Lovin’ Lucy

The many faces of Lucy. Three years old and a teen in row two. Then there’s the goofy Lucy we love and the pretty Lucy starting out in the entertainment business. Matel even made a tribute Barbie-Lucy! Man, she certainly was a special force to be reckoned with. Who doesn’t love Lucy?  :)))))

Growing up, I got to see a bunch of the “older” TV shows you are now enjoying on cable or streaming – the ones that my parents would mention referencing  the early days of television – shows like Perry Mason, Gunsmoke, The Honeymooners, The Andy Griffith Show, Leave It To Beaver…and of course I Love Lucy. Watching the reruns, and laughing at Lucille Ball’s incredible timing, slapstick comedy and funny faces, I must agree she was quite the talent.  Friends of mine made a daytrip to the Lucille Dezi Museum in Jamestown NY (her birthplace) and said they had a blast, reliving her skits and memories of her acting career. I decided to do some digging to find out more about her early career and show life, and also share some trivia (cause we all like trivia) about Lucy, Ricky and the gang. Before you start reading, click HERE to get yourself in the “Lucy” mood, and find the interesting trivia about this screen below.  Special thanks to Wikipedia, YouTube and for the info.  Enjoy!!

Classic Lucy and Ethel

Lucille Désirée Ball (1911-1989) was an American actress and comedian, nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She earned many honors, including the Women in Film Crystal Award, an induction into the Television Hall of Fame, a Kennedy Center Honor, and the Governor’s Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

She was born in Jamestown, NY, the first child and only daughter of Henry Durrell “Had” Ball, a lineman for Bell Telephone, and Désirée Evelyn “DeDe” (née Hunt) Ball.

Her father’s career with Bell Telephone frequently required the family to move during Lucy’s early childhood. Lucy’s father died of typhoid fever at age 27 when Lucy was only three. At that time, her mom DeDe was pregnant with her second child, Fred Ball (1915–2007).

Ball’s mother returned to NY, where her maternal grandparents helped raise Lucy and brother Fred in Celoron, a summer resort village on Chautauqua Lake. Their home was at 59 West 8th Street (later renamed to 59 Lucy Lane).

Ball loved Celoron Park. Its boardwalk had a ramp to the lake that served as a children’s slide, the Pier Ballroom, a roller-coaster, a bandstand, and a stage where vaudeville concerts and plays were presented. Four years after her Dad’s death, DeDe married Edward Peterson.

When Lucy was 12, her stepfather encouraged her to audition for his Shriners organization that needed entertainers for the chorus line of its next show. While Ball was onstage, she realized performing was a great way to gain praise.

In 1925, Ball, then only 14, started dating Johnny DeVita, a 21-year-old local hoodlum. Her mother was unhappy with the relationship. After about a year, her mother tried to separate them by exploiting Ball’s desire to be in show business. Despite the family’s meager finances, in 1926, she enrolled Lucy in the John Murray Anderson School for the Dramatic Arts in New York City. Ball later said about that time in her life, “All I learned in drama school was how to be frightened.” Her instructors felt she would not be successful in the entertainment business and were unafraid to directly state this to her.

In the face of this harsh criticism, Ball was determined to prove her teachers wrong and returned to New York City in 1928. That same year, she began working for Hattie Carnegie as an in-house model. Her acting forays were stalled at an early age when she became ill with rheumatic fever and was unable to work for two years.

In 1932, she moved back to New York City to resume her pursuit of an acting career, where she supported herself by again working for Carnegie and as the Chesterfield cigarette girl. Using the name Diane Belmont, she started getting chorus work on Broadway,

During the 30’s, Lucy moved to Hollywood, and played small movie roles with The Three Stooges, The Marx Brothers, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers and Katherine Hepburn. In 1940, she appeared as the lead in the musical Too Many Girls where she met and fell in love with Dezi Arnaz, who played on of her character’s bodyguards.

After many movies and radio jobs, Ball was cast in 1948 as Liz Cooper, a wacky wife in My Favorite Husband, a radio comedy for CBS Radio.  The show was successful and CBS asked her to develop it for television. She agreed, but insisted on working with her real-life husband, Cuban bandleader Desi Arnaz.

CBS executives were reluctant, thinking the public would not accept an Anglo-American redhead (her new hair color) and a Cuban as a couple. At first CBS was initially unimpressed with the pilot episode, produced by the couple’s Desilu Productions company.

