FEB. 9: At The Heart Truth’s FEB. 15: Let’s Make CALENDAR GIRL Red Dress Collection fashion a Deal host Wayne With live performances, exhibits and show (which streamed at Brady offered a special special TV episodes, organizations cbsnews.com), stars honored Lucy-themed DVD across the U.S. have planned multiple the memory of Lucille Ball, prize package, while a victim of heart disease, to asking contestants ways for fans to celebrate their love help spread a message about for their favorite I Love of Lucy throughout her jubilee year. women’s heart health. Lucy memories. had already been a productive year for Lucille Ball and her bandleader Lucille Ball’s 1951 husband, Desi Arnaz: In July, Ball had given birth to the couple’s fi rst child, daughter Lucie, hometown offers and that spring the two had conceived and starred in a pilot for a show that, when it would premiere in Octo- fans the chance ber on CBS, would forever change the face of television. to celebrate I Love Lucy literally invented a new form of situ- two milestone ation comedy: fi lmed on a soundstage, in front of a live audience, but with multiple cameras to pick up anniversaries all of its zany stars’ brilliant bits of physical business. The inventiveness immediately paid off, and rock- eted I Love Lucy’s four talented headliners— Lucy, Desi, Vivian Vance and William Frawley—right to the top of the Nielsens. Today, 60 years after the show’s debut, Lucy remains in continuous syndication on local stations across the U.S. It plays four times a day on the Hallmark Chan- nel, and in 2012 will return to cable’s TV Land as well. But why, in today’s high-def, full-color entertainment world, does this little black-and-white comedy continue to captivate us? “I Love Lucy has always been a show about unconditional love, and I think people relate to that love as much as to the humor,” Lucie Arnaz theorizes. “It’s what I think the planet needs more than anything right now. ‘Yes, you can screw up and get into trouble, but I love you anyway.’ It’s WE interesting that the title is ‘I Love Lucy.’ You can read that all kinds of different ways, like ‘I don’t care what you say about her, I love her.’ There’s something kind of powerful about that.” THE MOUNT RUSHMORE OF LAUGHS LOVING Ball’s hometown of Jamestown, N.Y., once a CBS WORLDWIDE INC. CBS WORLDWIDE major center for furniture manufacturing, has since suffered job losses and economic decline. But unlike any of its neighbors in America’s “Rust Belt,” Jamestown has been able to capi- talize on its unique, redheaded resource. LUCY CBS ARCHIVE PHOTO For more than two decades, Jamestown’s 98 AUGUST 2011 / WATCH! FdCW0811_098-099, 103_ICO_Lucy_V6.indd 98 6/29/11 9:24 AM FEB. 15: Let’s Make MAY 9: The Price JULY 1–NOV. 30: An exhibition of Lucy AUG. 3–7: The Lucille Ball Festival of Comedy a Deal host Wayne Is Right celebrated props and artifacts will be presented by The in Jamestown, N.Y., will include a Guinness Book Brady offered a special Lucy’s 60th anni- Hollywood (Calif.) Museum. Befi ttingly, the world record-setting parade of Lucy lookalikes; Lucy-themed DVD versary with a museum is housed in a landmark building for- memorabilia auctions; Lucy-themed tours; a prize package, while Lucy-themed prize merly owned by Max Factor, who was credited re-creation of the 1956 Jamestown world pre- asking contestants showcase presented for the makeup on I Love Lucy, and in miere of Ball and Arnaz’s fi lm Forever, Darling; for their favorite I Love by Lucy and Ricky whose salon Lucy fi rst became a red- and performances by comedians such as Joan Lucy memories. lookalikes. head. thehollywoodmuseum.com Rivers and Paula Poundstone. lucy-desi.com had already been a productive year Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center for Lucille Ball and her bandleader has drawn tourists into town, AUG. 6: Ball’s 100th birthday 1951 husband, Desi Arnaz: In July, Ball had celebrating the city’s favorite given birth to the couple’s fi rst child, daughter Lucie, daughter with events like looka- and that spring the two had conceived and starred in a like contests and a chance to