Ball of Fire

Ball of Fire
Author: Stefan Kanfer
Publisher: Vintage
Total Pages: 386
Release: 2007-12-18
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 030742491X

As a movie actress Lucille Ball was, in her own words, “queen of the B-pluses.” But on the small screen she was a superstar–arguably the funniest and most enduring in the history of TV. In this exemplary biography, Stefan Kanfer explores the roots of Lucy’s genius and places it in the context of her conflicted and sometimes bitter personal life. Ball of Fire gives us Lucy in all her contradictions. Here is the beauty who became a master of knock-down slapstick; the control freak whose comic alter ego thrived on chaos, the worshipful TV housewife whose real marriage ended in public disaster. Here, too, is an intimate view of the dawn of television and of the America that embraced it. Charming, informative, touching. and laugh-out-loud funny, this is the book Lucy’s fans have been waiting for.

Love, Lucy

Love, Lucy
Author: Lucille Ball
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 286
Release: 1997-10-01
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1101667087

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The one and only autobiography by the iconic Lucille Ball, hailed by TV Guide as the “#1 Greatest TV Star of All Time.” Love, Lucy is the valentine Lucille Ball left for her fans—a warm, wise, and witty memoir written by Lucy herself. The legendary star of the classic sitcom I Love Lucy was at the pinnacle of her success when she sat down to record the story of her life. No comedienne had made America laugh so hard, no television actress had made the leap from radio and B movies to become one of the world's best-loved performers. This is her story—in her own words. The story of the ingenue from Jamestown, New York, determined to go to Broadway, destined to make a big splash, bound to marry her Valentino, Desi Arnaz. In her own inimitable style, she tells of their life together—both storybook and turbulent; intimate memories of their children and friends; wonderful backstage anecdotes; the empire they founded; the dissolution of their marriage. And, with a heartfelt happy ending, her enduring marriage to Gary Morton. Here is the lost manuscript that her fans and loved ones will treasure. Here is the laughter. Here is the life. Here’s Lucy... “The comic actress in her own words...intensley moving.”—San Francisco Chronicle “Filled with light and laughter.”—New York Times Book Review

Comics: Lucille Ball

Comics: Lucille Ball
Author:
Publisher: Bluewater Productions
Total Pages: 26
Release:
Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels
ISBN:

Lucille Ball is the subject of this issue of "COMICS," a biography series about stand-ups, sitcom stars, and comedians who have made a huge impact on popular culture. To celebrate Lucy's 100th birthday, StormFront Productions takes a look at her amazing life, from her humble beginnings in Jamestown, NY, to her reign as the undisputed Queen of Comedy.

The Queen of Tuesday

The Queen of Tuesday
Author: Darin Strauss
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Total Pages: 337
Release: 2021-05-25
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0812982576

Lucille Ball, Hollywood’s first true media mogul, stars in this “bold” (The Boston Globe), “boisterous novel” (The New Yorker) with a thrilling love story at its heart—from the award-winning, bestselling author of Chang & Eng and Half a Life A WASHINGTON POST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • “A gorgeous, Technicolor take on America in the middle of the twentieth century.”—Colson Whitehead, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Nickel Boys This indelible romance begins with a daring conceit—that the author’s grandfather may have had an affair with Lucille Ball. Strauss offers a fresh view of a celebrity America loved more than any other. Lucille Ball—the most powerful woman in the history of Hollywood—was part of America’s first high-profile interracial marriage. She owned more movie sets than did any movie studio. She more or less single-handedly created the modern TV business. And yet Lucille’s off-camera life was in disarray. While acting out a happy marriage for millions, she suffered in private. Her partner couldn’t stay faithful. She struggled to balance her fame with the demands of being a mother, a creative genius, an entrepreneur, and, most of all, a symbol. The Queen of Tuesday—Strauss’s follow-up to Half a Life, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award—mixes fact and fiction, memoir and novel, to imagine the provocative story of a woman we thought we knew.

I Love Lucy

I Love Lucy
Author: Michael McClay
Publisher: Citadel Press
Total Pages: 312
Release: 2004
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780806526225

The world loves Lucy. And now, here is the ultimate tribute to the most popular show in television history. Readers will have a behind-the -scenes look at the show's creation and its unbelievable meteoric success as it reinvented the rules and business of television. Over 35 classic episodes are celebrated with detailed plot synopses and photo montages from exclusive production skills - and a complete 'TV-ography' offers a look at every one of 179 episodes and 13 one-hour specials featuring the Ricardos and Mertzes.

