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Luvsbway

By Luvsbway,
in The Hennarincess

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C L A U D E Newbie

C L A U D E

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August 22 2011 I believe. Janet was 87 the article mentions so obviously a great memory. What was wrong with Peter Marshall - bad actor? bad person? bad job int the episode? I know nothing about him. 

He's been bitching about working with Lucy for years now, yet even though he hated it so much, he then went to work with her again in that SPECIAL with Art Carney and Nanette Fabray but said he really wanted to work with THEM.  Later, he said it was because everybody had a bad case of nerves, as it was the week of the real life Cuban missile crisis.

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Caewi Newbie

Caewi

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I've made an interesting find that I think some people may be interested in. Somebody has FOI requested all the FBI documents held on Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz and the Untouchables. It contains heaps of great stuff like tons of newspaper articles, Desiku memos to the government and articles and transcripts of Lucy's testimony before the house of unamerican activities. The quality is awful and as can be expected of old fashioned FOI requests there is some parts of things just blacked out. Might interest a lot of people though especially those that like decision dates and real details of what was going on.

 

https://archive.org/details/LucilleBall-DesiArnazFBIFiles

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Neil Newbie

Neil

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I think the only equivalent today of being labeled a communist in the 50s would be being sympathetic to ISIS.  What the fear-mongers on the HUAC failed to take into account that registering as a communist voter in the 30s was OK.  Just because someone registered communist did not mean their intent was to overthrow the government. It usually meant you sided with labor in disputes with management.  I don't know that any communist party member was ever elected to any public office.   Not only that, but actors would sometimes attend meetings or lend their names to well-intentioned organizations but have little involvement; and that would come back to haunt them.  The "communist sympathizer" label expanded to a wide range of organizations that were merely pro-labor. And it included doing anything pro-Russia during the war, even though we were on the same side.  The governmental committee seemed more intent on wielding power than thwarting any perceived threat to the government.   Getting people to rat on co-workers, with no real proof, was their main goal.  Several entertainers initially resisted but with the threat of jail time and ruined careers, many relented; and thus put other people's lives in jeopardy.

Lucy really got off easy because careers were ruined for far less. Innuendo, rumor and suspicion while they had the signed copy of Lucy's voter registration as concrete proof.  This would have ruined most other careers.  The "appeasing my grandfather" excuse, while likely true, was a flimsy one.  Lucille Ball was able to pretend to be Lucy Ricardo and the committee (and the country) chalked this up to one of the messes her character might get into.

A very good film from the 70s:  "The Front" dramatizes the events within the entertainment industry.

I've made an interesting find that I think some people may be interested in. Somebody has FOI requested all the FBI documents held on Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz and the Untouchables. It contains heaps of great stuff like tons of newspaper articles, Desiku memos to the government and articles and transcripts of Lucy's testimony before the house of unamerican activities. The quality is awful and as can be expected of old fashioned FOI requests there is some parts of things just blacked out. Might interest a lot of people though especially those that like decision dates and real details of what was going on.

https://archive.org/details/LucilleBall-DesiArnazFBIFiles

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C L A U D E Newbie

C L A U D E

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I think the only equivalent today of being labeled a communist in the 50s would be being sympathetic to ISIS.  What the fear-mongers on the HUAC failed to take into account that registering as a communist voter in the 30s was OK.  Just because someone registered communist did not mean their intent was to overthrow the government. It usually meant you sided with labor in disputes with management.  I don't know that any communist party member was ever elected to any public office.   Not only that, but actors would sometimes attend meetings or lend their names to well-intentioned organizations but have little involvement; and that would come back to haunt them.  The "communist sympathizer" label expanded to a wide range of organizations that were merely pro-labor. And it included doing anything pro-Russia during the war, even though we were on the same side.  The governmental committee seemed more intent on wielding power than thwarting any perceived threat to the government.   Getting people to rat on co-workers, with no real proof, was their main goal.  Several entertainers initially resisted but with the threat of jail time and ruined careers, many relented; and thus put other people's lives in jeopardy.

Lucy really got off easy because careers were ruined for far less. Innuendo, rumor and suspicion while they had the signed copy of Lucy's voter registration as concrete proof.  This would have ruined most other careers.  The "appeasing my grandfather" excuse, while likely true, was a flimsy one.  Lucille Ball was able to pretend to be Lucy Ricardo and the committee (and the country) chalked this up to one of the messes her character might get into.

