As hard as it may be to believe, what is generally regarded as the greatest situation comedy of all time, “I Love Lucy,” began 70 years ago this season.
There have recently been two high-profile productions that celebrate the magic of that series and the real-life couple behind it: Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
kAm~?6 :D 2 5C2>2E:4 7:=> HC:EE6? 2?5 5:C64E65 3J p2C@? $@C<:? DE2CC:?8 }:4@=6 z:5>2? 2D {F4J 2?5 y2G:6C q2C56> 2D s6D:[ 42==65 “q6:?8 E96 #:42C5@D]” %96 @E96C :D 2 5@4F>6?E2CJ AC@5F465 2?5 5:C64E65 3J 4@>65:6??6 p>J !@69=6C 42==65 “{F4J 2?5 s6D:]”k^Am
kAmx 9:89=J C64@>>6?5 E9:D 5@4F>6?E2CJ]k^Am
kAm!@69=6C’D 2AAC@249 :D D@ C67C6D9:?8 H96? 4@>A2C65 E@ @E96C 5@4F>6?E2C:6D – E96 @?6D H96C6 D@>6 G6C3@D6 4@>65:2? E2=<D 23@FE 9@H 7F??J D@\2?5\D@ H2D[ @C A6@A=6 H:E9 ?@ C6=2E:@? E@ E96 DF3;64E >2<6 A:E9J 4@>>6?ED =:<6 E96J H6C6 6IA6CE H:E?6DD6D] !@69=6C 8@6D E@ E96 D@FC46]k^Am
kAmu@C E9:D 5@4F>6?E2CJ 7:=>[ E96 @?=J A6@A=6 5@:?8 E96 E2=<:?8 2C6 E96:C 49:=5C6? {F4:6 pC?2K {F4<:?3:== 2?5 s6D: pC?2K[ yC][ 2?5 4=@D6 7C:6?5D =:<6 r2C@= qFC?6EE[ }@C>2? {62C[ r92C@[ 2?5 q6EE6 |:5=6C] |@DE @7 E96 7:=> :D 4@>AC:D65 @7 2C49:G2= C64@C5:?8D @7 :?E6CG:6HD H:E9 q2== 2?5 pC?2K :? =2E6C J62CD[ 2D H6== 2D ?6G6C\367@C6\D66? 9@>6 >@G:6D C6=62D65 E@ !@69=6C 3J E96 72>:=J]k^Am
kAms6D: pC?2K 925 4@>6 7C@> AC:G:=686 2D E96 @?=J 49:=5 @7 2 H62=E9J 72>:=J :? rF32j 925 E96 `hbb C6G@=FE:@? ?@E @44FCC65[ 96 H@F=5 =:<6=J 92G6 H@C<65 7@C q242C5: #F>[ E96 72>:=J 4@>A2?J] %96 pC?2K 72>:=J H2D E:89E H:E9 E96 |24925@ 72>:=J[ 3FE |24925@ H2D @G6CE9C@H? 2?5 C6A=2465 3J E96 q2E:DE2 C68:>6] s6D:’D 72>:=J 6D42A65[ H:E9@FE 2 46?E :? E96:C A@4<6ED[ E@ E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D]k^Am
kAmpD 2 >FD:4:2?[ s6D: pC?2K H2D 7@CEF?2E6 E@ 92G6 366? 9:C65 3J )2G:6C rF82E[ H9@ H2D A6C92AD E96 >@DE :?7=F6?E:2= {2E:? p>6C:42? >FD:4:2? @7 9:D 52J 2E E96 96:89E @7 E96 q:8 q2?5 6C2] rF82E E@@< s6D: F?56C 9:D H:?8 2?5 E2F89E 9:> E96 3FD:?6DD] p7E6C 2 76H J62CD[ pC?2K H2D 23=6 E@ D6E @FE @? 9:D @H? 2?5 H2D 2 9F86=J DF446DD7F= 32?5=6256C 2?5 6?E6CE2:?6C] w6 :D 4C65:E65 H:E9 A@AF=2C:K:?8 E96 “4@?82” 4C2K6 @7 E96 `hc_D 2?5 A=2J65 2 >2;@C C@=6 :? 9@H {2E:?@ >FD:4:2?D H6C6 A@CEC2J65 :? 7:=>D]k^Am
