Lucie and Desi Jr. (Re)create Famous Photo of Their Parents

For more than a half-century, the legendary entertainment couple—Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz – has held the key to America’s heart—and, after 1954, they also held the Key to the City of Miami!

When their children – Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz, Jr. – arrived in Miami last week to celebrate their father's legacy with a four-day engagement of Babalu—a concert tribute to Desi's music at the Adrienne Arsht Center—they, too, won the hearts of our community and earned the Key to the City of Miami. Joined by City of Miami officials and a barrage of media, Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado, Lucie and Desi recreated the famous photo their parents took outside City Hall in 1954 when Miami first welcomed them with open arms.

Pictured above is a Mid-1950s scene of the I Love Lucy cast taken behind City Hall with then mayor, Randy Christmas.

And the recreation above of Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz, Jr. with Miami Mayor Regalado recreate their parents’ famous photo in front of City Hall. Photo by Manny Hernandez.

Auction House Returning Some Items to Lucie Arnaz

The auction house in charge of selling Lucille Ball's memorabilia, which were embroiled in a legal battle, withdrew the actress’ lifetime achievement awards from the auction and will give them to her daughter, Lucie Arnaz.

Heritage Auction Galleries says a deal was reached on Saturday to return the prized possessions. "The lawsuit between Susie McAllister Morton and Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill has been amicably settled," said Doug Norwine, Head of the Music and Entertainment Division for the Hertiage Auction Galleries.

"The auction will now go forward as planned. As part of the settlement Heritage has withdrawn 5 awards and a painting by Ratterman. We believe that most or all of these items will now be donated to a charitable institution."

The other items including love letters - which are currently selling for $1,300 - and a Rolls Royce, will remain up for grabs.

Earilier, there was a legal disagreement between Lucie Arnaz and Susie Morton, the widow of her mother's second husband, Gary Morton, who offered the items for sale.

Lucie Arnaz initially wanted 13 of the more than 150 items set to be sold at the auction, including eight love letters Ball had exchanged with Gary Morton and five lifetime achievement awards, to be given to her so she can donate them to her parent's charity, he said.

Lucie said the returned awards will be displayed in a museum honoring her mother.

Judge Rules in Favor of Lucie Arnaz to Block Auction But Imposes Unafordable Bond

This just in from Yahoo News: Some of Lucille Ball's love letters and awards will be sold at auction after a judge ruled to block the sale but imposed a hurdle that the comedienne's daughter cannot overcome.

While Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert O'Brien agreed to block the sale Friday, he imposed a $250,000 bond that Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill would have to pay to get a restraining order issued. Her attorney, Ronald Palmieri, said the amount is too high and can't be met.

"We won on a legal basis, and the judge took it away from us on an economic basis," Palmieri said. "That is very sad."

Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill is the daughter of Ball and first husband Desi Arnaz. She sought the return of some of the items after Susie Morton, the widow of Ball's second husband, Gary Morton, offered them for sale.

Ball and Gary Morton were married until the time of the actress' death in 1989. He later married Susie Morton. She consigned several items to Heritage Auction Galleries, including a Rolls-Royce, some of the couple's love letters, photos and Ball's personal items. The items are scheduled to go on sale Saturday at an auction being conducted online and in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Morton sued Luckinbill this week, seeking a judge's order allowing the sale to go forward. Luckinbill in turn sought the restraining order Friday.

Through Palmieri, she had sought the return of the love letters and Ball's lifetime achievement awards, which she said would be donated to a museum honoring her mother.

Heritage President Greg Rohan has said the auction house supported Susie Morton and had received documentation from her affirming her right to sell the items.

Susie Morton's lawsuit claimed that Luckinbill had forfeited her right to the items after her mother's estate was distributed.

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I hope Susie Morton has the decency to allow Lucie Arnaz to obtain her mother's personal items or at least donates them to the Lucy-Desi Museum in Jamestown, NY. It's a shame to use Lucille Ball's legacy for her own personal gain without even asking Lucy's own children first.

I hope if these items are auctioned, that the people who buy them would donate them or offer them back to Lucie.

Lucie Arnaz Trying to Block Lucille Ball Items Going Up for Auction

Lucie Arnaz, daughter of Lucille Ball, is trying to block the Heritage Auctions from auctioning off the personal effects that belonged to her mother, Lucille Ball.

The auction is set for July 17th and include love letters between Lucille Ball and her second husband Gary Morton, her 1984 Rolls Royce and her personal address book that includes addresses from many stars from her day, artwork, silverware and Ball’s favorite backgammon boards, a game which was reportedly a passion of the actress.

These items came into the hands of Susie Morton, who married Gary Morton in 1996, after the death of Lucille Ball in 1989.  Susie Morton is better known as Susie McAllister, a former professional golfer on the LPGA Tour.

According to the suit brought forth by Susie Morton, she came into ownership of these items upon the death of her husband, Gary Morton, in March 1999.  She claims that Lucille Ball willed her residential real property in Palm Springs, "along with the furniture, furnishings, household equipment and appliances located therein" to Gary Morton. The property included "jewelry, furs, clothing and personal effects," artwork and autographed photographs, according to the complaint.

Upon the death of her husband, she claims she inherited his personal property - including the property he had inherited from Lucille Ball.

When Susie contacted Heritage Auctions to auction off Lucille Ball's items, she said that Lucie Arnaz, through an attorney, claimed "that the items of Morton personal property were Lucille Ball's 'personal effects' and should have been distributed to her [Lucie Arnaz]."

Susie Morton seeks declaratory judgment, a restraining order and injunction, so she can auction off the items. 

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/07/13/28767.htm

I Love Lucy Marathon on Hallmark on July 11

The Hallmark Channel will add an extra hour of I Love Lucy in the mornings starting next week (Monday, July 12) at 10am (so Lucy will air now 10am-1pm), now they have added a marathon the day before. On Sunday, July 11, 2010, The Hallmark Channel will have an all-day marathon of the classic '50s sitcom from 6am-4am.