As the world marks Lucille Ball’s centennial birthday it’s hard to imagine a way to aptly remember a woman of her magnitude. Lucy wasn’t just a comedienne – or even just an actress, for that matter. She was a pillar of female empowerment, a dedicated workwoman and a gal’s gal with a spirit as fiery as her hair (though entirely more genuine). She was the embodiment of so many things and when you stop to think about it you realize just how much she changed this world for the better. The question is, after so long, how do you say ‘thank you’? How do you recognize, in one collective moment, all the laughter and happiness she brought into your life? How do you even begin? Well, I suppose, at the beginning. And for me, the beginning was I Love Lucy.
Lucy meets Bill Holden at the Brown Derby in one of my favorite I Love Lucy moments.
I Love Lucy was my mom’s favorite show growing up and very early on it became mine as well. My mom has handed down a lot of things to me over the years and I Love Lucy is one that I’ll always treasure. There is simply no way to replicate the magic resulting of Lucy, Desi, Vivian Vance and William Frawley working together to bring unbridled happiness to their audience. The four of them, with Lucy’s charm and impeccable humor at the fore, handled comedy with the sort of sophistication and grace that cannot be done today. I’m so happy to have the show to relive even now, all these years later. And I can’t go without noting Lucy’s style on the series. I love the way she brought such glamour into the everyday, always impeccable, and so effortlessly. I Love Lucy is the sort of show that really captures the fashion of the era; it’s just as entertaining as the characters and story of the show itself!
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
Lucy will always serve as a reminder to me that strength of character, heartfelt dedication and honest hard work will take you anywhere you could ever want to go. She went through Hollywood in a blaze of glory and she certainly left her mark: as a comedienne of television and film as well as one of the first female executives in the business. Astonishingly shy at the beginning (or, at least, that’s how she tells it), she grew through her work and shaped her confidence in order to dedicate herself to being the sort of actress and comedienne she knew the world needed. It took ample spirit, which she had; dedication, she had that too; and, perhaps above all, imagination. Lauren Bacall once said that “Imagination is the highest kite one can fly” and I think Lucy is the perfect representation of that. Her impossibly creative imagination and her dedication to making things happen as big and bold and brightly as possible made her an unforgettable star and a true inspiration.
Happy Birthday, Lucy
August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989
For more Lucy memories please check out the Loving Lucy Blogathon, of which this post is a part, hosted by True Classics. Thanks for reading! Tell me, why do you love Lucy?
Image credits: Love Lucy
{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
WOW!!! you are such an aamzing writer!. Your tribute puts mine to shame lol. I absolutely love it!! You did Lucille proud. You are going to make an amazing writer hun!
Thank you so much for your sweet comment, Steph (twin)! Except that nothing could ever put your tribute to shame, it was beautiful! Not to mention I learned so much about Lucy from it, and it was genuinely heartfelt. You’re a star, girly!
I love this post! I never got in to watching reruns of I Love Lucy on Nick at Nite on a regular basis, but the Hollywood episode is amazing. Last week I got to visit what was formerly Desilu (which also happens to be the former Selznick International studios). It was a real treat. I really admire women like Lucy who trail blazed in what was totally a man’s business. She certainly paved the way for many after her!
The Hollywood eps were definitely some of my favorites! In one – I think it’s when she tries to steal John Wayne’s footprints from Grauman’s Chinese Theater – Ricky asks her why she’s saving an old squashed tin can and she says, “This isn’t just a tin can! This is a tin can that was crushed by Cary Grant’s left rear wheel!” And I always think, Yep, that would totally be me. I love all the name-dropping and fangirling over classic icons, especially when Lucy fawns over guys like Bill Holden who in reality she starred in films with.
Anyway, I’m rambling. So exciting that you got to see Desilu/Selznick International, that must have been a thrill! You’re so right, Lucy played such a big role in transforming the way the industry saw women.
I love I Love Lucy, it is a very charming and funny show. Lucille Ball’s is definitely a gorgeous women. I wonder if their is any pictures of her in color because it would be nice to see her in her red hair, etc.
She looks amazing in the 4th picture in the gown, so classy and chic!
Isn’t she lovely?! I have a few color pictures, but I think most of them were colored artificially back in that era. She did do some color films, though, like The Long, Long Trailer with Desi and also Du Barry was a Lady. Her hair – and eyes – was just stunning!
The pictures are amazing, particularly the Lucy-as-Chaplin (they showed that episode early this morning on Me-TV’s Lucy marathon)!
That’s one of my favorite shots, so perfect. I missed the episode, sadly – haven’t seen it in ages!