kAm{F4:==6 q2== 925 4@>6 7C@> ?@E9:?8] ~C:8:?2==J 7C@> y2>6DE@H?[ }6H *@C<[ q2==’D 72>:=J H2D 36D6E H:E9 7:?2?4:2= AC@3=6>D 7@C G2C:@FD C62D@?D 2?5[ 2D 2 E66?286C[ D96 H6?E E@ }6H *@C< r:EJ 2?5 3682? 2 >@56=:?8 42C66C] $96 E@@< @? 2?J H@C< D96 4@F=5 :? 2EE6>AED E@ DFAA@CE 96C DECF88=:?8 72>:=J] k^Am
kAm{F4J 3682? E@ 2AA62C :? >@E:@? A:4EFC6D 2?5[ 62C=J @?[ D9@H65 ?@ D:8? @7 H@C<:?8 :? 4@>65J] $96 H2D 2 5C2>2E:4 24EC6DD 3FE 96C C6AFE2E:@? H2D DF49 E92E D96 D@>6E:>6D 5:5 ?@E 6G6? C646:G6 D4C66? 4C65:ED 7@C >@G:6D :? H9:49 D96 2AA62C65] pD E:>6 H6?E @?[ 9@H6G6C[ D96 3642>6 2 A2CE @7 E96 DEF5:@ DJDE6> 2?5 H2D <?@H? 2D E96 “"F66? @7 E96 q’D” 5F6 E@ 96C 2AA62C2?46 :? D@ >2?J q\=6G6= A:4EFC6D]k^Am
kAmxE H2D @? 2 >@G:6 42==65 “%@@ |2?J v:C=D” :? `hc_ H96C6 pC?2K 2?5 q2== >6E 7@C E96 7:CDE E:>6] %96J 3@E9 925 A2CED :? E96 7:=> 2?5 D92C65 D46?6D] (:E9:? D:I >@?E9D[ E96J H6C6 >2CC:65[ 2?5 E96:C F?36=:6G23=6 C:56 2E E96 E@A H2D C625J E@ 368:?]k^Am
kAm{F4J’D DE2C 5:5?’E C62==J 368:? E@ C:D6 F?E:= D96 H2D 49@D6? E@ 2AA62C :? 2 D:EF2E:@? 4@>65J 42==65 “|J u2G@C:E6 wFD32?5]” xE H2D H9:=6 H@C<:?8 @? E9:D C25:@ D9@H E92E D96 42>6 :?E@ 4@?E24E H:E9 AC@5F46C\5:C64E@C y6DD ~AA6?96:>6Cj HC:E6CD q@3 r2CC@== 2?5 |256=J? !F89j 2?5 4@\DE2C v2=6 v@C5@?] p== @7 E96D6 A6@A=6 H@F=5 A=2J EC6>6?5@FD C@=6D :? 96C =:76 2?5 :? E96 56G6=@A>6?E @7 H92E H6 ?@H <?@H 2D “x {@G6 {F4J]”k^Am
kAm%96 A2:C 3=2K65 2 EC2:= :? E9@D6 62C=J 52JD @7 E6=6G:D:@?[ H:E9@FE C62=:K:?8 9@H 8C@F?53C62<:?8 :E H2D 2== 8@:?8 E@ 36] x? H92E >2J 36 E96 >@DE :>A@CE2?E :?G6?E:@? @7 E96> 2==[ pC?2K >256 E96 564:D:@? E@ 7:=> E96 6A:D@56D C2E96C E92? C64@C5 E96> @? A@@C\BF2=:EJ <:?6D4@A6D[ 2?5 96 9:C65 E96 7:?6DE 4:?6>2E@8C2A96CD 2?5 >2<6FA 2CE:DED w@==JH@@5 925 E@ @776C 2D E96:C AC@5F4E H2D AC6A2C65] %9:D =65 E@ 8@@5\=@@<:?8 AC@8C2>>:?8 E92E 4@F=5 36 D66? 4@2DE E@ 4@2DE[ 2D H6== 2D E96 :?G6?E:@? @7 E96 C6CF?] w@H 4@F=5 pC?2K 92G6 <?@H? f_ J62CD 28@ E92E H6 H@F=5 DE:== 36 H2E49:?8 E96:C =:EE=6 D:E4@>nk^Am
