Ball largely blamed her deceased grandfather for the things she had done. She said that she registered as a Communist “because grandpa wanted all of us to†and “to appease an old man.â€
For an older generation of Americans, Lucille Ball was the queen of television comedy. Best known for her popular 1950s television series I Love Lucy–where she shared top billing with her Cuban-born husband Desi Arnaz–she was a fixture on the small screen for two decades.
She had one of the longest careers in Hollywood, and August 6 was what would have been her 100th birthday. There were small celebrations across the country, including in her hometown of Jamestown, N.Y., where more than 900 red-lipsticked and redheaded Lucy “look-alikes†gathered to set a new world record.
It’s hard not to look back on I Love Lucy and be slightly embarrassed by the arcane slapstick humor. Her role as the goofy housewife with a heart of gold supporting her ambitious, bandleader husband can make you cringe at times, but it was also a funny show.
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