Just a quick "Happy Birthday" to our leading lady of comedy, Lucille Ball. She would have been 99 today, born August 6th, 1911 in Jamestown, NY.
A few years before she died in 1989, she was honored by The Kennedy Center on December 7, 1986, here are video clips from that Honors ceremony:
Walter Matthau gives a presentation on Lucy's career with some great video clips:
Desi Arnaz, who had just died five days earlier following a long bout with cancer, had written a touching statement for this event, which is read here by Robert Stack. (Lucy had to fly almost immediately to Washington following Desi’s funeral in order to attend this event.) Lucy struggles to keep her composure, but the mood quickly changes when Bea Arthur, Valerie Harper and Pam Dawber come out for a musical tribute to Lucille Ball — a musical medley of WILDCAT, MAME and I LOVE LUCY, set to special new lyrics. “I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t had this thing to keep me occupied. Desi died and my show got canceled. If I hadn’t had this, if I hadn’t this reassurance that I was still wanted, I don’t think that I could have gone on.” — Lucille Ball
Lucy - Happy Birthday - We still Love Lucy!
August 06, 2010
August 02, 2010
Results of Recent Lucille Ball Auctioned Items
As previously reported, Heritage Auction Galleries held an auction that contained a number of Lucille Ball's personal items that had passed to her husband, Gary Morton upon her death. These items were then put up for auction by Susie McAllister Morton, who married Gary Morton in 1996, after the death of Lucille Ball in 1989.
Lucie Arnaz, daughter of Lucille Ball tried to block the items from going up for auction by court order. Although she won, she lost in technicality as she could not come up with the imposed $250,000 bond in order to stop the auction. The auction house then agreed to return some items to Lucie. They gave her Lucille Ball's lifetime achievement awards but the other items remained up for auction.
So what happened to those items that went up on the auction block? A trove of more than 120 lots from the Estate of Gary Morton and his wife, Lucille Ball, brought $230,780 on Saturday, July 17, as part of a $1.3 million+ Music & Entertainment auction at Heritage Auctions Beverly Hills. Lucille Ball’s 1984 Rolls Royce Silver Spur was the highest priced item from that consignment at $29,875. All prices include 19.5% Buyer’s Premium.
"What we saw here today was an amazing outpouring of love and respect from Lucy’s fans," said Doug Norwine, Director of Entertainment Auctions at Heritage. "Collectors paid top prices to obtain a cherished piece of Lucy’s personal legacy – far beyond our expectations – and they came out in droves, not only in the auction room, but by the hundreds online."
Other top lots of the Lucille Ball consignment was $7,768 for the painting L’Opera, Paris, by Regis (Count) de Cachard, from Morton and Ball’s collection, and $8,963 for her personal address book, containing the names, phone numbers and addresses of many of the top stars of the 1950s and 1960s.
Lucie Arnaz, daughter of Lucille Ball tried to block the items from going up for auction by court order. Although she won, she lost in technicality as she could not come up with the imposed $250,000 bond in order to stop the auction. The auction house then agreed to return some items to Lucie. They gave her Lucille Ball's lifetime achievement awards but the other items remained up for auction.
So what happened to those items that went up on the auction block? A trove of more than 120 lots from the Estate of Gary Morton and his wife, Lucille Ball, brought $230,780 on Saturday, July 17, as part of a $1.3 million+ Music & Entertainment auction at Heritage Auctions Beverly Hills. Lucille Ball’s 1984 Rolls Royce Silver Spur was the highest priced item from that consignment at $29,875. All prices include 19.5% Buyer’s Premium.
"What we saw here today was an amazing outpouring of love and respect from Lucy’s fans," said Doug Norwine, Director of Entertainment Auctions at Heritage. "Collectors paid top prices to obtain a cherished piece of Lucy’s personal legacy – far beyond our expectations – and they came out in droves, not only in the auction room, but by the hundreds online."
Other top lots of the Lucille Ball consignment was $7,768 for the painting L’Opera, Paris, by Regis (Count) de Cachard, from Morton and Ball’s collection, and $8,963 for her personal address book, containing the names, phone numbers and addresses of many of the top stars of the 1950s and 1960s.
July 25, 2010
Lucy’s 99th birthday celebration in August
The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center of Jamestown is proud to announce activities for the Lucille Ball New Comedy Celebration, commemorating what would have been Lucy's 99th birthday. It is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 6 and Saturday, Aug. 7.
