Month: December 2024

Vivian Vance’s “The Voice of the Turtle” Program from La Jolla Playhouse

In July of 1951 Vivian Vance was performing at the La Jolla Playhouse in the production of “The Voice of the Turtle.” This would be the stage where Desi Arnaz and Jess Oppenheimer watched their soon to be ‘Ethel Mertz’ portray Olive Lashbrooke in the Saturday, July 28th matinee.

The program shown here is the original copy Vivian Vance kept for her archives. Viv’s sister Lou Ann Graham inherited all of her programs from her years of stage performances. These were sold to the public in Lucille Ball’s hometown of Jamestown, NY during one of the annual festivals.

by Categories: Broadway, Desi Arnaz, Ethel Mertz, I Love Lucy, Jamestown, Jess Oppenheimer, Lucille Ball, Personal, Program, Television, The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show, The Lucy Show, The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, Vivian VanceTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Christmas Card from Lucie Arnaz to Pepito & Joanne Perez

Lucie Arnaz wrote in this Christmas card to Pepito and Joanne Perez in the early 1960’s. The couple were former veteran vaudeville entertainers known as “Pepito the Spanish Clown” and “Joanne the Twisting Marvel.” It was the Perez’s who helped Lucy and Desi develop the props and acts they took on the road to prove to CBS the public would accept them for a new TV show in 1950.

They remained close friends with Ball-Arnaz-Morton families throughout their lives, going on vacations and sending correspondence to one another over the better part of three decades.

I Love Lucy fans can thank Joanne for discovering an original print of the I Love Lucy pilot long thought lost and never seen by the public until the early 1990’s. To learn more about Pepito and Joanne and their incredible time in show business, please visit: https://pepitoandjoanne.com/

by Categories: Autograph, Card, Christmas, Desi Arnaz, Gifts, Handwritten, I Love Lucy, Lucie Arnaz, Lucille Ball, Pepito the Spanish Clown, PersonalTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Joseff of Hollywood Earrings worn by Lucille Ball in MGM’s “Meet the People”

Lucille Ball’s fourth film with MGM was 1944’s “Meet the People.“ She stars alongside Dick Powell, featuring Virginia O’Brien, Bert Lahr, Rags Ragland and June Allyson in the World War II era musical. Lucy plays Julie Hampton, a Broadway star who leaves the stage to join Rosie the Riveters, becoming a welder and falling in love with her coworker “Swanee” played by Powell.

Lucille wears this pair of simulated diamond and pearl earrings in the movie. Made by Joseff of Hollywood each clip back earring is designed as a cluster of three pear-shaped simulated diamonds, centered upon a simulated pearl.

Eugene Joseff was the premier costume jeweler during Hollywood’s golden age. He developed a matte metal finish for his jewelry which minimized the glare from lighting. Their custom jewels were designed, manufactured, and rented to movie studios and can be seen in nearly every production from the 1930’s to the 1950’s.

by Categories: Costume, Earrings, Film, Film Worn, Jewelry, Joseff of Hollywood, Lucille Ball, Meet the People, MGMTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment