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Lucy Trivia

Lucy Trivia
Jun 18
blastoff 8 Responses Permalink

Lucy Trivia

Do you think you know everything about Lucy? Find out here!

Lucy Trivia



What did Desi Arnaz do during World War II?

Show answer

Desi Arnaz became a naturalized American citizen in 1943. He loved the United States and all the opportunities it had given him, and although he was made a lieutenant in the Cuban army in 1942, he decided that he would rather fight for the United States. In 1943, he joined the U.S. Army, eventually becoming a sergeant. He made some pro-U.S. movies such as “The Navy Comes Through: and “Bataan”, for which he won a Photoplay Award. He also toured the country for Army and Navy Relief and spent time with other stars on the Hollywood Victory Caravan.

Which guest star made the most appearances on ‘I Love Lucy’?

Show answer

Tennessee Ernie Ford was a radio and singing star when he appeared on the “I Love Lucy” show. He first appeared as “cousin Ernie” in the latter part of season three in the show\’s first back-to-back episodes.

Upset over not appearing in Ricky’s LIFE magazine article, what does Lucy do?

What was the real-life relationship between Vivian Vance and William Frawley?

Show answer

Vivian Vance and William Frawley will forever be one of TV’s most beloved couples, but they didn’t get along that well in real life. The age factor was one thing; Bill was a full 22 years older than Vivian, and she resented the fact that viewers felt she was so much older than she really was. More important, though, their personalities did not match. Vivian liked parties, she liked people, and she liked to do things and go places. Bill liked the fights and ball games, and he preferred to live alone. Neither of them looked forward to scenes in which Ethel and Fred had to kiss, but despite all their objections, they did manage to get along professionally for years.

What were the original names the writers gave Lucy and Ricky Ricardo?

Show answer

When “I Love Lucy” writers wrote the pilot episode, the names of the characters were Lucy and Larry Lopez. At the time, there was a popular bandleader named Victor Lopez, so they decided to change the surname to avoid confusion.

What was Lucy Ricardo doing at film star Richard Widmark’s home?

Show answer

Ricky has lunch plans with film star Richard Widmark, and Lucy begs to be allowed to tag along. Ricky puts his foot down and tells her no, so she and Ethel decide to go on a bus tour of movie star homes. One of the homes they drive by is Richard Widmark’s, so the duo gets off the bus so Lucy can grab a grapefruit off the star’s tree. She climbs the wall and gets stuck on the other side, so she has to sneak through the house to escape. Once inside, she gets sidetracked by housekeepers, mounted heads, and St. Bernard. She ends up hiding under a bearskin rug.

Which ‘I Love Lucy’ star did not graduate from high school?

Show answer

Family circumstances prevented Lucille Ball from graduating from high school. She attended Celoron High School at least through ninth grade and even organized a school dramatics club. When Lucy was 15, her mother sent her to an acting school in NYC, where one of her classmates was Bette Davis. But Lucy was not a success at school and was sent home after just a few months. She returned to high school, but soon a family tragedy occurred that forever changed her life. Her grandfather was convicted of negligence in a shooting incident, and the family was scattered. Lucy went back to NYC to look for work and find her way in a world that had taken so much from her.

Why did the “I Love Lucy” writers take the gang to Hollywood?

Show answer

In the fourth season of the show, the writers needed a fresh canvas to work with. Feeling they had exhausted the domestic storylines, they wanted to take the couples out of NYC and send them on an extended trip. It was decided to take them to Hollywood, which allowed them to get out of town, while at the same time permitted many of Lucy\’s and Desi\’s friends to guest star on the number-one-rated show. They decided that Ricky would get a part in a film and would go to the land of the movie stars. The Mertzes would travel with the Ricardos and be there to partake in Lucy\’s schemes and shenanigans while Ricky was busy working at the studio.

Desi Arnaz was born in what country?

Show answer

Desi Arnaz was born on March 2, 1917 in Santiago de Cuba. The only child of a wealthy Cuban couple, Desi came from a long line of educated and powerful people. His mother’s side of the family was involved in the Bacardi Rum Company, and his father’s side had careers as physicians and politicians. Desi’s father served as Santiago\\\\\\\’s mayor and as a congressman. Desi and his father moved to the United States in the mid 1930s. Although he loved his native land, Desi became a U.S. citizen in 1942 and proudly served his new country during World War II.

How many languages has “I Love Lucy” been dubbed?

What was the name of the radio program that was the precursor to ‘I Love Lucy’?

