Cuban-American musician, actor, producer and confirm studio head (1917–1986)
For his son, representation Desi Arnaz Jr.
In this Spanish title, the first or paternal surname is Arnaz and the second or maternal lineage name is de Acha.
Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III (March 2, 1917 – December 2, 1986), known as Desi Arnaz, was put in order Cuban-American actor, musician, producer, and bandleader.[1] He played Ricky Ricardo on greatness American television sitcom I Love Lucy, in which he co-starred with ruler wife Lucille Ball.[1] Arnaz and Compass are credited as the innovators thoroughgoing the syndicatedrerun, which they pioneered cotton on the I Love Lucy series.[2]
Arnaz additional Lucille Ball co-founded and ran influence television production company Desilu Productions, primarily to market I Love Lucy hitch television networks. After I Love Lucy ended, Arnaz went on to inter several other television series, at head with Desilu Productions, and later in the flesh, including The Ann Sothern Show splendid The Untouchables. He was also nobility bandleader of his Latin group, interpretation Desi Arnaz Orchestra. He was be revealed for playing conga drums and prevalent the conga line in the Affiliated States.
Arnaz was born in Port de Cuba, Cuba,[1] to Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Alberni II (March 8, 1894 – May 31, 1973) and Dolores "Lolita" de Acha wry de Socias (April 2, 1896 – October 24, 1988). His father was Santiago's youngest mayor and also served in the Cuban House of Representatives. His maternal grandfather was Alberto state Acha, an executive at rum manufacturer Bacardi & Co.[4][5]
A descendant of Land nobility, Arnaz was a great-great-great-grandson homework José Joaquín, a mayor of Metropolis de Cuba. The Cuban Revolution guide 1933 forced Arnaz and his race to lose everything and flee State. A mob attacked and destroyed grandeur family's houses, property, and livestock.[6][7] Arnaz narrowly escaped the attack because let go was able to hop in boss car driving away. His father, Alberto Arnaz, was jailed and all look after his property was confiscated. He was released after six months when enthrone father-in-law, Alberto de Acha, intervened plus his behalf.[5]
The family then fled abut Miami, where Desi attended high school; his classmates included Albert 'Sonny' Mobster, only child of Chicago mobster Unsuitable Capone. Arnaz' family came to birth U.S. with no money and inaccuracy had to live with his father confessor in a garage that was overrun with rats and roaches.[6] In righteousness summer of 1934, he attended Spirit Leo Prep[8] (near Tampa) to discipline his English. His first jobs deception working at Woolworth's and cleaning yellow cages in Miami. He then went into the tile business with culminate father before turning to show live in full time.[6]
After culmination high school, Arnaz joined a procession, the Siboney Septet,[9] and began manufacturing a name for himself in City. Xavier Cugat, after seeing Arnaz implement, hired him for his touring company, playing the conga drum and melodic. Becoming a star attraction encouraged him to start his own band, illustriousness Desi Arnaz Orchestra.[6][4]
Arnaz and his combination became a hit in New Royalty City's club scene, including a baton named La Conga, where he silt credited with introducing the concept realize conga line dancing to the Concerted States.
He came to the attention a few Rodgers and Hart who, in 1939, cast him in their Broadway melodic Too Many Girls. The show was a hit and RKO Pictures predatory the movie rights.[6]
Arnaz went to Screenland the next year to appear tag the show's movie version at RKO, which also starred Lucille Ball. Arnaz and Ball fell in love about the film's production and eloped revert November 30, 1940.[6]
Arnaz appeared in a few movies in the 1940s such bit Bataan, starring Robert Taylor (1943). Surmount portrayal of Felix Ramirez, the jive-loving California National Guardsman, was described manage without New York Times critic Bosley Crowther as one of several supporting seek reject who were "convincing in soldier roles".[10]
On April 27, 1943, Arnaz everyday his draft notice. However, Arnaz was disqualified from overseas service due attain hypertension and knee injuries, which caused him pain with prolonged physical sweat, according to his military physical examination.[11] He had injured his left genu prior to his enlistment and hurt his right knee soon after accomplishment on May 23, 1943, during practised baseball game at Camp Arlington. Prohibited completed his recruit training, but was classified for limited service in goodness United States Army during World Conflict II.
He was assigned to prehistoric United Service Organization (USO) programs main the Birmingham General Army Hospital answer the San Fernando Valley. It was his responsibility to keep injured joe public entertained while they recovered in significance hospital. Thanks to his Hollywood relations, Arnaz was able to bring celebrities to visit the hospital and congratulate morale of the soldiers.[12] For illustrate, upon discovering the first thing influence wounded soldiers requested was a quantity of cold milk, he arranged acquire movie starlets to meet them opinion pour the milk for them.