I Love Lucy ran on CBS from October 15, 1951 to May 6, 1957 and was a smash hit. Not only a star vehicle for Lucille Ball, but also a potential means for her to salvage her marriage to Arnaz, as their relationship had become badly strained, in part because of hectic performing schedules, which often kept them apart, (but mostly due to Desi’s attraction to other women). I Love Lucy dominated U.S. ratings for most of its run.

For the production of I Love Lucy, Ball and Arnaz wanted to remain in their Los Angeles home, but prime time in Los Angeles was too late to air a major network series live on the East Coast. Sponsor Philip Morris pressured the couple into relocating, not wanting day-old kinescopes airing in major East Coast markets. Instead, the couple offered to take a pay cut to finance filming on better-quality 35 mm film, on the condition that Desilu would retain the rights of each episode once it aired.

CBS agreed to relinquish the post-first-broadcast rights to Desilu, not realizing they were giving up a valuable and enduring asset. In 1957, CBS bought back the rights for $1,000,000 ($10.4 million in today’s terms), financing Ball and Arnaz’s down payment for the purchase of the former RKO Pictures studios, which they turned into Desilu Studios.

A scene in which Lucy and Ricky practice the tango, in the episode “Lucy Does The Tango”, (evoked the longest recorded studio audience laugh in the history of the show), so long that the sound editor had to cut that section of the soundtrack in half. Watch

In the grape stomping episode, Lucy later said “I got into the vat with another actress, and she had been told that we would have a fight,” Lucy said on The Dick Cavett Show. “I slipped and, in slipping, I hit her accidentally and she took offense, until she hauled off and let me have it. Now this was supposed to happen — that she got right. But when she hit me, it took the wind out. She had been told that we were to stay down for a while, give me a chance to get my legs way up, so that they’d show in the camera, then up would come an arm and then both of them– my head was supposed to—but, well, my head never popped up. She’d get me down by the throat! I had grapes up my nose, in my ears, and she was choking me, and I’m really beating her to get her off…she didn’t understand that she had to let me up once in a while. I was drowning in these grapes!”

Along the way, Ball created a television dynasty and achieved several firsts. She was the first woman to head a TV production company, Desilu, which she had formed with Arnaz.

On July 17, 1951, less than three weeks prior to her 40th birthday, Ball gave birth to daughter Lucie Désirée Arnaz and a year and a half later, she gave birth to Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV, known as Desi Arnaz, Jr. Before he was born, I Love Lucy was a solid ratings hit, and Ball and Arnaz wrote the pregnancy into the show. Ball’s necessary and planned caesarean section in real life was scheduled for the same date that her television character gave birth.

CBS insisted that a pregnant woman could not be shown on television, nor could the word “pregnant” be spoken on-air. After approval from several religious figures, the network allowed the pregnancy storyline, but insisted that the word “expecting” be used instead of “pregnant”. (Arnaz garnered laughs when he deliberately mispronounced it as “spectin'”.)

The episode aired on the evening of January 19, 1953, with 44 million viewers watching Lucy Ricardo welcome little Ricky, while in real life Ball delivered her second child, Desi Jr., that same day in Los Angeles. The birth made the cover of the first issue of TV Guide for the week of April 3–9, 1953.

And …. One of the most famous episodes of “I Love Lucy” features Lucy Ricardo promoting a health tonic called “Vitameatavegamin” in a television commercial. The scene is remembered for Lucy’s hilarious struggle with the product’s high alcohol content: VIEW HERE

Lucille Ball became the first woman to run a major TV studio. In 1962, Desi Arnaz resigned as the studio’s president, and Lucy bought out his holding in the company.

Four years later, CBS turned down the original “Star Trek” series pilot, fearing the weekly budget to produce it would be too high. But Lucy stood behind it and gave the crew the finances needed, and it was made. So, Trekkies, you’ve got Lucille Ball to thank for your obsession. (Desilu also went on to produce the TV series “Mission: Impossible.” Killer theme song. CLICK HERE

 

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DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
Me, too.

As you may know the Kowalski Heat Treating logo finds its way
into the visuals of my Friday posts.
I.  Love.  My.  Logo.
One week there could be three logos.
The next week there could be 15 logos.
And sometimes the logo is very small or just a partial logo showing.
But there are always logos in some of the pictures.
So, I challenge you, my beloved readers, to count them and send me a
quick email with the total number of logos in the Friday post.
On the following Tuesday I’ll pick a winner from the correct answers
and send that lucky person some great KHT swag.
So, start counting and good luck!  
Oh, and the logos at the very top header don’t count.
Got it? Good.  :-))))
Have fun!!

