Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz turned their rocky marriage into TV history
While Lucy and Ricky Ricardo made audiences laugh for six seasons, the real story behind the camera was more complicated. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were the first couple to bring their real-life marriage to television, and the results were both magical and heartbreaking.
Business partners and soulmates… and eventual strangers
Their love was genuine, but so were the tensions. Desi’s infidelities and drinking were no secret in Hollywood circles. Still, together they built Desilu Productions, revolutionized television filming with the multi-camera format, and made history by portraying a mixed-race couple on TV — something unheard of in the 1950s.
A bittersweet ending
The couple divorced in 1960, shortly after the show ended. But despite the personal heartache, they remained close friends for the rest of their lives. Desi was reportedly watching reruns of I Love Lucy when he died. Lucille Ball later said, “I love him still.”
