Biography Inromation
 I Love Lucy Biographies
Episode Guide
The Episode Guide
Home Sweet Home
Home Sweet Home
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Welcome to the Lucy studios we have all the information you need to know about I Love Lucy!
A classic among classics, this landmark situation comedy first appeared on CBS on October 15, 1951. It ceased production at the end of its 1956-57 season, although the network continued to give the reruns prime-time play until September 1961. For its entire seven-year run, I Love Lucy® maintained its time slot—Monday night at 9 PM—during which time millions of Americans stopped whatever they were doing to join the Ricardos and the Mertzes for a half hour. Although in the early days of television there was far less competition for in-home entertainment than there is today, the ratings for I Love Lucy® can still be considered extraordinary; its episodes routinely attracted over two-thirds of the television audience.
The series' premise, of course, was not particularly unique. It focused on the antics of a wacky wife who drives her husband to distraction. What made each episode so outstanding was Lucille Ball's breathtaking ability for broad comedy. Another distinguishing factor was Ball's insistence on co-starring with her real-life Cuban husband, Desi Arnaz. TV executives weren't sure that audiences would accept this "mixed marriage." Yet Arnaz prevailed, and his behind-the-scenes contributions may even have outshone his considerably adept on-screen comedic and musical work. (Also starring were William Frawley and Vivian Vance as the Ricardos' neighbors, Fred and Ethel Mertz.)
Most significantly, Arnaz called for the development of a three-camera live-to-film recording of the show, considered at the time to be technically farfetched. This decision came about because Ball and Arnaz wanted to produce a live show, and the sponsor would not accept the blurry kinescopes that were then the standard in the industry. Needless to say, this live-to-film production quickly became the standard for TV comedy (although it went out of fashion for several years in the 1960s), and Desi Arnaz's foresight has enabled I Love Lucy® to look technically exceptional over time.
As one of the ultimate Classic TV shows, I Love Lucy® can be considered seminal in other ways as well. The series created standards for such plot devices as buddy mischief, men versus women, neighbor versus neighbor and risky situations that go extravagantly wrong. Almost every sitcom that has ever dealt with personal conflicts can be traced to I Love Lucy® Classics like Laverne & Shirley sometimes seem like carbon copies. Yet however silly the situations, the humor was always expertly crafted. The tireless creative minds behind such hilarious writing included creator/producer Jess Oppenheimer and the team of Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll, Jr.—people to whom Lucille Ball always gave major credit for the series' success.
I Love Lucy® joined Nick at Nite in 1994, and continues to be enormously popular worldwide. Relive some classic Lucy moments by playing our "I Dress Lucy Game," leafing through our Talking Photo Album and checking out our "Sounds, Pix & Movies." And, don't forget to watch I Love Lucy® on Nick at Nite!
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