Desi Arnaz was a Cuban-born entertainer, musician, and producer who became one of the most successful figures in the history of American television. He is best known for his role as Ricky Ricardo in the classic sitcom I Love Lucy, which he co-created with his wife, Lucille Ball. Arnaz’s impact on the entertainment industry is immeasurable, and his legacy continues to influence television and music to this day.
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Desi was born Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III on March 2, 1917, in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, and came from a wealthy family. He was the son of Desiderio Arnaz, a wealthy landowner, and his wife, Dolores de Acha, who came from a prominent family in Spain. Desi’s father was mayor of Santiago de Cuba, the youngest mayor the town had had at that time, and also served in the Cuban House of Representatives. His maternal grandfather was an executive at the rum company Bacardi.
Desi grew up in a privileged environment, but his early life was marked by political upheaval and social change. The Cuban Revolution in 1933 brought revolutionaries to his home, where violent mobs of people destroyed his family’s houses, property, and even livestock. Desi narrowly escaped the mob himself, jumping in a car and driving away just in the nick of time. His father, on the other hand, was arrested and spent six months in jail before he was released with the assistance of his brother-in-law’s intervention on his behalf.
Desi and his family emigrated to Miami after his father was released from jail. They came with no money, none of the wealth they were used to living on in Cuba. They had to live in a rat-infested garage apartment, where they resided while Desi attended the local high school. In 1934, he attended St. Leo Prep close to Tampa in order to improve his English. Desi obtained jobs working at Woolworths and cleaning canary cages as a teenager. Later, he went into the tile business with his dad, then eventually went into show business. This became his full-time career. Desi loved it and obviously had an aptitude for it.
Desi and his family settled in Miami, Florida, where he began to pursue his dream of becoming a musician. He had learned to play the guitar and bongos as a child, and he had a natural talent for music. In Miami, he played in local bands and worked as a gigolo to support himself.
In 1939, Desi was discovered by bandleader Xavier Cugat, who was impressed by his musical abilities. He joined Cugat’s band as a vocalist and soon became one of the most popular members of the group. Desi’s charisma and stage presence made him a hit with audiences, and he was soon in demand as a solo artist.
In 1940, Desi moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in show business. He landed a role in the MGM musical Too Many Girls, which was directed by George Abbott and produced by RKO Pictures. It was on the set of Too Many Girls that Desi met Lucille Ball, who was also starring in the film. The two fell in love and were married in November of that year.
After Too Many Girls, Desi continued to work in Hollywood as an actor and musician. He appeared in a number of films, including Bataan and The Navy Comes Through, and he continued to perform with his own band.
In the early 1950s, Desi and Lucy decided to create their own television show. They formed their own production company, Desilu Productions, and pitched the show to CBS. The network was initially hesitant to take a chance on a sitcom starring a Cuban-American and a woman, believing the nation would never accept a mixed-nationality couple on their TVs, in their homes. The network wanted to keep Desi behind the scenes as a creative force on the show, but cast a man of Lucy’s own ethnic background as her husband.
The network wanted Lucy as a star in her own show, and she refused to do the show without Desi playing her husband. The network resisted at first, but Lucy was firm. Eventually, CBS gave in to her demands, and she and Desi were given the green light to create their television program. It was the best decision the network ever made.
Desi and Lucy’s show, I Love Lucy, premiered on CBS in 1951, and it was an instant hit. The show starred Lucy as Lucy Ricardo, a housewife who always managed to get herself into hilarious predicaments. Desi also starred, playing her husband, Ricky, who was a Cuban bandleader. The show was an immediate success, and it soon became one of the most popular shows on television.
Desi’s contributions to I Love Lucy went far beyond his on-screen performance. He was a co-creator of the show, and he served as its executive producer. He was also responsible for developing the show’s unique filming style, which used multiple cameras to capture the action on set. This technique allowed the show to be filmed in front of a live audience, an innovative technique at the time that became standard practice in the television industry.
After I Love Lucy ended its run in 1957, Arnaz continued to work in television and music. He produced a number of successful shows, including The Ann Sothern Show and Those Whiting Girls, and was involved behind the scenes in a number of other television shows.
Desi and Lucy, who had always had a tumultuous relationship, including Lucy filing for divorce early on, but then reconciling with Desi, finally divorced in 1960, after nearly two decades of marriage, and two children together. They worked together on Desilu Productions until 1962 when Lucy bought out Desi’s share of the company. Desi formed his own company, Desi Arnaz Productions, which continued to produce TV productions, often in partnership with well-known actors and actresses.
Though they both went on to marry other people, Desi and Lucy stayed good friends with each other. There is a home movie of the two of them playing with their grandson shortly before Desi crossed to the other side. Lucy was devastated when he did. A lifelong smoker, he was diagnosed with lung cancer in his 60s, underwent treatment, and eventually crossed in 1986. Lucy visited him in the hospital before this, and they watched VHS episodes of I Love Lucy together. A couple of days before he crossed, he and Lucy spoke on the phone, telling each other, “I love you,” before hanging up.
Desi was cremated, and his ashes were scattered according to his wishes. His mother outlived him by two years and Lucy by three (his second wife, Edith, had crossed the year prior to him). His two children, Desi Jr. and Lucie, plus his grandchildren, survived him, along with his beloved and treasured legacy and with his fans, friends, and the American TV landscape.