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Desi Arnaz Biography (1917-1986)

Full name, Desiderio Alberto Arnaz III; born March 2, 1917, in Santiago, Cuba; died of cancer in Del Mar, CA, December 2, 1986; married Lucille Ball (an actress and producer) November 30, 1940 (divorced, 1960); married Edith Mack Hirsch, 1963 (died, 1985); children: (first marriage) Lucie Desiree, DesiderioAlberto (Desi Jr.) IV.

CTFT notes that industry analysts credit Desi Arnaz as being the progenitor of the "re-run" and syndicated shows with his decision to film the I Love Lucytelevision series in the early 1950s. Until that time, only the rather crude"kinescope recording" of television programs had been used.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Birth Details

March 2, 1917

Santiago, Cuba

Death Details

December 2, 1986

Del Mar, California, United States

Famous Works

• Credits; PRINCIPAL STAGE APPEARANCES
• Too Many Girls, New York City, 1939.
• Credits; MAJOR TOURS
• Singer with Xavier Cugat Band, national tour, 1935-36.
• as singer and musician with his own band, national tour, 1945-46.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL FILM APPEARANCES
• Too Many Girls, RKO, 1940.
• Father Takes a Wife, RKO, 1941.
• Four Jacks and a Jill, RKO, 1942.
• The Navy Comes Through, RKO, 1942.
• Bataan, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), 1943.
• Holiday in Havana, Columbia, 1949.
• Cuban Pete, Universal, 1950.
• The Long Long Trailer, MGM, 1953.
• Forever Darling, MGM, 1956.
• The Escape Artist, Warner Brothers, 1982.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL FILM WORK
• Producer, Forever Darling, 1956.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL TELEVISION APPEARANCES; SERIES
• Ricky Ricardo, I Love Lucy, CBS, 1951-57.
• host and performer, Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse, CBS, 1958-60.
• Ricky Ricardo, The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, CBS, summers, 1962-65, and 1967.
• Ironside (pilot for spinoff series), NBC. Guest: The Kraft Music Hall, CBS.
• Saturday Night Live, NBC.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL TELEVISION WORK; PRODUCER
• I Love Lucy, CBS.
• Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse, CBS.
• The Mothers-in-Law, NBC, 1967-79.
• Writings;NONFICTION
• A Book (autobiography), 1976.