pilot for a show that, when it would premiere in Octo- meet some of Lucy’s remaining ber on CBS, would forever change the face of television. recurring cast members. This year, prompted by both Lucy’s I Love Lucy literally invented a new form of situ- 60th anniversary and what would be Ball’s 100th ation comedy: fi lmed on a soundstage, in front of a birthday, Jamestown is rolling out much more SEPT. 20–21: Celebrity live audience, but with multiple cameras to pick up ambitious and ultimately enduring plans. impersonator Suzanne all of its zany stars’ brilliant bits of physical business. As the Lucy-Desi Center’s new executive direc- La Rusch brings her uncanny The inventiveness immediately paid off, and rock- tor, Journey Gunderson, explains, the plans actu- likeness of Lucy to the eted I Love Lucy’s four talented headliners— Lucy, ally hark back to the city’s fi rst celebration in 1989, stage at the Frankenmuth (Mich.) Bavarian Inn. Desi, Vivian Vance and William Frawley—right to when Ball had planned to attend a comedy festival suzannelarusch.com the top of the Nielsens. created in her honor. Sadly, Today, 60 years after the the comic legend passed away show’s debut, Lucy remains just months before the fi rst in continuous syndication festival was held. on local stations across the In subsequent years the U.S. It plays four times a event morphed into separate day on the Hallmark Chan- festivities in May and August. nel, and in 2012 will return But as Gunderson explains, to cable’s TV Land as well. I Love Lucy stars the new Lucille Ball Festival But why, in today’s high-def, Lucille Ball, Vivian of Comedy (Aug. 3–7, see Vance, Desi Arnaz and full-color entertainment “Calendar Girl”) will return OCT. 15: On the 60th anni- William Frawley versary of the premiere of world, does this little black-and-white the celebration “to what Lucy wanted it I Love Lucy, Lucie Arnaz, comedy continue to captivate us? to be: a true, living, breathing tribute to comedy.” her brother Desi Arnaz IV “I Love Lucy has always been a show about Gundersen’s colleague George Panebianco adds and a 15-piece orchestra unconditional love, and I think people relate to that the festival is just the fi rst part of a multi- will perform Babalu, a that love as much as to the humor,” Lucie Arnaz phase plan to spread Lucy’s legacy. Eventually, the celebration of the music of Desi Arnaz, at the Library theorizes. “It’s what I think the planet needs more city plans to construct a world-class Museum of of Congress in Washington, than anything right now. ‘Yes, you can screw up Comedy, patterned after Cleveland’s Rock and Roll D.C. Free. Tickets at and get into trouble, but I love you anyway.’ It’s Hall of Fame. The goal, Panebianco says, is to turn loc.gov/loc/events. interesting that the title is ‘I Love Lucy.’ You can Jamestown into an international attraction, “The read that all kinds of different ways, like ‘I don’t Mount Rushmore of Western New York.” care what you say about her, I love her.’ There’s Arnaz says she knows that her mother would be something kind of powerful about that.” thrilled that rather than just commemorating her birthday each year, Jamestown now will be on the THE MOUNT RUSHMORE OF LAUGHS forefront of celebrating, preserving and discover- FALL 2011: CBS Ball’s hometown of Jamestown, N.Y., once a ing comedic performances. “She would be very will present Lucy Live, a stage version of CBS WORLDWIDE INC. CBS WORLDWIDE major center for furniture manufacturing, has happy to have something about comedy in general classic Lucy episodes, since suffered job losses and economic decline. named after her,” Arnaz explains. “Something that touring cities across But unlike any of its neighbors in America’s teaches and honors the skills, and makes sure that the United States. “Rust Belt,” Jamestown has been able to capi- talent continues.” — Jim Colucci talize on its unique, redheaded resource. CBS ARCHIVE PHOTO For more than two decades, Jamestown’s LUCY LOOT! Find limited-edition I Love Lucy memorabilia on page 103. > WATCH! / AUGUST 2011 99 FdCW0811_098-099, 103_ICO_Lucy_V6.indd 99 6/29/11 9:24 AM.