August 14, 2008

New Mattel Lucille Ball Doll Series Coming

A new Mattel series, entitled "Lucille Ball (First Ever)" will debut in November 2008. This new series will begin with Lucille Ball wearing a black evening dress. This series is not to be confused with the "I Love Lucy" Barbie Doll Series. This is a new series of Lucille ball dolls.

The doll will retail for $89.99 but probably can be found for less depending on the retailer and whether it is found online or elsewhere.

I hope this doesn't spell the end of the "I Love Lucy" Barbie Series as there are so many episodes left that would make great collectables. If it's not, then I'm going to have to start keeping track of two series and find more shelf space!

August 06, 2008

Happy Birthday Lucy!

Today is Lucille Ball's birthday. She would have been 97. Born in Jamestown, New York she became one of the most loved and best female comedians of all time.

View more about the phenominea that was model, movie starlet, radio star and TV sitcom idol not to mention Studio powerhouse that is known as Lucille Ball at Everything Lucy.

Happy Birthday Lucy - We'll Always Love You!

August 05, 2008

"Teensy" from I Love Lucy fame on Internet Radio Program

When the Ricardos and the Mertzes traveled to Hollywood during the fourth season of "I Love Lucy" and zoomed through Bent Fork, TN, they were reunited with Cousin Ernie (Tennessee Ernie Ford). Soon they became embroiled with the local sheriff and his two daughters. Well, one of those daughters will share her real-life experiences working on "I Love Lucy" when actress Marilyn Borden ("Teensy") appears live on "Stu's Show" with host Stu Shostak on Shokus Internet Radio this Wednesday August 6th (Lucy's 97th birthday!) from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. PDT (7-9 p.m. EDT). Marilyn will talk about her entire career, including working with such legends as Jimmy Durante and Bob Newhart. Also on the show will be actor Wayne Stam, who played Uncle Martin's 11-year-old nephew Andromeda in a classic episode of "My Favorite Martian", another series produced for two seasons on the Desilu lot. Listeners are encouraged to call in toll-free with their questions during the broadcast.

"Stu's Show" airs live each Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. PDT on Shokus Internet Radio, with rebroadcasts at the same time daily. Access to the station's feed is free, with no registration required, and is available either by clicking on the ENTER SITE button on the home page, by choosing one of the audio player links on the main page or via Itunes by selecting Radio/Eclectic and then locating the station's name alphabetically in the list.

Shokus Internet Radio is a service of Shokus Video, and is "TV on the radio for baby boomers", with live call-in talk shows featuring TV celebrities, classic stand-up comedy from the great comedians, and big band, easy listening, and 50s/60s golden hits during the morning and afternoon drive times.

August 04, 2008

An Inside Look at Lucy Town Tour

Reported in The Post-Journal, An Inside Look At A LucyTown Bus Trek.

On the surface, a two-hour bus tour through the area might not sound appealing to locals. Some would probably figure that they've seen everything there is to see all of their lives, so why go on a guided tour of it?

But the tour, led by Lucy Studd of the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center, served as not only a window into the Queen of Comedy's life, but also as a history lesson of the area's most notable and unique buildings and people.

The tour guide told us about Lucy's passion for bread and pastries from the now closed Jones Tasty Baking Co. She said that throughout her career, Lucy would have her favorite baked goods sent to her through the mail direct from the bakery.

In 1944, Lucy returned home for the funeral of her grandfather, Fred C. Hunt, who was like a father to her, Ms. Studd explained. Lucy came on the train and stayed at the Hotel Jamestown, which was obviously still a hotel at the time.

Lucy was born in 1911 in an upstairs bedroom on Stewart Street in the city. Only four short years later, her father passed away after contracting typhoid fever. After that, she was raised by her mother and grandparents.

Lucy and her grandfather had a special connection, as his passion for theater led her down her life's path.

Lilacs were Lucy's favorite flower and when she lived in California, there weren't any hybrids which allowed the spring-flowering bushes to survive the different climate.

Still, she tried to grow them at her home.

In Celoron, the tour group spent some time in Lucille Ball Memorial Park taking pictures of the lake and the memorials there to Lucy and Desi Arnaz. After getting back on the bus, Ms. Studd explained how the park used to be.

The tour concluded at Lakeview Cemetery, where Lucy and her family were laid to rest.

This is at the ''new'' Lakeview Cemetery, as the original lies beneath the James Prendergast Library, according to Ms. Studd. She also explained that when the decision was made to move the cemetery not every body was exhumed and moved to the new location.