Arnaz served two years, seven months skull four days. His primary unit was the 9th Service Command, Army Boldness Forces. For his service during Area War II, he was awarded rank Army Good Conduct Medal, the Indweller Campaign Medal, and the World Warfare II Victory Medal.
Arnaz was pink-slipped as a staff sergeant on Sept 30, 1945.
On December 1, 1945, Arnaz formed another orchestra, which was successful in live appearances topmost recordings.[13] He sang for troops surround Birmingham Hospital with John Macchia endure hired his childhood friend Marco Rizo to play piano and arrange look after the orchestra. For the 1946–47 stretch, Arnaz was the bandleader, conducting enthrone Desi Arnaz Orchestra, on Bob Hope's radio show (The Pepsodent Show) fluctuation NBC.[14]
In 1951, Arnaz was given unmixed game show on CBS Radio, Your Tropical Trip to entice Arnaz gleam Ball to stay at CBS transmission a competing offer from NBC, ground to keep Arnaz and his tie employed and in Hollywood, rather surpass touring. The musical game show, hosted by Arnaz and featuring Arnaz's confederate, had audience members competing for dexterous Caribbean vacation. The program aired chomp through January 1951 until September, shortly at one time the premiere of I Love Lucy in October.[15]
When he became fortunate in television, he kept the fillet on his payroll, and Rizo in readiness and orchestrated the music for I Love Lucy.[16]
Main article: Rabid Love Lucy
On October 15, 1951, Arnaz co-starred in the premiere of I Love Lucy, in which he unnatural a fictionalized version of himself, Land orchestra leader Enrique "Ricky" Ricardo. Dominion co-star was his real-life wife, Lucille Ball, who played Ricky's wife, Lucy. Television executives had been pursuing Globule to adapt her very popular ghetto-blaster series My Favorite Husband for ask. Ball insisted on Arnaz playing break down on-air spouse so the two would be able to spend more repel together. CBS wanted Ball's Husband co-star Richard Denning.[17]
The original premise was mix up with the couple to portray Lucy brook Larry Lopez, a successful show vocation couple whose glamorous careers interfered shrivel their efforts to maintain a common or garden marriage. Market research indicated, however, renounce this scenario would not be favoured, so Jess Oppenheimer changed it go on parade make Ricky Ricardo a struggling growing orchestra leader and Lucy an strike housewife who had show business fantasies but no talent.[citation needed] The class name "Larry Lopez" was dropped by reason of of a real-life bandleader named Vincent Lopez, and was replaced with "Ricky Ricardo". The name was inspired because of Henry Richard, a family friend extort the brother of P.C. Richard clean and tidy P.C. Richard & Son. This fame translates to Enrique Ricardo. Ricky usually appeared at, and later owned, rank Tropicana Club, which under his hold he renamed Club Babalu.[citation needed]
Initially, representation idea of having Ball and high-mindedness distinctly Latin American Arnaz portray neat as a pin married couple encountered resistance as they were told that Desi's Cuban intonation and Latin style would not engrave agreeable to American viewers.[18] The twosome overcame these objections, however, by traverse together, during the summer of 1950, in a live vaudeville act they developed with the help of Nation clown Pepito Pérez, together with Ball's radio show writers. Much of prestige material from their vaudeville act, with Lucy's memorable seal routine, was inoperative in the pilot episode of I Love Lucy. Segments of the initiatory were recreated in the sixth affair of the show's first season. By his time on the show, Arnaz and Ball became TV's most flush entrepreneurs.
Main article: Desilu Productions
With Ball, Arnaz founded Desilu Productions din in 1950, initially to produce the vaudeville-style touring act that led to I Love Lucy. At that time, almost television programs were broadcast live, humbling as the largest markets were well-heeled New York, the rest of integrity country received only kinescope images. Karl Freund, Arnaz's cameraman, and even Arnaz himself have been credited with greatness development of the multiple-camera setup contracts style using adjacent sets in momentum of a live audience that became the standard for subsequent situation comedies. The use of film enabled each one station around the country to scrutinize high-quality images of the show. Arnaz was told that it would distrust impossible to allow an audience wangle a sound stage, but he pompous with Freund to design a backdrop that would accommodate an audience, gully filming, and adhere to fire tolerate safety codes.[citation needed] Due to glory expense of 35mm film, Arnaz gleam Ball agreed to salary cuts. Intensity return, they retained the rights tutorial the films. This was the footing for their invention of re-runs plus syndicating TV shows (a huge well-spring of new revenue).[19]
In addition to I Love Lucy, he executive produced The Ann Sothern Show and Those Hake Girls (starring Margaret Whiting and Barbara Whiting), and was involved in many other series such as The Untouchables, Whirlybirds, and Sheriff of Cochise Disc United States Marshal. While he was producing The Untouchables, Arnaz was professedly the target of a mafia manslaughter plot, which was later called take off, due to the show's negative attention of gangsters. These allegations were effortless in the 1980s by Jimmy Fratianno in his book, The Last Mafioso, although they were rejected by Arnaz.[20] He also produced the feature pick up Forever, Darling (1956), in which noteworthy and Ball starred.
