Happy Birthday Little Ricky

On this date in 1953, Lucy Ricardo gave birth to Little Ricky on I Love Lucy in the episode, Lucy Goes to the Hospital! More viewers tuned in to this television show than the presidential inauguration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower the following day! Forty-four million viewers (72% of all U.S. homes with TV) tuned in to watch Lucy on January 19, 1953!

Little Ricky as a child was played by Kieth Thibodeaux, whose stage name was Richard Keith. One little known fact, Lucille Ball gave birth to Desi Arnaz, Jr., the same day that the episode of Little Ricky's birth aired on television. These births made many television viewers think that Little Ricky and Desi Arnaz Jr. were the same people.

A few months later, Desi appeared on the premier cover of the first TV Guide on April 3, 1953. Which helped the new magazine become an instant success and continues today in the U.S. market, the Canadian equivalent has been discontinued this past November, 2006 and is only available on the internet.

As a baby, Little Ricky was played by twins, Michael Mayer and Joseph A. Mayer. Their mother, Eva June Mayer appeared as an extra in the "Homecoming" episode of I Love Lucy