Lucy rests with her family on a plot which, despite the best efforts of the groundskeepers, won't grow much grass. Ms. Studd said that the high foot traffic is just too much for nature and the crews to compete with.

A new stone path leads from one of the main trails leads to the Ball-Hunt plot. There are wicker wreaths filled with lilacs present, and despite the fact that a cemetery usually isn't a festive place, things were different Saturday.

Read more about An Inside Look At A LucyTown Bus Trek by Robert Rizzuto at The Post-Journal.

Hometown Space for Lucy Expanded

From RoadshideAmerica.com, The Lucy-Desi Museum in Jamestown, New York, always had a problem. It was a storefront, too small to do justice to what it felt was America’s greatest entertainer and her less famous first husband. That’s Lucille Ball, who was born in Jamestown, and Desi Arnaz.

Granted, the museum was in an historically significant storefront — the building where Lucy reportedly bought her first hair dye — but, still. The museum didn’t even have the room to consistently display its most famous artifact: a hairbrush that still held strands of Lucy’s red hair.

That has changed as of this weekend. A New Lucy-Desi Museum has opened, three blocks west of the old downtown location, in conjunction with Jamestown’s annual Lucy Birthday Celebration (she would have been 97). This building not only has room to display the hairbrush, it has square footage to permanently display Lucy’s gold 1972 Mercedes-Benz. And as a treat to visitors on opening day, the museum has brought in Frank Gorey, Lucy’s chauffeur, to pose with fans in the car for souvenir photos.

Lucy's Birthday Celebration Round-Up

As reported from The Post-Journal, Jamestown, NY -- Lucy fans packed Tracy Plaza at Jamestown City Hall on Friday at noon, taking pictures of Lucille Ball impersonator Diane Vincent and listening as Mayor Sam Teresi officially kicked off the Queen of Comedy's birthday celebration with a proclamation.

Urging all to recognize the achievements of the famous redhead, Teresi proclaimed Aug. 1 through 3 as Lucy's Birthday Celebration Days in the city of Jamestown. As part of the proclamation, Teresi thanked local sponsors, Lucy supporters, volunteers and the staff and board of the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center.

Read more about Lucy's Birthday Bash at The Post-Journal.

Another story reported in The Post-Journal, Ruta Lee recalls one birthday when she hosted a party for the occasion.

"Lucy was in her usual: a wonderful pair of slacks, a great, glitzy blazer and a lot of marvelous, red hair," Lee said.

She describes Lucy as a fabulous lady who does it all.

"She can walk and talk and chew gum at the same time and she can dance and sing; she does it all, I just love her."

Read more of Ruta Lee's story at The Post-Journal.

Lucille Ball comes to Upland California

The Grove Theatre in Historic downtown Upland, California is excited to present An Evening with Lucille Ball, starring Suzanne LaRusch, on August 10th at 6:00 pm. Suzanne LaRusch, as Lucy, was awarded fourth runner-up on ABC’s The Next Best Thing, and finished as the highest ranked woman celebrity impersonator in the nationwide search competition. She is the Desilu-approved Lucille Ball official impersonator.

Suzanne is kicking off her U.S. tour by doing one special performance in the Los Angeles area At The Grove Theatre. An Evening with Lucille Ball is a delightful one-woman show based on the amusing lectures Lucy frequently gave throughout her career as her way of connecting with her adoring public and “giving back”. Using a Q & A forum, it features her reminiscing as well as addressing the most asked questions by Lucy fans. Through monologues, questions and musical numbers, Suzanne LaRusch recreates the magic of the world’s most beloved comedienne, Lucille Ball.

Act ONE reveals a 1960 LUCY as her popular television show I LOVE LUCY has come to an end after its 9 year run - along with her 20 year marriage to famous Cuban bandleader Desi Arnaz. Expecting to only be answering questions and taking photos; she learns the awaiting audience is expecting a comedy performance from “The Great Lucille Ball”. Not wanting to disappoint her fans she quickly improvises by adding some “Lucy” type antics to the line-up. ACT TWO - 1974, as she readies for the opening of her picture, MAME, she realizes she has somehow been booked in the same venue and situation as 14 year prior and decides to again come up with things the fans would enjoy from “Lucy”.

Tickets to see An Evening with Lucille Ball are $25.00 for adults $20.00 for seniors. Group discounts are available. Tickets can be purchased by calling (909) 920-4343, by visiting The Grove’s box office or by going to the website at http://www.grovetheatre.com.