kAmp55:E:@?2==J[ E96 :?E6CC24:2= >2CC:286 @7 pC?2K 2?5 q2== H2D D@>6H92E E23@@j 9@H6G6C[ @?46 rq$ >256 E96 562= H:E9 E96>[ E96C6 H2D ?@ EFC?:?8 324<] %96J 2=D@ <?6H E92E {F4J H@C<65 36DE :? 7C@?E @7 2? 2F5:6?46[ D@ E96J 4C62E65 E96 “=:G6 :? 7C@?E @7 2 DEF5:@ 2F5:6?46” 4@?46AE DH66E6?65 H:E9 2 =2F89 EC24<] u:?2==J[ E96J 56G6=@A65 E96:C @H? AC@5F4E:@? 4@>A2?J 42==65 s6D:=F E92E 3642>6 E96 =2C86DE 2?5 >@DE A@H6C7F= :?56A6?56?E AC@5F4E:@? 4@>A2?J :? w@==JH@@5 5FC:?8 E96 `hd_D 2?5 `he_D]k^Am
kAm}@E 325 7@C A6@A=6 H9@ 925 366? D4C2E49:?8 @FE 2 =:G:?8 ;FDE 2 76H J62CD AC:@C] qFE E96D6 EH@ 36=:6G65 :? @?6 2?@E96C 2?5 :? E96 H@C< E96J H6C6 5@:?8] %96J H6C6 >2CC:65[ 3FE E96J H6C6 2=D@ A2CE?6CD :? 6G6CJ D6?D6]k^Am
kAmp>J !@69=6C H2D :?E6CG:6H65 3J k6>m%96 }6H *@C< %:>6Dk^6>m 23@FE E9:D AC@;64E] $96 D2:5 @7 E96 4@FA=6[ “H92E {F4J 2?5 s6D: 5@ :? E96:C =:G6D :D E96J H@C< G6CJ 92C5 @? E96>D6=G6D 2?5 E96:C 4C27E] %96J 4C62E6 E9:D 362FE:7F= >FD:4 E@86E96C] p?5 E96J 8@ @? E@ 4@?E:?F6 E@ 4C62E6 D6A2C2E6=J[ C6DA64E:?8 6249 @E96C 2?5 7:?5:?8 H2JD E@ H@C< E@86E96C] $@ E96C6’D 2=H2JD E92E BF6DE:@? @7[ H92E :D 2 DF446DD7F= A2CE?6CD9:An %96:C >2CC:286 6?5D[ 3FE E96J 4@\A2C6?E 2?5 7:?5 ?6H =@G6… E96J D9@H65 H92E :E H2D =:<6 E@ 86E 5:G@C465 2?5 D9@H C6DA64E 7@C 6249 @E96C]”k^Am
kAmpD s6D:’D =:76 H2D 4@>:?8 E@ 2? 6?5[ E96 49:=5C6? 2D<65 {F4J E@ G:D:E] {F4J 2?5 s6D: D4C66?65 4=2DD:4 6A:D@56D @7 “x {@G6 {F4J” E96J 925 4C62E65[ 2?5 D92C65 =2F89D E@86E96C] %96:C A2CE?6CD9:A ?6G6C C62==J H6?E 2H2Jj E9@F89 E96J 4@F=5 ?@E =:G6 E@86E96C 2?J>@C6[ E96J ?6G6C DE@AA65 =@G:?8 @?6 2?@E96C]k^Am
kAmpD :?7=F6?E:2= 2D “x {@G6 {F4J” 4@?E:?F6D E@ 36[ H:E9 2 E6>A=2E6 DE:== 7@==@H65 3J >2?J 2 %' D9@H[ E96 @C:8:?2= D6C:6D @?=J C2? 7@C D:I J62CD] pC?2K H6?E 7C@> rF32? C67F866 E@ 2? :?5FDECJ E:E2?[ AC@5F4:?8 “%96 &?E@F4923=6D[” “$E2C %C6<[” “%96 p?5J vC:77:E9 $9@H[” “|2<6 #@@> 7@C s255J[” 2?5 “%96 s:4< '2? sJ<6 $9@H” 2>@?8 @E96CD] {F4J D@=:5:7:65 96C C6AFE2E:@? 2D D96 4@?E:?F65 H@C<:?8[ 7:CDE H:E9 E96 t>>J\H:??:?8 “%96 {F4J $9@H” 2?5 =2E6C “w6C6’D {F4J[” 3@E9 D6C:6D 2=D@ 762EFC:?8 4@>65J A2CE?6CD ':G:2? '2?46 2?5 v2=6 v@C5@?] $96 2=D@ H@C<65 @? qC@25H2J 2?5 3642>6 2? p\=:DE DE2C 2D D96 9625=:?65 96C @H? >@G:6D]k^Am
kAmxE :D ECF=J F?:>28:?23=6 E@ 4@?D:56C 2== E96 6?E6CE2:?>6?E H6 H@F=5 92G6 >:DD65 925 E96D6 EH@ ?6G6C >6E] %96 DE@CJ @7 “{F4J 2?5 s6D:” :D C62==J 2 EC:F>A92?E @?6] xE :D 4FCC6?E=J DEC62>:?8 @? p>2K@? !C:>6]k^Am