Show answer

“My Favorite Husband” was a CBS radio program that aired between July 23, 1948, and March 31,1951. It was based on the 1940 book Mr. and Mrs. Cugat by Isabel Scott Rorick. The show featured wealthy married couple Liz and George Cugat (the radio show name was changed to Cooper to avoid confusion with the bandleader Xavier Cugat) who lived at 321 Bundy Drive in Sheridan Falls (state unknown). George (Richard Denning) was a banker, and the couple’s best friends were George’s boss, Rudolph Atterbury, and his wife, Iris. Liz was a zany wife who caused great trouble for George but whom everyone loved and forgave. Liz and George were known as “two people who live together and like it!”

What was Lucille Ball\’s job before she moved to Hollywood for an acting role?

Show answer

Lucille Ball had been a model at Hattie Carnegie’s salon in NYC. She also posed for pictures that were later used in advertising. One such oil portrait, featuring Lucy in a blue chiffon dress and hat, was used in an ad, making Lucy a “poster girl.” One day while walking near the Palace Theatre, Lucy ran into talent agent Sylvia Halo who told her that Eddie Cantor was looking for poster girls for his new movie “Roman Scandals”. Thinking the job was only for six weeks, Lucy looked upon it as a chance to see the country while earning a good salary, so she hopped on a train to California whit the other Goldwyn Girls to make her way in Hollywood.

Lucy and Ethel wrote a musical called:

Show answer

Having secretly borrowed money from her club treasury to balance her own books, Lucy is in trouble. The club wants to put on a show, but there is no money to pay for it. Lucy plans to save the royalty payment by writing the operetta herself and hopes that the ticket sales will pay for the costume, set, and prop rentals. The play stars Ethel as Lily of the Vally, Fred as the innkeeper, Ricky as the suave soldier, and Lucy as the snaggle-toothed gypsy, Camille. The show is sold out and everything is going well until the repo men appeared and started dragging the set of the stage. It seems Lucy\’s post-dated check bounced.

Which of the “I Love Lucy” gang have been honored with stars along the Hollywood Walk of Fame?

Show answer

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a tribute to prominent and legendary entertainers. The “walk” is along more than a dozen blocks of sidewalk along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. Large brass stars with the names of the famous of the entertainment industry line the almost two miles of the walk. All four of the “I Love Lucy” actors received stars. Lucy has two, at 6436 Hollywood Boulevard (for movies) and 6100 Hollywood Boulevard (for television). Desi also has two, at 6323 1/2 Hollywood Boulevard (for movies) and 6254 Hollywood Boulevard (for television). Vivian Vance has one for television at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard. William Frawley has one for movies at 6322 Hollywood Boulevard but was never honored for his years on TV.

Why did Desi Arnaz immigrate to the United States?

Show answer

Desi’s privileged life was permanently altered in 1933 when the Machado government was overthrown in a revolution. The Arnaz family homes, cars, boats, farms, and animals were destroyed and burned. Desi and his mother escaped with their lives, and his father was thrown in jail. After a few months, the senior Arnaz was released, and he and Desi made their way to the United States. They had lost everything and began their new lives without money, a home, or connections. Desi’s father made sure his son graduated from high school, while Desi also took any job that would put food on the table. He finally discovered his talent for music and entertaining and was soon fulfilling his own American dream.

Where was Lucille Ball born?

Show answer

Lucille Desiree Ball was born on August 6, 1911, in Jamestown, New York. Her parents were Desiree Eveline (Hunt) Ball and Henry Durrell Ball. She was born at her grandparents’ home on Stewart Avenue with the help of her grandmother Flora Belle Hunt. At the age of one month, Lucy and her mother (known as DeDe) left on the train to go to Montana where her father worked as a telephone linesman for the Michigan Bell Company. Lucy and her family moved to Wyandotte, Michigan, when she was a toddler, and it was there that her young father caught typhoid fever and quickly passed away. Lucy and her pregnant mother returned to Jamestown where they moved in with DeDe’s parents.

What does Lucy do on stage with movie star Van Johnson?

Show answer

Lucy\’s hometown frenemy, Carolyn, is visiting California. Lucy is upset because she has been lying about her close relationships with famous stars. She has to come up with a scheme to make Carolyn think she has been hobnobbing with the rich and famous. Meeting Van Johnson down by the hotel pool, Lucy begs him to allow her to do one number with him, and Lucy thinks she\’s off the hook. That evening, Van calls her suite to say his partner is ill and he would like Lucy to fill in for her. A nervous Lucy does the song and dance, leaving Carolyn with a great story to tell the girls back home.