Thanks for stopping by!
Your heartfelt tribute touched me. My admiration for Lucy as a woman and a performer grew to affection with the familiarity of all the years past and to come when she was there to make me laugh.
Thank you so much, Patricia. I’m thrilled that you liked the tribute. She was certainly a stunning and affecting woman!
I,too, turn to Lucy on bad days. She just knows how to make me laugh my ass off. No television show since can touch hers, its still my favorite. Happy birthday to you Ms Lucy! We miss you.
Thank you for your comment! I absolutely agree, there’s never been anything quite like I Love Lucy – and there’s never been anyone like Lucy herself.
How cool. She was awesome.
Amazing post as always, Casee! I can see that we have another thing in common: My mom also introduced me to the I Love Lucy show and thus to Lucille Ball!
Thanks so much, Gabbie! Moms and their Lucy love, too cute!
Great post Casee.
I’m not familiar with I Love Lucy unfortunately. I might have to check it out now though
Thanks, Karen! Oh and please do check out the show – I’m sure you’d love it, such a heartwarming and sweet show.
This is beautiful, miss. One of the things I love about I Love Lucy (which I hadn’t really recognized until reading posts for this blogathon) is how familial the show is. Not the fact that the content is family friendly but how it’s a passed down show, the kind you watch with your parents and potentially watch with your own children. It’s truly timeless. I’ll always love Lucy.
Thank you, girly! And I couldn’t agree more. It is, ironically enough, refreshing that it’s family-friendly but it has such a familial connection beyond that for so many. I wonder what Lucy would say to its enduring success with young people all these years later.
Lucy had such a flair for physical comedy. Her beautiful big eyes always capture the moment. Plus, I love Mame!
Absolutely agree! I haven’t had the chance to see Mame yet, though – I’ve heard wonderful things about it!
I enjoyed reading this. Your admiration and love for Lucy shines through every word, and I agree with your every sentiment. That final quote–”I’m not funny. What I am is brave.”–has long been one of my favorites. Lucy was complex, talented, beautiful, and, above all, honest and forthright, and that’s one of the things I admire about her the most.
Thank you for participating in the blogathon and for sharing this lovely tribute!
Thank you so much, Brandie! Your comment gave me such a smile, you said so perfectly just how I feel about Lucy. That quote seems to reveal so much of her, it’s wonderful and inspiring in its honesty. She was so courageous and real!
She was so stunning, clever, and a pioneer. This is such a wonderful tribute to such a beautiful person. It’s important to remember these trailblazers…..
Thank you! I couldn’t agree more, she’s truly unforgettable not just for her comedy but for all she did in the industry.
Wonderful post!!! I love her!!! I also think she was a trailblazer in so many many ways. My favorite bit about Lucielle is the way she approached her roles with abandon, it’s 100% from her at all times and I love that she was so dedicated to approach her work that way.
Lovely pictures you selected, friend.
Thank you, doll! You’re so right, she really sort of threw herself into her roles and it was wonderful. As brilliantly written as I Love Lucy was she brought the comedy to life with her acting. And off the camera she seemed just as dedicated. Such a fiery hard worker, that Lucy!
Loved this tribute to Lucy! I loved the show as well as I thought her style was fierce and her talent was awesome!
Thanks, dear! When I was young and watching the show I never noticed her style – quite shameful, I had so much inspiration in front of my nose and I was oblivious! Watching it now is sort of like seeing it for the first time, noticing those amazing eyelashes and the details in her dresses. It’s stunning!
Gorgeous post! Lucy has always been one of my favourite personalities. I would definitely recommend you “Follow the Fleet” if you haven’t seen it, btw! Ginger and Fred sparkle in one of their many musicals they made together, but this one has a really young Lucy in it as well!
Thanks, dear! And I haven’t seen Follow the Fleet, but it seems to be one everyone loves (and I’ve seen pictures from it on Tumblr, they’re just too cute)! Plus, Lucy is a great extra incentive to watch!
Gosh she was great! What an awesome tribute!
All day on Sunday I was just too geeked to see people tweeting “I Love Lucy”. Who meeee? Lol.
Cute post.
Ha! I can only imagine. Thanks for stopping by!
Love the last quote – Lucy knew how to work the talent that she was blessed with and break some amazing barriers in television world. A wonderful post and fantastic photos.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Shannon! So glad you liked the post. Lucy certainly was a trailblazer, and she did it with such style!
Lucille Ball was a HUGE influence on me as a kid. I love her humor, and thought she was beautiful.
Well, that just makes me love you even more, Bella.
In a league of her own in humor and beauty, that Lucy really was the top.
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