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Did you know that a 2012 survey named the "I Love Lucy" show as the best U.S. television
show of all time? "I Love Lucy" is an iconic American comedy starring American comedienne
and actress Lucille Ball. The show's opening credits and music are instantly recognizable
to generations of Americans.
The black-and-white show was on the air for only six years, from 1951 to 1957, but reruns are still shown on television today
in the U.S. and around the world, ensuring that Americans of every age are familiar with
the antics of the show's characters.
"I Love Lucy" was the first scripted American show to be filmed in front of a studio audience.
The comedy also starred Lucille Ball's real-life husband, Desi Arnaz. A Hollywood film actress
before she moved to TV, Lucille Ball was known for her skills in physical comedy. As a result,
the show's focus was on the trouble her character got into each week with her best friend and
neighbor, Ethel, usually when the two were trying to break into show business.
One of the most famous episodes featured Lucy and Ethel getting jobs in a chocolate factory
and falling behind when the conveyor belt carrying chocolate candy sped up. It's one
of my favorite episodes: Let's take a look.
The "I Love Lucy" was on the air 1951 to 1957. It was a groundbreaking show on American television
for two important reasons. It was the first serial television show to use three cameras
that filmed the actors simultaneously. Prior to this, a single camera was used.
Second, the on-air pregnancy of the character Lucy was coordinated with the actress's real-life
pregnancy, and her delivery date was coordinated with the date of her expected C-section. Normally
in those days, actresses who were visually pregnant were hidden behind props so viewers
couldn't tell they were pregnant. The fact that both her on and off-camera children were
boys added to the excitement, with more than 71.1 percent of all households tuning in to
see the episode when Lucy gave birth.
While Lucy was the show's star and received most of the laugh lines, the supporting male
characters were given many opportunities to show their comedy skills. One memorable episode
for me included a scene where the husbands of Lucy and her best friend try to show the
ladies that they can do everything the women can do -- including this scene of the two
men trying to cook dinner.
Today there is a Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center for Comedy in Jamestown, New York, where Lucille
Ball was born. The museum opened in 1996 and includes a replica of the TV show's set. Legions of fans visit the
museum each day, proving that the "I Love Lucy" show remains one of America's favorites.