Lucille Ball Net Worth

April 2024 · 11 minute read
#Fact1Her company, Desilu Productions, produced The Untouchables, Mission: Impossible and Star Trekj.2Was 6 years older than her first husband and 13 years older than her second.3Broderick Crawford and _Lucille Ball_ announced their engagement in 1936. They never got as far as the altar. It was claimed that RKO fronted this story to cover her affair with studio producer _Pandro S. Berman_, who was married.4Delivered her children Lucie and Desi via Caesarean section.5She discovered actor and dancer Ken Berry.6Her acting mentors were Comedians Buster Keaton and Red Skelton.7Was an acting mentor to Actress and Comedian Ruth Buzzi and Carol Burnett.8Best remembered by the public for her starring roles as the title characters in each of her 3 series: I Love Lucy (1951), The Lucy Show (1962) and Here's Lucy (1968).9Was the mentor of her protégé Carole Cook and to her real-life children Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr..10Was a Girl Scout.11Gave birth to her second child, Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV at age 41, January 19, 1953.12Gave birth to her first child, Lucie Desiree Arnaz at age 39, July 17, 1951.13She used the name of Diane Belmont while modeling professionally.14It was at the urging of "Roman Scandals" dance director Busby Berkely that Sam Goldwyn had Ball put under contract. The producer initially nixed the idea.15In the early part of her career, Ball said she was born in Butte, Montana, where her father died. Because of that she was nicknamed 'Montana.'.16Lucille Ball had an East bungalow office suite adjacent the main Desilu Production offices located on Gower Street, (main reception entrance on Gower Street). Cleo Morgan, Lucille's first cousin, was Lucille's secretary, scheduling meetings, dealing with clients and agents for the Desilu CEO Lucille Ball. Cleo remained with the Desilu management team the entire period of operation. Bud Brooks was in charge of the Desilu Production Art department, located in the top floor of the main entrance building.17Lucille suffered from ornithophobia, the fear of birds.18There are 2 stamps with Lucille Ball on them. A 34 cent stamp, in 2001 and a 44 cent stamp, in 2009.19Lucy launched the movie producer career of David Winters, one of the stars of West Side Story, whose first producer job was to co-produce and choreographed her television special Lucy in London (1966).20Though starring in many successful 1940s musical comedies for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, her contract allowed her to honor her prior commitments. She starred in two film classics, The Dark Corner (1946) for 20th Century Fox and the independently produced Lured (1947).21Profiled in a book, "Funny Ladies", written by Stephen M. Silverman in 1999, titled Funny Ladies: 100 Years of Great Comediannes.22Became very good friends with Maureen O'Hara during the making of Dance, Girl, Dance (1940) and continued being friends until Ball's death. O'Hara was with Lucille when Lucille first met her first husband, Desi Arnaz.23Was good friends with 6 other actresses. They are Mary Jane Croft, Carole Lombard, Ginger Rogers, Ann Sothern, Vivian Vance, and Mary Wickes. Among them, only Croft and Sothern were biological mothers. Wickes never married and was always listed as single.24Appears on a 44¢ USA commemorative postage stamp in the Early Television Memories issue with Vivian Vance, as Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz, in a scene from I Love Lucy: Job Switching (1952). The stamp was issued 11 August 2009.25Was offered the role of Angel in The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), but was forced to turn it down due to pregnancy. Gloria Grahame was later cast instead.26When she and Desi Arnaz moved to 1000 North Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills, Caliifornia, Jack Benny, was their next-door neighbor, residing at 1002 North Roxbury Drive.27In 1958, in order to raise funds for their various investments, she and Desi Arnaz took Desilu public on the NYSE at $10 per share. She and Desi each retained 25% of the company, while each selling 25%. She took her $2,500,000 windfall, paid $600,000 in capital gains taxes and, always frugal, invested the remainder into bonds and securities.28Her 1960 divorce from Desi Arnaz was quite amicable. They divided their $20 million television empire equally, each retaining 25% Desilu stock (282,800 shares), she got the homes in Beverly Hills and Rancho Mirage, and Desi got the beach house in Del Mar, California and his Horse Ranch in Corona, California. In addition, they agreed to joint custody of their children with him paying $450/month child support.29When her subsequent series The Lucy Show (1962) and Here's Lucy (1968) became popular, Jess Oppenheimer, a co-creator of I Love Lucy (1951) alleged that her character Lucy Carmichael/Carter was in fact Lucy Ricardo re-named and threatened to sue. Rather than go to court, she settled for $220,000.30Profiled in "Killer Tomatoes: Fifteen Tough Film Dames" by Ray Hagen and Laura Wagner (McFarland, 2004).31In July 1967, she sold Desilu Productions, consisting of 36 sound stages, 2000 employees and 62 acres adjacent to Paramount, to Gulf + Western Industries for $17 million. She received $10 million in Gulf + Western stock for her 60% of Desilu, the remaining $7 million being distributed to 3878 stockholders.32In 1962, she purchased Desi Arnaz's holdings in Desilu holdings for $3 million, as he wanted to retire to his horse ranch in Corona, California, and lead a more stress-free life.33In 1968, she was reported to be the richest woman in television, having earned an estimated $30 million.34In 1966, it was reported in an annual stockholder's meeting that her salary as President of Desilu Productions (1962-1967) was $100,000. Her acting fees for 1966 were $130,172.35Was in frail health following a heart attack in May 1988.36In Italy, her films were often dubbed by Lidia Simoneschi or Wanda Tettoni, notably in the hilarious The Long, Long Trailer (1953). She was occasionally dubbed by Rosetta Calavetta, Dhia Cristiani, Rina Morelli and Renata Marini (in Stage Door (1937)).37Her younger brother, Fred Ball (1915-2007), moved from their hometown of Jamestown, New York, to join Lucy in Hollywood in the 1930s. Fred often accompanied Desi Arnaz's band on tour during the 1940s and 1950s, and was also on the Board of Directors of Desilu Productions. In later years, Fred and his wife Zo operated a motel in Cottonwood, Arizona, where he died. Fred also shared the same birthday as his niece Lucie Arnaz.38Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume Two, 1986-1990, pages 63-66. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1999.39When they were first married in 1940, Desi Arnaz had to give Lucy a ring from a drugstore because all jewelry stores were closed. She wore it for the rest of their marriage.40Was tutored in comedy by Buster Keaton.41Was once known as the "Chesterfield Girl" because she was the spokesmodel for Chesterfield cigarettes.42The original Desilu was her and Desi Arnaz's ranch in Chatsworth, California. They used the same method of naming it that Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford's did when they named their estate "Pickfair".43The day she first met Desi Arnaz, she had a black eye and a torn dress from filming a fight scene for Dance, Girl, Dance (1940) and he didn't find her at all attractive until they met again later in the day when she had changed into her own clothes and makeup. His oft-quoted first impression of her extraordinary beauty was "That's a hunk o' woman".44She named herself Diane Belmont after the Belmont racetrack in New York.45Not long after the Arnazes bought their house on 1000 North Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills, California, it was first featured in episode, I Love Lucy: The Tour (1955). Richard Widmark guest-starred and she climbs over the fence to pick a grapefruit, from his backyard.46Lucy filed for divorce from Desi Arnaz in the 1940s, but didn't go through with it because they reconciled.47Lucy and Desi Arnaz were married at the Byram River Beagle Club in Connecticut in 1940.48Lucy and Desi Arnaz were married a second time in 1946 in a church because his mother believed that the reason they didn't have children yet was because they were never married in the Catholic Church.49She was proud of her family and heritage. Her genealogy can be traced back to the earliest settlers in the colonies. One direct ancestor, William Sprague (1609-1675), left England on the ship "Lyon's Whelp" for Plymouth/Salem, Massachusetts. They were from Upwey, Dorsetshire, England. William, along with his 2 brothers, helped to found the city of Charlestown, Massachusetts. Other Sprague relatives became soldiers in the Revolutionary War and 2 of them became governors of the state of Rhode Island.50Comedian John Belushi was a fan of her and knew every detail of her life and career.51Suffered three miscarriages with husband Desi Arnaz. First miscarriage was in 1942. Second miscarriage was in 1949. Third and last miscarriage was in 1950.52Was of Irish, Scottish, French, and English descent.53Related by marriage to Vanda Barra.54Related by marriage to Sid Gould.55First cousin of Cleo Morgan, though they were raised as sisters.56Had a superstition about the letters A and R, which is why her character was named Lucy RicARdo in I Love Lucy (1951); Lucy CARmichael in The Lucy Show (1962); Lucy CARter in Here's Lucy (1968) and Lucy