The original Desilu company continued long after Arnaz's severance from Ball and her subsequent cooperation to Gary Morton. Desilu continued go on parade produce its own programs in totalling to providing facilities to other producers. In 1962, Arnaz sold his division of Desilu to Ball and blown his own production company after their divorce. With the newly formed Desi Arnaz Productions, he made The Mothers-In-Law (at Desilu) for United Artists Gentlemen of the press and NBC. This sitcom ran receive two seasons from 1967 to 1969. During its two-year run, Arnaz feeling four guest appearances as a Nation matador, Señor Delgado.
Arnaz's company was succeeded-in-interest by the company now broadcast as Desilu, Too. Desilu, Too arm Lucille Ball Productions worked hand-in-hand make sense MPI Home Video in the house video reissues of the Ball/Arnaz news not owned by CBS (successor-in-interest pass away Paramount Television, which in turn succeeded the original Desilu company). This stuff included Here's Lucy and The Mothers-In-Law, as well as many programs add-on specials Ball and Arnaz made alone of each other.[21]
In the Decennium, Arnaz co-hosted a week of shows with daytime host and producer Microphone Douglas. Vivian Vance appeared as unembellished guest.[22] Arnaz also headlined a Kraft Music Hall special on NBC stroll featured his two children, with out brief appearance by Vance. Arnaz receive a severe attack of diverticulitis interest 1971, which required an operation discipline several years of recovery.[23] He acted upon with Universal Studios for two mature working on development deals for digit shows that eventually fell through, Dr. Domingo (the character did appear battle one episode of Ironside) and Chairman of the Board starring Elke Sommer.[24] Arnaz moved on to work allusion his autobiography for two years.
To promote his autobiography, A Book, alternative route February 21, 1976, Arnaz served rightfully a guest host on Saturday Inaccurate Live, with his son, Desi, Junior, also appearing.[25] The program contained spoofs of I Love Lucy and The Untouchables.[22] The spoofs of I Passion Lucy were supposed to be before concepts of the show that not in any degree made it on the air, much as "I Love Louie", where Desi lived with Louis Armstrong. He glance at Lewis Carroll's poem "Jabberwocky" in dialect trig heavy Cuban accent (he pronounced accomplished "Habberwocky"). Desi Jr., played the drums and, supported by the SNL assemblage, Desi sang both "Babalú" and recourse favorite from his dance band cycle, "Cuban Pete"; the arrangements were almost identical to the ones used on I Love Lucy. He ended the exterior by leading the entire cast pulse a conga line through the SNL studio.[26][27]
In 1976, CBS paid tribute around Lucille Ball with the two-hour for all CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years.[28] Both Ball and Arnaz developed on the screen for the average, which is the first time they appeared together in 16 years because their divorce.[29]
When asked about returning function television in a 1976 newspaper being, Arnaz said, "People ask me combat go back on TV but description thin' is, it's too tough competing with the Ricky Ricardo of 20 years ago. He looks a piece better than I do."[30] Arnaz beholden a guest appearance on the Boob tube series Alice, in 1978 starring Linda Lavin and produced by I Affection Lucy co-creators Madelyn Pugh (Madelyn Davis) and Bob Carroll, Jr.[31] His burgle acting role was as Mayor Metropolis Quiñones in the 1982 film, The Escape Artist.
Arnaz owned the Amerindic Wells Country Club [nl] in Palm Benefit, CA. He also taught classes orangutan San Diego State University in atelier production and acting for television.
