He's Been There All Of Our Lives!

March 2, 1917... Today he would've turned 93 years old... He came to this country in the early 1930's and worked every job from cleaning canary cages to emptying ashtrays while trying to become a professional musician. He was quite skilled at playing the conga drum and he had a tremendous ability to channel all of his energy once he was on stage. Finally in 1940 he made it to Broadway in the production of Too Many Girls. Later that year the stage show was ready to be made into a major motion picture so cast members boarded a train for Hollywood. The cast included Van Johnson and Eddie Bracken... Once in Hollywood he met one of the films leading ladies...a bright eyed brunette by the name of Lucille Ball. And the rest, as they say, is history...on November 30, 1040 they two exchanged vows and became husband and wife. As the 1940's pressed on he appeared in several films, giving a wonderful performance as a dying soldier in Bataan. By 1949 he was the orchestra leader on Bob Hope's weekly radio show and Lucille was happily working on "My Favorite Husband" a domestic radio comedy which featured Ms. Ball as zany housewife Liz Cooper and veteran screen and radio actor Richard Denning as her long suffering husband George. In 1951, CBS executives approached Lucille Ball about taking "My Favorite Husband" to television...the new kid on the block. Taking the biggest risk of her career she said yes...on the condition that her real life husband was cast in the role of her television husband. Executives balked at the idea of television audiences believing that a beautiful all American girl was married to a Latin American "conga player." The couple took their act on the road and sold it to America. CBS gave in...and on October 15, 1951 "I Love Lucy" went on the air for the first time. It was a Monday night at 9pm...and by 9:30pm it had its first place in all television history books. The "conga player" turned out to be a television pioneer. He crafted a system that allowed the show to be filmed using a three camera method in front of a live audience. He learned everything from editing the scripts to constructing the sets. He learned how to put the cast's talents to use in the best way possible and what was the result? 194 episodes of pure GOLD! By 1953 the couple owned and ran Desliu Productions, which became one of the most powerful studios in Hollywood. By 1957 the couple purchased RKO studios...the same studio that let them both go many years before. Eventually the company owned three studios and the "conga player" had 16 shows on the air. It should also be noted that he invented the re-run. When wife Lucille was taking time off after having their second child Desi Arnaz, Jr. in 1953 (daughter Lucie had been born in 1951) the actor decided to replay previous episodes that had already aired. The reaction at the time from executives and producers was negative but in the end repeats of "I Love Lucy" were popular in 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1966, 1976, 1986, 1996, 2006, 2009, 2010-------and beyond. By 1960 the good times ran out for the Ricardos and their portrayers. Even though the legendary actors divorced that year they remained best friends for the rest of their lives. In 1962 Lucille purchased her ex-husband's shares of Desilu Studios. In 1963, he remarried this time to redhead Edith Hirsch. He attempted a return as a producer in 1967 with the short lived sitcom "The Mothers-In-Law" starring Eve Arden and Kaye Ballard. After it's cancellation in 1969 he dropped out of the spot light limiting himself to talk show appearances and the occasional guest appearance. In 1976, he hosted "Saturday Night Live" with his son Desi, Jr. in order to promote the release of his autobiography. Sadly tragedy wasn't far behind...his wife Edie died in 1985. In the mid 1980's he was diagnosed with lung cancer...on November 30, 1986 he spoke to his ex-wife Lucille on what would've been their 46th wedding anniversary... Two days later...December 2, 1986...he was gone. Daughter Lucie was by his side at the time of his passing. So much has been written over the years about his alcohol abuse and gambling problem, it is not a secret that the relationship between him and Lucille Ball was troubled and it is no secret that he was a womanizer but these facts do not take away from the reality that he was a television pioneer. He may have been a less than perfect husband but the performances that they gave together are pure magic. He channeled whatever ugly demons that were troubling him into an incredible warmth and welcoming feeling on screen. As Ricky Ricardo he was the "conga player" with the broken English. He was one fourth of a faboulous cast...he was respected as a boss and producer by almost everyone who worked for him...and after all these years I believe it's time to let the past be the past and let the "conga player" get the accolades he deserves. For whatever reason he was never nominated for an Emmy. As long as the magic that is "I Love Lucy" is alive in our minds and our hearts..it will be strong enough cancel out whatever poison and misery that might've been going on behind the scenes. Lucille Ball was the first person to say that she would've gotten nowhere in television without his talent and his support. And she always gave him credit whenever the subject came up... Happy Birthday, Mr. Ricardo! It gives me such a great honor to say this... In Memoriam (Proudly) Remembers: Desi Arnaz