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Dedication

It’s all about love, friends and family.  

With all the “dashing” we’re doing these days, it’s good to pause and reflect on some of the more commonly observed holiday traditions. History has always fascinated me. My blog today lands on the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, a celebration that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the second century B.C. The festival lasts for eight nights and days and holds significant historical and cultural importance in the Jewish tradition with its origins rooted in a tale of resilience and religious freedom.  I thought it would be fun to explore the history behind Hanukkah and how the observance has lasted for so many years. Enjoy, and thanks to Google and Wikipedia for the info. Shalom.

Music

The story of Hanukkah begins with the Seleucid King Antiochus IV, who ruled over the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire from 175 B.C.to 164 B.C. The Seleucid Empire was one of the successor states to Alexander the Great’s vast empire, encompassing parts of Asia and the Middle East.

Antiochus IV is particularly known for his controversial and oppressive policies toward the Jewish people, as highlighted in the story of Hanukkah. He ascended to the throne after the death of his brother, Seleucus IV Philopator. Antiochus IV sought to strengthen and expand the influence of Hellenistic culture throughout his kingdom, including the territories that included Judea, where a significant Jewish population resided.

In an attempt to Hellenize the region and consolidate his power, Antiochus IV took drastic measures against the Jewish faith. He outlawed Judaism, desecrated the holy Second Temple in Jerusalem, and imposed severe restrictions on Jewish religious practices. The king went so far as to place a statue of Zeus in the temple, an act considered sacrilegious by the Jewish people.

These oppressive measures sparked widespread discontent and resistance among the Jewish population. The Maccabean Revolt, led by a priest named Mattathias and his five sons, known as the Maccabees, fought against Antiochus IV.. The Maccabees initiated a guerilla warfare campaign against the powerful Seleucid army., The Maccabees managed to reclaim the temple after a series of strategic victories and the establishment of the festival of Hanukkah.

Upon entering the temple, the Maccabees discovered that there was only enough oil to light the menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum, for one day. However, a miracle occurred, and the small amount of oil miraculously burned for eight days, allowing the Jewish people to rededicate the temple. This miraculous event is at the heart of the Hanukkah celebration and is symbolized by the lighting of the menorah over eight nights.

Hanukkah, which means “dedication” or “consecration” in Hebrew, became a symbol of Jewish resistance against religious persecution and the fight for religious freedom. The festival’s customs and traditions evolved over time, incorporating both religious and secular elements.

One of the central customs of Hanukkah is the lighting of the menorah. Each night, an additional candle is lit until all eight candles, plus the central or “shamash” candle, are lit by the eighth night. Families often gather around the menorah to recite blessings, sing traditional songs, and exchange gifts. The menorah’s lights are placed in windows to publicize the miracle and symbolize the triumph of light over darkness.

Traditional foods associated with Hanukkah include latkes, which are potato pancakes fried in oil, and sufganiyot, jelly-filled doughnuts. The consumption of fried foods during Hanukkah serves as a reminder of the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days.

The themes of religious freedom, cultural identity, and resistance against religious oppression is embedded in the Hanukkah story and continues to resonate with people across generations. As a result, the festival has retained its relevance and continues to be observed with enthusiasm and devotion still today.  The triumph of light over darkness holds a special place in the hearts of Jewish communities worldwide, providing a time for reflection, gratitude, and the sharing of joy with family and friends.

 

 

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DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
Me, too.

As you may know the Kowalski Heat Treating logo finds its way
into the visuals of my Friday posts.
I.  Love.  My.  Logo.
One week there could be three logos.
The next week there could be 15 logos.
And sometimes the logo is very small or just a partial logo showing.
But there are always logos in some of the pictures.
So, I challenge you, my beloved readers, to count them and send me a
quick email with the total number of logos in the Friday post.
On the following Tuesday I’ll pick a winner from the correct answers
and send that lucky person some great KHT swag.
So, start counting and good luck!  
Oh, and the logos at the very top header don’t count.
Got it? Good.  :-))))
Have fun!!

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I Do!