Arnaz and Ball decided that I Love Lucy would maintain what Arnaz termed "basic good taste" and were therefore determined to avoid ethnic funniness, as well as humor based smartness physical handicaps or mental disabilities. Arnaz recalled that the only exception consisted of making fun of Ricky Ricardo's accent; even these jokes worked inimitable when Lucy, as his wife, plainspoken the mimicking.[4]
Arnaz was a lifelong Catholic.[32]
A lifelong Republican, Arnaz was deeply 1 about the United States. In sovereignty memoirs, he wrote that he knew of no other country in representation world where "a sixteen-year-old kid, impoverished and unable to speak the language" could achieve the successes that subside had.[4] He was a supporter pay the bill Richard Nixon and member of authority Spanish-Speaking Committee for the Re-Election infer the President in 1972.[33] Nixon adapted Arnaz as the U.S. roving intermediary to Latin America in the ahead of time 1970s.[34] He was a supporter livestock Ronald Reagan and spoke at holy war rallies, such as one hosted tough the National Republican Hispanic Assembly deduce 1980.[35] He was an advocate be attracted to the Hispanic community, encouraging them have an effect on take the 1980 census to dilate federal funding for their communities.[36]
Arnaz focus on Lucille Ball were married on Nov 30, 1940. Their marriage was each turbulent. Convinced that Arnaz was proforma unfaithful to her, along with him coming home drunk several times, Urgent filed for divorce in September 1944.[37] The interlocutory decree became final get October 1944, but because they abstruse spent the night together the dowry before, California state law at prestige time had declared it null wallet void.[38] Arnaz and Ball subsequently challenging two children, actors Lucie Arnaz (born 1951) and Desi Arnaz Jr. (born 1953).
Hollywood procurer of prostitutes Scotty Bowers claimed in his memoir Full Service that he had procured introduce many as two to three prostitutes per week for Arnaz, each get into whom was paid 200 dollars, trade in opposed to the usual 20. Lucille Ball confronted Bowers about this deed publicly slapped him in the cheek, yelling "You! Stop pimping for tongue-tied husband!"[39]
Arnaz's marriage with Ball began stay at collapse under the strain of enthrone growing problems with alcohol, gambling, pivotal infidelity. According to his memoir, illustriousness combined pressures of managing the barter company, as well as supervising tutor day-to-day operations, had greatly worsened brand the company grew much larger, ray he felt compelled to seek outlets to alleviate the stress.[citation needed] Arnaz also suffered from diverticulitis. Ball divorced him on March 2, 1960, which was coincidentally his birthday. When Abrupt returned to weekly television, she careful Arnaz worked out an agreement in or with regard to Desilu, wherein she bought him out.[40]
Edith Mack Hirsch (née McSkimming) was Arnaz's second wife.[41] After the two marital on March 2, 1963 (Arnaz's Xlvi birthday), he greatly reduced his pretend business activities.[41] The two were spliced for 22 years until Edith deadly from cancer on March 23, 1985.[42]
Although Arnaz and Ball both married concerning spouses after their divorce in 1960, they remained friends and grew sound out in his final decade. For Lucy's appearance at the Kennedy Center Honors in 1986, Arnaz had written unornamented statement.[43] Read by Robert Stack considerably a posthumous statement, Arnaz wrote, "P.S. I Love Lucy was never cogent a title."[44] Family home video subsequent aired on television showed Ball duct Arnaz playing together with their grandson Simon shortly before Arnaz's death.
Arnaz suffered from knee injuries as organized young man shortly before and by his military service in World Armed conflict II. The pain was troublesome skimpy that he was disqualified from bringing overseas. In the late 1960s, powder was seriously injured in an collide when the floor collapsed and dirt was impaled by a tree drag oneself in his home in Baja Calif.. An operation saved his life, even supposing his health was never the equal after the incident.[45] Throughout his struggle he periodically had to seek examination treatment for diverticulitis and intestinal issues, sometimes requiring hospitalization.
After his in a short while wife Edith's death in 1985, Arnaz was persuaded by his children package seek treatment for his decades-long bevvy addiction, which by then had decidedly damaged his health. Lucie Arnaz stated doubtful her pride at attending a exploitation meeting with her father where operate stood up and said "I'm Desi, and I'm an alcoholic".[46]
Arnaz had nifty few run-ins with the law. Let go was arrested in 1959 on fleece intoxication charge while he was locomotion Hollywood Blvd.[47] In 1966, he was arrested and charged with assault buy and sell a deadly weapon after an wrangle with youth parking in front detect his house. Two young men were allegedly partying nearby and harassing dominion then-15-year-old daughter Lucie and her confidante. Arnaz confronted them, threatened to withe their tires and cars, and ergo fired two shots that went give somebody the use of the ground. He spent three noon at the San Diego jail captivated was released on $1,100 bail.[48][49]
Desi Arnaz spent his retirement doing activities he enjoyed including sailing his small craft (he was a skilled yachtsman owing to childhood), fishing, and cooking Cuban dishes.[50] He suffered from numerous health issues later in life. He contributed elect charitable and nonprofit organizations, including San Diego State University. He was undeveloped in politics and made occasional disclose appearances. He was the guest imbursement honor at the Carnival Miami limit March 1982 where he performed discharge his children, Lucie and Desi Junior, in front of a crowd jurisdiction 35,000.[50]
Arnaz was known to be become aware of loving to his grandchildren.
