101 Reasons to Love Lucy
Today, we celebrate the life and legacy of a comedian, television star, stage actress, radio performer, and model. Ball got her start in 1929 when she was recruited by Hattie Carnegie as a model. She took this job simply to “pay for the groceries”, but was soon picked up by Hollywood. Lucille Ball changed the television industry. She was not only a leader, but America’s favorite redhead.
The following are 101 reasons to remember Lucille Ball, some are direct quotes and others from well-known television episodes and movies.
- That red hair.
- For her drunken act as a salesgirl for Vitameatavegemin. (Lucy Does a TV Commercial-I Love Lucy)
- “Lucy, you’ve got some splainin’ to do!” (I Love Lucy)
- Because her and John Wayne were friends.
- “The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.”
- Because her and Ethel crammed all that chocolate into their clothes and mouths. (Job Switching-I Love Lucy)
- “Some people are cut out for champagne and caviar. I’m more the beer and pretzel type.” (Lucy Hires a Maid-I Love Lucy)
- For the way she rocked that burlap sack in France that Ricky schemed up.(Lucy Gets a Paris Gown-I Love Lucy)
- When she took too many sleeping pills and Mr. Mooney had to carry her home. (Lucy and the Ring-A-Ding Ring-The Lucy Show)
- “Santa Claus brings the north pole with him and slides down it like a fireman.” (Christmas-I Love Lucy)
- For the way she made fun of Ricky’s Cuban accent.
- For swinging on those ballet bars. (The Ballet-I Love Lucy)
- Because of her dance in the grape pit. (Lucy’s Italian Movie-I Love Lucy)
- For the “Lucy Fest” in Jamestown, New York.
- When she is taught by the Burlesque comic. (The Ballet-I Love Lucy)
- Because she was the first woman to own a multi-million dollar corporation.
- “I’d rather regret things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.”
- For standing up for herself when CBS told her America would never accept the show, “I Love Lucy”.
- Because she set her fake nose on fire in front of William Holden.(L.A. At Last- I Love Lucy)
- “I thought I looked hysterical, and I never had such a good time as with that silly-ass song.” (The Operetta-Her favorite I Love Lucy episode)
- Because on her 100th birthday 915 Ball look-a-likes gathered in the streets of Jamestown, New York
- For her radio show, “My Favorite Husband”.
- Because the public has chosen her as the greatest television icon.
- Because she is the queen of comedy.
- “You cannot teach someone comedy. Either they have it or they don’t.”
- For getting a grapefruit out of Richard Widmark’s tree. (The Tour-I Love Lucy)
- Because she appeared on the cover of TV Guide 29 times, which is more than any other person.
- “Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.”
- For creating the longest recorded laugh in television history. (Lucy Raises Chickens-I Love Lucy)
- For the way she said “eeehhhhh”.
- Because she was awarded the “Legacy of Laughter”.
- “In life, all good things come hard, but wisdom is the hardest to come by.”
- Because she could make you laugh simply by making a face.
- For the awful way she sang.
- Because TV Guide voted she was the greatest TV star of all time.
- For trying to make the guards at Buckingham Palace laugh. (Lucy Meets the Queen-I Love Lucy)
- “A man who correctly guesses a woman’s age may be smart, but he’s not very bright.”
- “Bonas Dies Maydree” (Lucy’s Mother-In-Law-I Love Lucy)
- Because she didn’t quit when her drama school told her she had no talent.
- For being the best television crier.
- “Desi was the great love of my life. I will miss him until the day I die.”
- Because she smuggled a cheese baby on an airplane. (Home From Europe-I Love Lucy)
- For the way she looks after charm school. (Charm School-I Love Lucy)
- “I’m not funny. What I am is brave.”
- Because she starred in 81 movies and 406 television sitcom episodes.
- “That’s a legend.” –Joan Rivers
- That polka dot dress.
- Because she dressed as a martian on-top of the Empire State Building. (Lucy is Envious-I Love Lucy)
- Because she went by the alias Diane Bellemont.
- “I work better with an audience. I am dead, in fact without one.”
- For all the trouble she gave Mr. Mooney.
- Because she put her Chesterfield cigarettes into a Phillip Morris package to please her sponsor.
- Those blue eyes.
- For her career that spanned 56 years.
- Because she was known as the first lady in television.
- “If you ever want to go around New York incognito just dress as a bag woman. Nobody looks at you.”
- Because she could do anything a man could do.
- “Steel knuckles Carmichael” (Lucy Meets the Law- The Lucy Show)
- For being a firm believer in the liberation of women.
- Because she became a model just to buy the groceries.
- “I had such fun making that show (I Love Lucy), nothing can ever top it.”
- Because she knew how to camp. (The Long, Long Trailer)
- For stealing John Wayne’s footprints at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.(Lucy and John Wayne-I Love Lucy)
- “That’s a hunk o’ woman!”-Desi Arnaz
- Because her and Carol Burnett were a show-stopping duo. (Lucy Gets a Roommate-The Lucy Show)
- Because she was the first woman in the U.S. Marines. ( Lucy Gets Caught Up in the Draft- The Lucy Show)
- For improvising her scripts.
- Because she mowed her own lawn. (Lucy Raises Tulips-I Love Lucy)
- Because she always played a crazy redhead.
- “Until our trails cross again, may your grazing be the greenest, and your waterhole never run dry. I remain yours until the feathers of the red man turn gray.” (Lucy Meets John Wayne-The Lucy Show)
- Because she was 5 feet and 7 inches of natural beauty.
- Because she was rescued by Superman on her apartment ledge. (Lucy and Superman-I Love Lucy)
- She was a fix- it-yourself kind of girl. (Lucy and Viv Put in a Shower-The Lucy Show)
- Here’s Lucy.
- “Well I’m your Vitavigavegivat girl.” (Lucy Does a TV Commercial-I Love Lucy)
- Because the whole world knows who she is.
- Because her greatest achievement was Lucy Ricardo.
- For being a “meat and potatoes” kind of girl.
- “Now…Ricky!”(I Love Lucy)
- Because no matter what she said, the audience always laughed.
- Because she didn’t mind wearing a full beard. (The Mustache-I Love Lucy)
- For being loyal to her fans.
- Because her and Ethel were the epitome of best friends.
- “No I dunt.” (I Love Lucy)
- Because she did all of her stunts herself.
- For playing a mean game of poker. (Be A Pal-I Love Lucy)
- Because her favorite thing to do was go to work.
- “The more things you do, the more you can do.”
- Because “I Love Lucy” was the first show to feature a pregnant woman.
- The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.
- Lucy Flies to London. (The Lucy Show)
- Because she was always on Hollywood’s best dressed list.
- Forever, Darling.
- “I think knowing what you cannot do is more important than knowing what you can do. In fact that’s good taste.”
- Yours, Mine and Ours.
- “Love yourself first, and everything else falls into line.”
- Because she loved the episode when she has her baby. (Lucy Has a Baby-I Love Lucy)
- “Life is heaven you see, cause’ I love Lucy. Yes I love Lucy and Lucy loves me.” (Theme song-I Love Lucy)
- Because divorced or not Desi Arnaz sent her flowers every year on their anniversary.
- Those ruby, red lips.
- For being the hero of a young writer who watches “I Love Lucy” when she needs a good laugh.
Lucille Ball always said, “Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead.” In her case,she made the whole world fall in love with her, and will continue to do so throughout the years.
Happy 101st Birthday Lucy!