# 3523 - 2001 34c Legends of Hollywood: Lucille Ball
34¢ Lucille Ball
Legends of Hollywood Series
City: Los Angeles, CA
Quantity: 110,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Lithographed
Perforations: Serpentine Die Cut 11
Color: Multicolored
Happy Birthday Lucille Ball
The daughter of a Bell Telephone Company lineman, Lucy and her family moved frequently when she was a child, spending time in Anaconda, Montana, and Trenton, New Jersey. When her father died in 1915, the family moved to Celoron, New York to live with her grandparents.
Lucy’s mother remarried in 1919. A few years later, her new stepfather, a Shriner, encouraged 12-year-old Lucy to audition for the chorus line of one of their shows. Lucy found the praise and attention she received on stage to be intoxicating and knew she found her calling.
When she was 14, Lucy began dating an older man. To discourage the relationship, her mother arranged for Lucy to attend the John Murray Anderson School for the Dramatic Arts in New York City. Lucy attended the school at the same time as future star Bette Davis. However, Lucy’s instructors advised her to try a different career, and she later recalled that all she learned there “was how to be frightened.”
In 1940, Lucy met Cuban-born bandleader Desi Arnaz on the set of Too Many Girls. The two hit it off immediately and were married later that year. Lucy continued to star in films as well as a popular radio show, My Favorite Husband. When approached to move the show to television, Lucy insisted that Desi play her on-camera husband. The result was the enormously successful I Love Lucy TV series.
The cast members rehearsed many hours a day to achieve the perfection they all desired. I Love Lucy first aired on October 15, 1951, and was among TV’s top ten. It became number one during its first season, and held that position for most of its original run.
Lucy and Desi learned they were expecting a second child in 1952. At that time, an actress had never appeared on stage obviously pregnant. But rather than cancel the successful series, Lucy’s pregnancy was written into the show. Seven ‘pregnancy’ episodes were filmed. A rabbi, priest, and minister, who also visited the set for dress rehearsals, screened scripts. Little Ricky’s arrival in 1953 was one of TV’s most memorable events.
34¢ Lucille Ball
Legends of Hollywood Series
City: Los Angeles, CA
Quantity: 110,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Lithographed
Perforations: Serpentine Die Cut 11
Color: Multicolored
Happy Birthday Lucille Ball
The daughter of a Bell Telephone Company lineman, Lucy and her family moved frequently when she was a child, spending time in Anaconda, Montana, and Trenton, New Jersey. When her father died in 1915, the family moved to Celoron, New York to live with her grandparents.
Lucy’s mother remarried in 1919. A few years later, her new stepfather, a Shriner, encouraged 12-year-old Lucy to audition for the chorus line of one of their shows. Lucy found the praise and attention she received on stage to be intoxicating and knew she found her calling.
When she was 14, Lucy began dating an older man. To discourage the relationship, her mother arranged for Lucy to attend the John Murray Anderson School for the Dramatic Arts in New York City. Lucy attended the school at the same time as future star Bette Davis. However, Lucy’s instructors advised her to try a different career, and she later recalled that all she learned there “was how to be frightened.”
In 1940, Lucy met Cuban-born bandleader Desi Arnaz on the set of Too Many Girls. The two hit it off immediately and were married later that year. Lucy continued to star in films as well as a popular radio show, My Favorite Husband. When approached to move the show to television, Lucy insisted that Desi play her on-camera husband. The result was the enormously successful I Love Lucy TV series.
The cast members rehearsed many hours a day to achieve the perfection they all desired. I Love Lucy first aired on October 15, 1951, and was among TV’s top ten. It became number one during its first season, and held that position for most of its original run.
Lucy and Desi learned they were expecting a second child in 1952. At that time, an actress had never appeared on stage obviously pregnant. But rather than cancel the successful series, Lucy’s pregnancy was written into the show. Seven ‘pregnancy’ episodes were filmed. A rabbi, priest, and minister, who also visited the set for dress rehearsals, screened scripts. Little Ricky’s arrival in 1953 was one of TV’s most memorable events.