My wife is AWESOME!!!!!!!!  :))  Happy Anniversary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  :)))))

September is a special time for Jackie and I  – when we celebrate our wedding anniversary. Over the years, we’ve had a nice dinner night out, a quick overnight trip, and even just stayed home with the kids. Ironically, we have a few close friends in our town who have the exact same anniversary date down to the year!  Wedding anniversaries have a rich history and are often celebrated as milestones in a couple’s journey together. It is amazing how fast time goes by.  I can recall our first anniversary, let’s just say Ronald Reagan was president the year we got married!! The tradition of commemorating wedding anniversaries dates back centuries and has evolved over time. Here’s a brief overview of the history, some traditional gifts and a bunch of ideas to try this year. CLICK  (PS GUYS – Don’t forget!!). Special thanks to wikipedia.com, townandcountry.com, flowerbytina.com, and hallmark.com.

The concept of celebrating wedding anniversaries can be traced back to ancient Roman times. The Romans would observe anniversaries for both weddings and birthdays.

The tradition of associating specific materials with different milestone anniversaries is believed to have originated in medieval Europe. Couples would celebrate their 25th anniversary with silver and their 50th anniversary with gold.

Queen Victoria of England is said to have popularized the idea of getting diamonds when she celebrated her Diamond Jubilee. (and boy did she get big diamonds! – check ‘em out HERE

In the early 20th century, a list of traditional anniversary gifts was compiled, known as the “Traditional Anniversary Gifts by Year” list. It provided suggestions for gifts made from different materials, starting from the first anniversary (paper) and continuing through to the 75th anniversary (diamonds and gold).  Here’s a list of anniversary “gifts” by year

Rather than just flowers and dinner, try one of these: 

  1. Tree Planting: Some couples choose to plant a tree on their wedding anniversary as a symbol of their growing love and relationship. As the tree grows, it serves as a living reminder of their journey together.
  2. Locked Love: Inspired by the practice of attaching locks to bridges, couples may place a lock with their names and anniversary date on a designated location, such as a fence or sculpture. This act symbolizes their unbreakable bond.
  3. Message in a Bottle: Couples can write heartfelt messages to each other and seal them in a bottle. These messages can be opened and read on future anniversaries, creating a time capsule of their emotions and memories.
  4. Adventure or Challenge: Some couples use their anniversaries as an opportunity to challenge themselves or embark on a unique adventure together. This could involve trying a new activity, taking a spontaneous road trip, or conquering a shared fear.
  5. Memory Jar: Throughout the year, couples write down memorable moments, thoughts, and experiences on small pieces of paper and place them in a designated “memory jar.” On their anniversary, they read and reminisce about these notes.
  6. Surprise Letters: Couples write letters to each other and seal them in envelopes, each marked with a specific anniversary year (e.g., 5th, 10th, 15th). These letters are meant to be opened and read on the corresponding anniversaries.
  7. Cooking Challenge: Some couples create a tradition of cooking a special meal together on their anniversary. They may take turns choosing the ingredients or experimenting with new recipes.
  8. Anniversary Adventure Map: Couples might have a map where they mark the places they’ve visited together over the years. Each year, they plan a new adventure to explore a place they haven’t been before.
  9. Dress-up Tradition: Some couples wear their wedding attire or incorporate elements of it into their anniversary celebrations, such as putting on their wedding gown or suit for a special dinner.
  10. Anniversary Stones: Similar to birthstones, some couples choose a specific gemstone that represents their relationship and celebrate their anniversary by exchanging jewelry featuring that stone.
  11. Recreating First Date: A sentimental tradition involves recreating the couple’s first date, trying to capture the magic and nostalgia of their early days together.  The challenge will be remembering your first date!
  12. Anniversary Adventure Book: Couples document their anniversaries in a scrapbook or journal, including photos, mementos, and notes about their experiences each year.
  13. Play Golf … (ok, so I threw that one in – but still a good idea for one of you!!)

The key is to find something that resonates with both partners and helps you create lasting memories while celebrating their enduring love. Be sure to share your creativity with me – skowalski@khtheat.com.

 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
Me, too.

As you may know the Kowalski Heat Treating logo finds its way
into the visuals of my Friday posts.
I.  Love.  My.  Logo.
One week there could be three logos.
The next week there could be 15 logos.
And sometimes the logo is very small or just a partial logo showing.
But there are always logos in some of the pictures.
So, I challenge you, my beloved readers, to count them and send me a
quick email with the total number of logos in the Friday post.
On the following Tuesday I’ll pick a winner from the correct answers
and send that lucky person some great KHT swag.
So, start counting and good luck!  
Oh, and the logos at the very top header don’t count.
Got it? Good.  :-))))
Have fun!!

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