While in London, Lucy is determined to perform for what famous person?

Show answer

Arriving in London, Lucy is dying to meet the Queen. She goes to Buckingham Palace and tried to jolly the palace guard but has no luck. When she hears that Ricky will be performing for the Queen and Prince Philip, she begs him to allow her to be in the act so she can be presented to Her Majesty. Knowing how much this means to his wife, Ricky tells her she can be in the dancing circus-horse number. Overjoyed, Lucy practices her curtsey over and over for the royal presentation. When she preforms the number for the queen, her excessive curtsey practice causes her to get a charley horse in her leg, turning her prancing dance into a comically funny number.

 

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8 Responses to Lucy Trivia
  • Reply
    Roxanne "Roxie" Williams July 26, 2012

    I Love Lucy, just as many other fans have said in the past, today and in the future.

    Lucille Ball will always be the Queen of Comedy, and recognized for her earlier career in films prior to the huge success of the infamous show “I LOVE LUCY” starring with her husband Desi Arnaz.

    I watched the show as a child and still continue to watch the reruns. Each time I watch an episode, its natural to resite the next line and to burst out with laughter.
    Each time no matter how many times the episode was watched. Some of her zany skits, remind me of my mom and ‘dragging’ Ethel (my aunt) into another one of her schemes or ideas. It’s hiliarous!

    After years of trying to come up to Jamestown, this year I am finally going to visit. My cousins & I will experience the “world” of Lucy and I am estatic!!

    Lucy, “I’ve got some ‘splaining to do”…why I waited so long to visit. LOL!!!

  • Reply
    rose August 9, 2012

    I love lucy!!!

    • Reply
      Hildert September 18, 2012

      I love Lucy. I’ve loved her since I was a child. And I’ve probably wchetad every episode at least a dozen times. There was something about this particular ensemble cast that made it so entertaining and interesting. In my opinion, no actress comes close to the appeal of Lucille Ball. Thanks for this post. I really appreciate you paying tribute to Lucy.

  • Reply
    Makayla August 16, 2012

    I am “I Love Lucy” ‘s biggest fan of all time. Everyday I watch the episodes that I have and never get tired of them. It is practically the only show I watch. I memorized some of them and I am working on memorizing all of them. I am just in love with Desi Arnaz and think he was the most handsome man ever, and his voice was amazing! And Lucille Ball is my favorite actress of all time and always will be! Everything about the show is wonderful. You can tell how much Desi and Lucy really love each other and that just makes me smile. They were made for each other. I only wish I had lived in their lifetime so that I could have met them and told them these things for myself! So to Lucy and Desi, I LOVE YOU and LUCY!!!!!!!Sooooooooo Much!!

    • Reply
      Wandigarut September 18, 2012

      Lucy was definitely a trail bezlar and paved the way for women to break out of the stereotypical Hollywood roles. Today, I love Sandra Bullock and Meryl Streep and go out of my way to see their movies. Sadly I don’t see anyone of Lucy, Sandra or Meryl’s quality on the horizon in the up and coming generation of actresses.

  • Reply
    claudia mitchell September 28, 2012

    There is this woman that appears in almost every episode of I Love Lucy, she always in the background, blonde, sharp face,pointy nose, she never smiles. I’ve always wondered who she was. She was the nurse that held up Little Ricky when He was born.

    • Reply
      Larisa October 15, 2012

      I know who you’re talking about.. she was a close friend of Lucy’s also in showbusiness..

  • Reply
    Lucy Lover January 18, 2013

    I never tire of watching the I love Lucy Show. I still burst out laughing even though I know what is coming next. My cousin and I recite lines to each other. I grew up about 20 miles from Jamestown.
    On my last visit, I found her grave site and was able to lay a pink roseon it. Pink was her favorite color.

    My cubicle at work is filled with Lucy items as well as my home.

    I know the background character Claudia is talking about. She is in many scenes, including having lunch at the Derby, in the crowd at the club Babaloo and she is one of the Flora Dora girls. I figured she must have been friends with Lucy as was Barbara Pepper. she was the short fat lady who also was a Flora Dora girl as well as in El Breaker the Leaso, and I believe was a nurse at the hospital.

    Frank Nelson had many roles. Freddy Philmore, Train conductor, Mr. Benjamin, and neighbor Ralph Ramsey.

    This is a show I will enjoy to my dying day.

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