The Comic DNA of Lucille Ball

The Comic DNA of Lucille Ball
Author: Michael Karol
Publisher: iUniverse
Total Pages: 60
Release: 2005-12
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0595379516

Fifty-five years ago, a sitcom called I Love Lucy transformed the television landscape and made its leading lady, Lucille Ball, a superstar. No one could have known that Ball, formerly a showgirl, B-movie queen, and radio actress, would become one of the world's most beloved performers, and take her place in a rare pantheon reserved for the likes of Elvis, Marilyn, and Chaplin. This book, by acclaimed Lucy author Michael Karol-Lucy A to Z: The Lucille Ball Encyclopedia, The Lucille Ball Quiz Book, Lucy in Print-examines Ball's impact and dissects what it was, and is, that makes Lucy not only an icon of laughter, but a powerful tonic in a troubled world.

I Had a Ball

I Had a Ball
Author: Michael Z. Stern
Publisher: iUniverse
Total Pages: 232
Release: 2011-03-14
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1450287298

Knowing how much Mom liked Michael Stern, I knew his book would be honestand it is. I HAD A BALL is full of stories no one but Michael would know. His friendship with Mom is evident on every page. A good read. Thank you Michael. DESI ARNAZ JR . Michaels memories are my memories, only clearer. What a talent for details! It was very moving for me to relive so much of our lives through Michaels eyes. Very entertaining. Charming. And, more importantly, true. As Mom wrote on one of her photos to him, Happy Thoughts. LUCIE ARNAZ In 1971, ten-year-old Michael Stern thought he had died and gone to heaven as he watched a filming of Heres Lucy. He was enthralled with a redhead gifted with beauty, stage presence, and the ability to make others laugh. Over the next few years, he would attend several more filmings, meet Lucy, and eventually become (in Lucys own words) her number-one fan. In his memoir, Michael Stern offers a refreshing glimpse into the life of a natural comedienne and actress as he provides a fascinating narrative on what it was like to become first a fan and then a friend with one of the biggest television personalities of all time. Known to fans simply as Lucy, she entertained millions of people across the world with shows like I Love Lucy, The Lucy Show, and Heres Lucy. But to Michael, who was eventually allowed access into her private world, she was a fascinating woman with whom he would share many unforgettable adventures. I Had a Ball is a unique tribute to Lucys legacy, her spirit, her talent, and her enthusiasm for lifesure to entertain Lucy fans, television aficionados, and comedy lovers around the world.

I Loved Lucy

I Loved Lucy
Author: Lee Tannen
Publisher: Macmillan
Total Pages: 276
Release: 2002-10-25
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780312302740

Few people knew Lucille Ball the way Lee Tannen did. Lee first met Lucy as a child, but their close and enduring relationship began almost twenty-five years later. Now, Tannen gives us an intimate portrait of the "lost" Lucy years: from what life was like in her Beverly Hills and Palm Springs hideaways to how she traveled, what she ate, and how she entertained. I Loved Lucy reveals for the first time the private face of a beloved star whose public persona is the most famous in television history.

Queens of Comedy

Queens of Comedy
Author: Susan N. Horowitz
Publisher: Psychology Press
Total Pages: 186
Release: 1997
Genre: Actresses
ISBN: 2884492445

First Published in 1997. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

I am Lucille Ball

I am Lucille Ball
Author: Brad Meltzer
Publisher: National Geographic Books
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2015-07-14
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 0525428550

In this sixth entry in the New York Time Bestselling biography series, humor is the heroic trait, and modern icon Lucille Ball is celebrated. (Cover may vary) Lucille Ball could make any situation funny. By making people around the world laugh, she proved that humor can take on anything. She never changed how she behaved to seem "proper," even when other people pressured her to. By remaining true to who she was, she made her mark in comedy and television—even becoming the first female CEO of a major Hollywood studio! This friendly, fun biography series inspired the PBS Kids TV show Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. One great role model at a time, these books encourage kids to dream big. Included in each book are: • A timeline of key events in the hero’s history • Photos that bring the story more fully to life • Comic-book-style illustrations that are irresistibly adorable • Childhood moments that influenced the hero • Facts that make great conversation-starters • A virtue this person embodies: Lucille Ball's humor and how it carried her to success is highlighted here. You’ll want to collect each book in this dynamic, informative series!