Lucille and Desi co-produced I Love Lucy through the production they founded, Desilu Productions. Through their company, Lucille approved iconic shows like The Dick Van Dyke Show and Star Trek.
Desilu Productions also made lengths in television history. For example, they’re credited with the idea of filming in front of a live studio audience.
Sadly, Lucille and Desi divorced in 1960. When they did, Desi sold his ownership of the production company to Lucille, making her the first woman to head a major studio and one of the most influential women in Hollywood.
Even though I Love Lucy ended in 1957, Lucille continued to perform on television, in films, and even on Broadway. She starred in spin-offs of I Love Lucy, like The Lucy Show and Here’s Lucy.
She had audiences roaring in laughter whenever she collaborated with her dear friend, another legendary female entertainer, Carole Burnett.
Lucille and Desi had two children together, Lucie Désirée Arnaz and Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV. Both of them have had careers in the entertainment industry.
Around the late 1980s, Lucy began to fall ill. She passed away in April of 1989 at 77 after an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Although we wish she was around longer, there is no doubt that Lucille will forever live in the hearts and minds of comedy lovers worldwide. Her impact on the world of television and entertainment is way too substantial to forget.
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