We Still Love Lucy « The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio

6Aug/110

We Still Love Lucy

Well, sometimes special days in the life or Golden Age figures pass me by. Such was the case with today's anniversary of the birth of one of the world's great comediennes, Lucille Ball.

Google paid tribute to Lucy with a doodle honoring Lucy's landmark ratings hit with then-husband Desi Arnez, which ran from 1951-57 and left the air the number one sitcom on television.

The show's popularity continues to endure. It still airs on local television in Los Angeles and reruns continue on cable 53 years after leaving. Lucy's zaniness, her facial expressions, and her strong on-screen chemistry with Arnez make the show a huge win that brings a smile to most people's faces.

The greatness of Lucille Ball is shown in the fact that the 1950s had a lot of great comedies on the air: The Life of Riley, Burns and Allen, Jack Benny, Jimmy Durante, Abbott and Costello, and several other very good servicable comedies. Yet, only I Love Lucy and the Honeymooners really seem to endure in the popular imagination.

There's a certain charm about these shows that makes them connect with listeners across time. With all the changes from 1951-Present, Lucy has remained a constant that is enjoyed by fans of all ages, which is a truly remarkable achievement.

IMDB has 86 episodes online for your viewing pleasure.

However, Lucy did have roots on radio. Prior to coming to television, she starred with Richard Denning (Michael Shayne, and Mr. and Mrs. North) in My Favorite Husband, a domestic comedy. The writers recycled and reworked several My Favorite Husband scripts for I Love Lucy. So, this gives a great opportunity to here the first draft of some of these fine comedic episodes.

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