 | Sold Desilu to Gulf + Western | |
1968 | Co-starred with Henry Fonda in the feature comedy about a blended family "Yours, Mine and Ours" | |
1968 | Starred on the popular CBS sitcom "Here's Lucy"; show featured her real-life children playing her screen character's kids | |
1974 | Made final feature film, the critically-derided adaptation of the Broadway musical "Mame" | |
1980 | Signed production deal with NBC, made one special and a pilot for a proposed series that was not picked up | |
1985 | TV-movie debut playing the dramatic role of a homeless woman in "The Stone Pillow" (CBS) | |
1986 | Starred on the short-lived ABC sitcom "Life with Lucy" | |
1989 | Last public appearance on the annual Academy Awards telecast | |
1991 | Portrayed by Frances Fisher in the CBS biopic "Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter" | |
1993 | Daughter Lucie compiled personal home movies to create the award-winning special "Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie" for NBC | |
1996 | Long-lost autobiography Love, Lucy published | |
Awards
1954 | Primetime Emmy Award for Best Female Star of Regular Series in I Love Lucy |
1955 | Primetime Emmy Award for Best Actress Starring In a Regular Series in I Love Lucy |
1956 | Primetime Emmy Award for Best Actress-Continuing Performance in I Love Lucy |
1956 | Primetime Emmy Award for Best Comedienne |
1957 | Primetime Emmy Award for Best Continuing Performance By a Comedienne In a Series in I Love Lucy |
1960 | Golden Globe Award for Actress in a Leading Role - Musical Or Comedy in The Facts of Life |
1963 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Continued Performance By an Actress in The Lucy Show |
1966 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Continued Performance By an Actress In a in The Lucy Show |
1967 | Golden Globe Award for Actress in a Television Series in The Lucy Show |
1967 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Continued Performance By an Actress In a in The Lucy Show |
1968 | Golden Globe Award for Actress in a Leading Role - Musical Or Comedy in Yours, Mine and Ours |
1968 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Continued Performance By an Actress In a in The Lucy Show |
1969 | Golden Globe Award for Actress in a Television Series - Musical Or Comedy in Here's Lucy |
1970 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in Here's Lucy |
1971 | Golden Globe Award for Actress in a Leading Role - Musical Or Comedy Series Or Television Movie in Here's Lucy |
1974 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Mame |
1978 | Golden Globe Award for Cecil B. DeMille Award |
1990 | Palm Springs International Film Festival for Desert Palm Achievement Award |