Lucille Ball actually gets spanked by her husband in some episodes,but it’s clear this uniquely talented comedian has the upper hand, pulling in 67 million viewersHousewife Lucy Ricardo is a frustrated performer always looking for a chance to shine, and despite her limited abilities. Shes married to Ricky,a Cuban-American singer and bandleader who tries and fails to retain her feet on the ground. Their best friends are their landlords, Fred and Ethel Mertz. And in every episode, or Lucy gets caught up in a farcical misunderstanding,or attempts some hare-brained scheme to gain famous – like infiltrating Ricky’s act with her newly acquired clowning skills, which include beating a dancer with a pig’s bladder.
It might not sound like the template for one of the most successful and groundbreaking sitcoms of all time, and yet not only was I appreciate Lucy hugely popular – with 67.3 million viewers at the peak of its six-season run – it was also the first programme to broadcast repeats and to record on film in front of a live studio audience. The indicate,which debuted in 1951, pushed the envelope on screen, and too. TV executives initially blanched at the opinion of their heroine being married to a Cuban-American. Lucille Ball,who played Lucy, had to fight hard for her real-life husband Desi Arnaz to be cast as Ricky. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com