Probably one of the most influential US sitcoms that ever came from the '50s was a show called I Love Lucy. The 180-episode series of 30-minute-long shows ran until May 6, 1957. The show's lead stars, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, had such incredible chemistry they made the show magnetic. Other actors who contributed to its success were William Frawley, Vivian Vance, and Fred and Ethel Mertz.
Across its six seasons, the show managed to keep a constant hold on the number one spot in the ratings. It was televised in many countries and received multiple awards. Despite being watched by millions from start to finish, there are still many things even the biggest fans don’t know about the show. So, to help you get in the loop, here are the seven most surprising things about I Love Lucy that you probably don’t know.
Lucille Ball was focussed on making movies before she took on the challenge of the series. She was so hesitant about accepting the big transition that the show almost died before it even got a chance to start. But one fateful night, Lucille dreamt of Carole Lombard, her deceased friend who was also an actress. Dream-Carole told Lucille to accept the offer, and this was enough to convince the actress.
Rumors were rife that Vivan Vance's contract stipulated that she must always weigh more than Lucille Ball. Vivian and Lucille would both laugh it off whenever the question came up on talk shows, so no-one has ever been able to confirm the allegation.
Many of you might not know this, but the show made a lot of mistakes with names. The character Ethel was referred to by many names, including Ethel Louise, Ethel Roberta, and Ethel Mae. There was also a recurring guest star named Frank Nelson who played Freddy Fillmore and several other characters, each with a different name. Lastly, the show listed Dezi Arnaz orchestra for one whole season and not Desi Arnaz orchestra.
Everyone on the set talked about Desi Arnaz and his astonishing memory. He only needed to read the script once, and he was good to go. People were amazed, especially when they could read along and see he never once ad-libbed.
I Love Lucy had a hard time making it onto television screens since CBS almost didn't find it a sponsor. Fortunately, Philip Morris decided to jump onboard at the last minute. The cigarette company required that characters be seen smoking a pack of Philip Morris cigarettes every episode. So, the actors had no choice but to smoke. Lucille preferred Chesterfield cigarettes so they'd place Chesterfield sticks in Phillip Morris Boxes.
To no-one’s surprise, I Love Lucy managed to stay at the top of the Nielsen ratings for six consecutive seasons. It was rare for a show to have such consistent success. So far, there have only been two shows since I love Lucy to hit the same benchmark.
The original opening scene for the show wasn't always the large heart with “I Love Lucy” written inside. They were also animated versions of the couple, Lucy and Rick, doing funny tricks on a pack of Philip Morris cigarettes.