A special discounted admission will be offered during the festival weekend only. A $15 dual admission will be reduced to $10 per person for both museums, $5 per person for either one separately. Special merchandise sales and promotions will also be in effect.
The Downtown Jamestown Development Corporation will host its annual Taste of Jamestown on Third Street between Pine and Cherry streets on both days. The center will host a birthday party at the its 300 N. Main Street location from noon-3 p.m. on Aug. 6, in conjunction with the Taste. The party will include cakes donated from local bakeries, caterers and stores; as well as a wine tasting of Willow Creek Winery's signature chocolate wine.
The center will also present a silent auction in the same location featuring memorabilia and collectibles. This will take place both days.
The celebration will continue as the Lucy-Desi Center, in association with the Reg Lenna Civic Center, presents the comedic talents of Chris (Crazy Legs) Fonseca Friday, Aug. 6 at 7:30 p.m. Chris has been dubbed America's original sit down comic, having been born with cerebral palsy. His media appearances include The Howard Stern Show, Late Night with David Letterman, The American Comedy Awards, Entertainment Tonight, Baywatch and many others. Tickets, just $20, are general admission seating and may be purchased online at www.lucy-desi.com, at either of the Center's museum gift shops, or at the Reg Lenna box office.
A special Lifetime Membership campaign for the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center will be brought back during the month of August in honor of Lucy's Birthday. The cost is $1000 and this membership offer includes many special benefits.
The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center gratefully acknowledges the support of their sponsors which includes: Advertising Advantage, Coach USA, Community Bank, Desilu, Too, LLC, Down Jamestown Development Corporation, Garden of Eden, Hanson Signs, Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce, Jamestown Mattress Company, Jon Elder Productions, Lake County Chrysler, Kia and Dodge, Nord Tech, Rhoe B. Henderson Agency, Roberto's, Star Media Group, Betty Schults, Summer Wind, and Talking Phone Book.
For more information about the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center, call 484-0800 or visit www.lucy-desi.com. Hours for the Lucy-Desi Museum (10 West Third St.) and the Desilu Playhouse Museum (2 West Third St.) are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
A special discounted admission will be offered during the festival weekend only. A $15 dual admission will be reduced to $10 per person for both museums, $5 per person for either one separately. Special merchandise sales and promotions will also be in effect.
The Downtown Jamestown Development Corporation will host its annual Taste of Jamestown on Third Street between Pine and Cherry streets on both days. The center will host a birthday party at the its 300 N. Main Street location from noon-3 p.m. on Aug. 6, in conjunction with the Taste. The party will include cakes donated from local bakeries, caterers and stores; as well as a wine tasting of Willow Creek Winery's signature chocolate wine.
The center will also present a silent auction in the same location featuring memorabilia and collectibles. This will take place both days.
The celebration will continue as the Lucy-Desi Center, in association with the Reg Lenna Civic Center, presents the comedic talents of Chris (Crazy Legs) Fonseca Friday, Aug. 6 at 7:30 p.m. Chris has been dubbed America's original sit down comic, having been born with cerebral palsy. His media appearances include The Howard Stern Show, Late Night with David Letterman, The American Comedy Awards, Entertainment Tonight, Baywatch and many others. Tickets, just $20, are general admission seating and may be purchased online at www.lucy-desi.com, at either of the Center's museum gift shops, or at the Reg Lenna box office.
A special Lifetime Membership campaign for the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center will be brought back during the month of August in honor of Lucy's Birthday. The cost is $1000 and this membership offer includes many special benefits.
The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center gratefully acknowledges the support of their sponsors which includes: Advertising Advantage, Coach USA, Community Bank, Desilu, Too, LLC, Down Jamestown Development Corporation, Garden of Eden, Hanson Signs, Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce, Jamestown Mattress Company, Jon Elder Productions, Lake County Chrysler, Kia and Dodge, Nord Tech, Rhoe B. Henderson Agency, Roberto's, Star Media Group, Betty Schults, Summer Wind, and Talking Phone Book.
For more information about the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center, call 484-0800 or visit www.lucy-desi.com. Hours for the Lucy-Desi Museum (10 West Third St.) and the Desilu Playhouse Museum (2 West Third St.) are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
July 22, 2010
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.
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.
July 18, 2010
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.
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.
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