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.