The REAL Ricardos: How Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's marriage imploded
When you think of iconic sitcoms that have graced the silver screen over the years, 'I Love Lucy' certainly sits high on that list. It is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential sitcoms in history and was even voted the 'Best TV Show of All Time' in 2012, based on a survey by ABC News and People magazine. At the center of it all was the charismatic and enigmatic Lucille Ball, who captured the hearts and minds of the audience.
However, as hilarious as her onscreen life seemed, her real-life and marriage to bandleader Desi Arnaz was far from it. Aaron Sorkin's 'Being the Ricardos' starring Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem, features Ball and Arnaz's tumultuous romance over the years.
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Ball and Arnaz certainly had a whirlwind of a romance early on. The two met in 1940 while filming the Rodgers and Hart 'Too Many Girls.' Ball was 28 at the time, while Arnaz was 23. After their initial first meeting, the couple met again and connected instantly.
The movie was released in October of that year, and on November 30, 1940, the couple eloped within less than two months after the film's release. However, it wasn't all smooth sailing for the pair, as in 1944,
Ball filed for divorce due to his drinking problem and infidelity. She and Arnaz soon reconciled, and the marriage went on to last right until 1960. After that, however, it was far from a happy one. Due to his constant touring, Ball hoped to find a way to spend more time together.
As reported by Country Living, that came in the form of her show, 'I Love Lucy', where she pitched Arnaz to play her onscreen husband to CBS. "She knew that if he went on the road with the band, he'd be catting around all the time. She wanted him at home, where she felt the marriage would have a better chance of lasting, which of course it did," explained Bob Weiskopf, one of Ball's former writers.
The show debuted in 1951 and soon, 40 million viewers were tuning in. The show also became the first in history to feature a pregnant woman, as Ball was expecting the couple's second child in 1953. And while director William Asher recounted that the pregnancy and birth did bring them closer, saying that Arnaz was "terribly emotional about her" and "crazy about her" during that time, it didn't last very long. The pressure of the show soon began to mount and Arnaz once again turned to alcohol. As reported by People, Jim Bacon, veteran Hollywood reporter for the Associated Press noted that Arnaz's alcoholism took a toll on the relationship.
"The big problem with their marriage was that when Desi would get drunk, he was wild." he said. "If he was out carousing, he wouldn't call in one whore, he'd call in 18. One night when I was with him in Palm Springs, he didn't do anything but sit on the floor naked and sing "Babaloo" with all these whores around." he added.
As per Bob Weiskopf, Arnaz's infidelity was rampant. "Basically, Desi's attitude was, "What the hell's the matter? I love her. When I go out with women, they're usually hookers. Those don't count." he stated.
Ball finally called it quits in 1960. However, despite this, friends and family often recount that they two still loved each other and continued to stay cordial right up until Arnaz's death. In fact, his last words to his ex-wife were -- "I love you too, honey. Good luck with your show."
'Being the Ricardos' is set to premiere on December 21, 2021. You can watch it on Amazon Prime Video.
