Was I Love Lucy the first interracial couple?
One of the most influential and impactful shows on television history is “I love Lucy”. The 1950s sitcom opened the door for both women and intersex couples on tv, and influenced Americans for generations.
But to break down the barriers, its actresses Lucille Ball and her husband Desi Arnaz had to break some rules. Among the most intriguing and surprising facts we just discovered is from Us Weekly. According to the magazine, the union between Desi and Lucy began when the couple lied about their ages to stop the public from finding out that Lucy was six years older compared to her husband (she was twenty nine when she married in 1940). At that time, it was a taboo to marry a younger person. Therefore, on their marriage record, the couple allegedly listed their birth year as 1914 (Lucy was born in 1911, while Desi’s was 1917).
Even though Lucy and Desi were attempting to be private about their ages behind the scenes, the pair ended up revolutionizing in front of the cameras when I love Lucy first appeared in 1951. Based on various reports, Desi and Lucy (who played Ricky Ricardo) became the very first interracial couple to show up on tv. The show was launched sixteen years ago in Loving v. Virginia – a crucial Supreme Court case that invalidated state laws preventing interracial marriage in the United States.
‘Being the Ricardos’
Moreover, I love Lucy was among the first shows to feature a pregnant lead lady. However, as a result of the production disapproval of displaying Lucy’s pregnancy on camera, the word “pregnant” was banned from the program.
The marriage of the Ricardos on I love Lucy was created for television, but the off-screen romance of Lucy and Desi was believed to be filled with many years of alcoholism and infidelity. The brand new Amazon Prime movie Being the Ricardos “stars Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem, and explores the off – screen and personal challenges of the couple.
Although they divorced in 1960, they remained employees till Desi died in 1986. In the book Desilu, it’s revealed before his death: The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz that at the conclusion of his life, he authored the following sentences about his ex-wife: “Lucy was on the show. I, Fred, and Viv were simply props. Bad props, however still props. P.S. I love Lucy wasn’t simply the title. “