BARker in Life with Lucy (1986) (she was also married to 'Desi ARnaz'). She believed she didn't have luck in her career until she changed her name to Arnaz.57Disliked any false form of a bird, she preferred to see them in person so she banned all pictures of birds from her house and any hotel room she was staying in.58Was Frank Sinatra's first choice for the role of Laurence Harvey's mother in The Manchurian Candidate (1962). He was only dissuaded when John Frankenheimer took him to see Angela Lansbury in a play.59While still contemplating whether to do the I Love Lucy (1951) shows, she claimed that in her dream, Carole Lombard came to her and told her to "Give it a whirl".60Felt that she did not deserve the title of "Queen of Comedy" and felt that it belonged to her idol, Carole Lombard.61Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith. pg. 35-37. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387.62Filed for a divorce from husband Desi Arnaz, the day following the last day of filming The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour (1957). [March 1960]63Stricken by rheumatoid arthritis early in her modeling career and spent 2 years re-learning how to walk.64One of her last television appearances was in 1989 on the 62nd Academy Awards, with Bob Hope, announcing the nominations and winner of Best Picture.65Her favorite movie she made was The Big Street (1942). Up to her dying day, she resented AMPAS for not recognizing her performance in the movie by including her for an Academy Award nomination.66Inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2002.67Pictured on a 34¢ USA commemorative postage stamp in the Legends of Hollywood series, issued 6 August 2001.68Was known for a while as Dianne Belmont back when she was a model.69For many years during their marriage, Lucy and Desi Arnaz hid the fact that she was six years older than he by splitting the difference in their ages. She (born in 1911) said she was born in 1914 and he (born in 1917) also said he was born in 1914.70Second cousin of actress Suzan Ball.71Born at 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time zone.72Was one of the 20 original "Goldwyn Girls", along with Virginia Bruce; Ann Dvorak; Paulette Goddard and Betty Grable.73TV Guide picked her as the greatest TV star of all time.74She put her Chesterfield cigarettes in a Philip Morris package to please her sponsor (of the I Love Lucy (1951) show).75She was fired from working at an ice cream store because she kept forgetting to put bananas in banana splits.76Lucy and Desi Arnaz began I Love Lucy (1951) in the hopes of saving their crumbling marriage.77Before her movie career, Lucille was a model at Hattie Carnegie's in New York. She mainly modeled heavy fur coats, because she was startlingly thin as a young lady.78During the 1933 filming of Roman Scandals (1933), young Lucille Ball, portraying a slave girl, needed to have her eyebrows entirely shaved off. They never grew back.79Died the morning of April 26, 1989, the fifty-sixth birthday of her friend Carol Burnett. That afternoon Burnett received the flowers that Ball had ordered for her birthday.80Lucy and her son, Desi Arnaz Jr., appeared together on the very first cover of "TV Guide" magazine in 1953.81Once registered as a voter for the Communist party as a favor to her grandfather Frederick Charles Hunt (July 24, 1865-January 9, 1944).82She signed her first promotional agreement with Max Factor in 1935 and again in 1942. Of all the stars, she had the longest association with the Max Factor company.83Was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Pictures at 6436 Hollywood Boulevard; and for Television at 6100 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.84Was the first woman to own her own film studio as the head of Desilu Productions.85During a Barbara Walters interview, Jane Fonda claimed that her father, Henry Fonda, was deeply in love with Lucille Ball and that the two were "very close" during the filming of Yours, Mine and Ours (1968).86Mother of Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr..87Ball and Barbara Pepper met early in their careers when they were both "Goldwyn Girls" and remained lifelong friends.88A comment from a member of the preview audience of Follow the Fleet (1936) about bit-player Ball: "You might give the tall gum chewing blonde more parts and see if she can't make the grade - a good gamble."89Originally interred at Forest Lawn (Hollywood Hills), Los Angeles, California, USA, Columbarium of Radiant Dawn, Court of Remembrance. In 2003, she was re-interred in the Ball family plot in Lake View Cemetery, Jamestown, New York.90Received the Women's International Center (WIC) Living Legacy Award posthumously in 1990.

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