A very good film from the 70s:  "The Front" dramatizes the events within the entertainment industry.

While i agree with everything you said, i think that "FLIMSY" might be too strong a word here, Lucy would have done anything for family, her grandfather who was like a dad to her asked her to sign and she lovingly did.

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C L A U D E Newbie

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If you read all the testimony given by her mother and brother it's very clear why they did it and didn't think it was wrong or even if they gave a second thought to it.

EXACTLY, this was in the 30's, not the fifties where it became a crime to associate or do anything that would one appear sympathetic to the commies.

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Irene Kampen Tripp Newbie

Irene Kampen Tripp

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I am sure the family did it to silence or please grandpa Hunt.  But it does seem like a  "FLIMSY" excuse.  Moreover, doesn't a voter registration have a shelf life?  I mean didn't her communist affiliation run its course by the fourties?  If it indeed had expired,  I think a FLIMSIER excuse was being used by the HUAC to try to NAIL her in the first place. 

 

That is an interesting point that "Lucy Ricardo" just did a foolish thing and should be forgiven.  Other careers fall and she rode the storm out.  The communist scare was a shitty time for all concerned.  I remember my grandmother saying "communist" with a stage whisper when speaking of certain people (who I don't recollect) but I remember how we were told how bad communists were.  Funny how I hadn't thought about that till just now reading this thread...  I wonder if I did anything in my late teens or early twenties (in order to please my grandma) that may bite me in the ass now????   :)

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C L A U D E Newbie

C L A U D E

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I am sure the family did it to silence or please grandpa Hunt.  But it does seem like a  "FLIMSY" excuse.  Moreover, doesn't a voter registration have a shelf life?  I mean didn't her communist affiliation run its course by the fourties?  If it indeed had expired,  I think a FLIMSIER excuse was being used by the HUAC to try to NAIL her in the first place. 

 

That is an interesting point that "Lucy Ricardo" just did a foolish thing and should be forgiven.  Other careers fall and she rode the storm out.  The communist scare was a shitty time for all concerned.  I remember my grandmother saying "communist" with a stage whisper when speaking of certain people (who I don't recollect) but I remember how we were told how bad communists were.  Funny how I hadn't thought about that till just now reading this thread...  I wonder if I did anything in my late teens or early twenties (in order to please my grandma) that may bite me in the ass now????    :)

I think they went after Lucy as she was the biggest star at that time, but did not succeed as she was so beloved by America and the world for that matter.

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Luvsbway Newbie

Luvsbway

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An article from 1954. These passages come off as light hearted fun in the article titled “Never a Dull Moment.” But looking at them in hindsight about the marriage you can see the problems that Lucy talked about in the ensuing years.

 

 

 

The jealousy issues

 

They’ve been married since 1940-although some of their friends predicted that it wouldn’t last six months. “How could it,” they argued, “Desi is jealous of her; she is jealous of him. They’re jealous of each other!”

 

 

 

Possessiveness. I don’t think this was a huge problem but he might have taken it too far at times.

 

Like most Latin’s Desi has always had a very protective feeling about the women in his family. “I remember, “ Lucy said “when he was working in a night club in NY, and would find out I had taken a taxi to go to a movie or play. He would be completely outraged. “Lucy, it’s terrible you should go in a taxi alone! Something might happen to you. In my country a woman never goes in a taxi alone!” “You see, “ continued Lucy “In Latin countries, women are considered fragile and helpless. Males are always strong and protective. This is tradition! And Desi is steeped in it!”

 

 

 

The excessiveness she hated and how having anything in excess sacred her.

 

He’s the most overly generous man, “ Lucy says, “And he’s sentimental about birthdays and holidays. He never forgets anyone. He loves flowers and he doesn’t bring home just one bunch at a time. Oh no! He’ll bring home a car full of flowers for me. And he does it with the most romantic flair. He’s extravagant in everything; no happy medium. He’s bought me lots of gold jewelry. He loves aquamarines and had bought me some beautiful aquamarine sets. He’s as excited as a little boy when he rushes in, loaded with presents. “Lucy this looks like you!” he will say. And Desi can never buy just one of anything.

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