NPR: Lucille Ball https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=158213183 Lucille Ball en Copyright 2024 NPR - For Personal Use Only Story API Shim 1.2.24 Fri, 13 Jun 2025 19:42:17 -0400 https://media.npr.org/images/podcasts/primary/npr_generic_image_300.jpg?s=200 NPR: Lucille Ball https://www.npr.org/tags/158213183/lucille-ball With 'I Love Lucy' and beyond, Desi Arnaz helped shaped TV as we know it The success of<em> I Love Lucy</em> is often credited to Lucille Ball's comedic talent, but biographer Todd Purdum says Arnaz was more than just "second banana" to Lucy. He also helped shape the modern sitcom. Mon, 02 Jun 2025 12:51:43 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2025/06/02/nx-s1-5417932/i-love-lucy-desi-arnaz-lucille-ball-todd-purdum https://www.npr.org/2025/06/02/nx-s1-5417932/i-love-lucy-desi-arnaz-lucille-ball-todd-purdum I Love Lucy from 1951 until 1957.'/>

The success of I Love Lucy is often credited to Lucille Ball's comedic talent, but biographer Todd Purdum says Arnaz was more than just "second banana" to Lucy. He also helped shape the modern sitcom.

(Image credit: AP)

]]> Terry Gross 'Being the Ricardos' takes a legendary comedienne seriously, with mixed results Aaron Sorkin's take on the scandals and controversies of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz is Sorkin-y to a fault. But Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, and the rest of the cast keep things interesting. Mon, 20 Dec 2021 07:00:59 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2021/12/20/1062890027/being-the-ricardos-review-i-love-lucy-nicole-kidman-javier-bardem https://www.npr.org/2021/12/20/1062890027/being-the-ricardos-review-i-love-lucy-nicole-kidman-javier-bardem Being the Ricardos.'/>

Aaron Sorkin's take on the scandals and controversies of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz is Sorkin-y to a fault. But Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, and the rest of the cast keep things interesting.

]]> Aisha Harris A New Lucille Ball Statue Replaces 'Scary' One In Her Hometown In 2009, legions of Lucy fans were horrified by a sculpture they dubbed "Scary Lucy." The new one reflects the glamorous TV comedy star of the 1950s. It's being unveiled Saturday, her 105th birthday. Fri, 05 Aug 2016 19:34:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/08/05/488386630/a-new-lucille-ball-statue-replaces-scary-one-in-her-hometown https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/08/05/488386630/a-new-lucille-ball-statue-replaces-scary-one-in-her-hometown In 2009, legions of Lucy fans were horrified by a sculpture they dubbed "Scary Lucy." The new one reflects the glamorous TV comedy star of the 1950s. It's being unveiled Saturday, her 105th birthday.

]]> Richard Gonzales 'Unsettling' Lucille Ball Sculpture Will Move To New Home In N.Y. The plan gives new life to a statue that gained dubious fame last month, when criticism of the bronze work reached a fever pitch. It's now seen as a part of comedy history. Tue, 12 May 2015 15:37:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/05/12/406236183/-unsettling-lucille-ball-sculpture-will-move-to-western-ny https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/05/12/406236183/-unsettling-lucille-ball-sculpture-will-move-to-western-ny

The plan gives new life to a statue that gained dubious fame last month, when criticism of the bronze work reached a fever pitch. It's now seen as a part of comedy history.

(Image credit: The Post-Journal)

]]> Bill Chappell Lucille Ball Sculptor Apologizes For 'By Far My Most Unsettling' Work "I take full responsibility for 'Scary Lucy,' " artist Dave Poulin says, adding that he didn't mean "to disparage in any way the memories of the iconic Lucy image." Tue, 07 Apr 2015 11:47:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/04/07/398032028/lucille-ball-sculptor-apologizes-for-by-far-my-most-unsettling-work https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/04/07/398032028/lucille-ball-sculptor-apologizes-for-by-far-my-most-unsettling-work I Love Lucy. A sculpture of her in her hometown will be replaced with an improved version, according to the artist.'/>

"I take full responsibility for 'Scary Lucy,' " artist Dave Poulin says, adding that he didn't mean "to disparage in any way the memories of the iconic Lucy image."

]]> Bill Chappell Three Ways Lucille Ball Ruled When She Played With Food Lucille Ball was never funnier than when she was playing with her food. In honor of her 101 birthday, which would have been today, we share three of our favorite food clips from "I Love Lucy." Mon, 06 Aug 2012 15:01:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/08/06/158201090/three-ways-lucille-ball-ruled-when-she-played-with-food https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/08/06/158201090/three-ways-lucille-ball-ruled-when-she-played-with-food Lucille Ball was never funnier than when she was playing with her food. In honor of her 101 birthday, which would have been today, we share three of our favorite food clips from "I Love Lucy."

]]> April Fulton