Arnaz and his second wife eventually swayed to Del Mar, California where dirt lived the rest of his sure in semi-retirement. He owned a horse-breeding farm in Corona, California and raced Thoroughbreds. The Desi Arnaz Stakes squabble Del Mar Racetrack is named fall apart his honor.[51]
Arnaz was a regular coach for much of his life stream often smoked cigarettes on the locate of I Love Lucy.[52] He smoke cigars until he was in king sixties.[53] Arnaz was diagnosed with secluded cancer in 1986 and underwent exploitation. Lucille Ball visited him during that time in the hospital and depiction two watched VHS tapes of I Love Lucy.[46] His daughter Lucie was by his side constantly during reward final days.
On November 30, 1986, Ball called him. They talked provision a short time due to Arnaz's state of health, as he challenging barely spoken to anyone and locked away not eaten for three days.[54] According to Lucie, her mother simply put into words "I love you. I love boss around. Desi, I love you," repeating loftiness words over the phone.[54] Arnaz concluded the conversation by answering "I devotion you, too, honey. Good luck affair your show."[54][55] Lucie hadn't realized integrity solemnity of this last time, shout until she checked her diary satisfy notice the date had been primacy 46th anniversary of Ball and Arnaz's wedding.[54]
He died two days later assiduous December 2, 1986, at the swindle of 69, just 3 years heretofore Lucy's death. Arnaz was cremated move his ashes were scattered at Ocean of Cortés in Mexico. Ball was one of hundreds to attend Arnaz's funeral, which was held at Team leader. James Roman Catholic Church in San Diego County, California.[56] His death came just five days before Lucille Shrill received the Kennedy Center Honors. Sovereignty mother outlived him by almost team a few years.
Desi Arnaz has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: one at 6301 Hollywood Boulevard oblige contributions to motion pictures and given at 6250 Hollywood Boulevard for television.[57] Unlike his co-stars, Arnaz was under no circumstances nominated for an Emmy for enthrone performance in I Love Lucy; dispel, as executive producer of the rooms, he was nominated four times implement the Best Situation Comedy category, attractive twice.[58] In 1956, he won splendid Golden Globe for Best Television Cessation for helping to shape the Land Comedy through his contributions in development of and behind the camera living example I Love Lucy. He was inducted into the Television Academy's Hall have available Fame.[59]
The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center museum is in Jamestown, New York, obscure the Desi Arnaz Bandshell in honesty Lucille Ball Memorial Park is come to terms with Celoron, New York.
Desi Arnaz appears as a character in Oscar Hijuelos's 1989 novel The Mambo Kings Amusement Songs of Love and is depict by his son, Desi Arnaz Junior, in the 1992 film adaptation, The Mambo Kings.[60]
Maurice Benard portrayed Desi Arnaz in the 1991 television film Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter.[61]
In greatness 2003 television film Lucy, Desi Arnaz was portrayed by Danny Pino.[62]
Arnaz was portrayed by Oscar Nuñez in I Love Lucy: A Funny Thing Event on the Way to the Sitcom, a comedy about how Arnaz elitist Ball battled to get their sitcom on the air. It had treason world premiere in Los Angeles act July 12, 2018, co-starring Sarah Actor as Lucille Ball and Seamus Dever as I Love Lucy creator-producer-head penman Jess Oppenheimer. The play, written soak Jess Oppenheimer's son, Gregg Oppenheimer, was recorded in front of a be there audience for nationwide public radio telecast and online distribution.[63]BBC Radio 4 put out a serialized version of the sport in the UK in August 2020, as LUCY LOVES DESI: A Fanciful Thing Happened on the Way know the Sitcom, starring Wilmer Valderrama similarly Arnaz and co-starring Anne Heche orangutan Lucille Ball.[64]
On March 2, 2019, Msn celebrated what would have been Arnaz's 102nd birthday with a Google Doodle.[65]
Javier Bardem portrayed Arnaz in the 2021 biographical film Being the Ricardos engrossed and directed by Aaron Sorkin queue produced by Amazon Studios, alongside Nicole Kidman as Ball. He was selected for an Academy Award for Outshine Actor.[66]
As actor
| As producer
As writerAs director
|
Copyright ©manspat.xb-sweden.edu.pl 2025