Category: RKO

Lucille Ball Letter to director George Cukor

George Cukor was one Hollywood’s most respected directors, especially during the Golden Age. The Oscar-winning filmmaker directed 48 feature films, 22 of which earned a collective total of 70 Oscar nominations and 18 wins. He personally took home the Oscar for Best Director in 1965 for My Fair Lady starring Audry Hepburn. Lucy was a huge fan of Cukor, especially for his work on the film A Star is Born (1957) starring Judy Garland. She wrote this birthday letter to George on her personal stationery which reads:

“George darling – I have very few regrets or unfulfilled desires but one of them is that I have never had the pleasure and good fortune to have been directed by you “The Fabulous Cukor” Someday – Maybe – Somehow – Have a Happy Happy Birthday Love As Always Lucy”

It is unknown when this letter was written but Lucille would almost get her wish. Cukor was scheduled to direct Lucy’s film version of Mame, but left the project after she broke her leg in a skiing accident and production was delayed a year. Gene Saks took over when she was well enough to return in 1973. Lucy and George would correspond often and remained friends until his passing in 1983.

by Categories: Autograph, Birthday, Film, George Cukor, Handwritten, Letter, Lucille Ball, MAME, MGM, Movie, Paramount, Personal, RKOTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Desilu Productions Stock Certificate

Desilu Productions was a well respected and successful corporation, one that other studios looked at for their inspiring “Desilu Method” of filming shows using three cameras in front of an audience. In 1962, Lucille Ball became the first woman in history to own a television studio and under her reign some very important productions were made – The Untouchables, Mission Impossible and of course Star Trek.

Desi and Lucy were president and vice president of Desilu Productions when it became a publicly traded company in 1958. Investors and everyday people could own a piece of the Desilu empire. This is an original stock certificate for 100 common shares retained by Desilu Productions Inc. that was redeemed on January 19, 1966.

by Categories: Autograph, Desi Arnaz, Desilu, Desilu Sales, I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball, Paramount, Personal, RKO, TelevisionTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Necklace worn by Lucille Ball in “Annabel Takes a Tour” by Joseff of Hollywood

Annabel Takes a Tour (1938) was an early comedic film Lucille Ball starred in while under contract with RKO. It was the sequel to The Affairs of Annabel released that same year. Lucy played Annabel Allison a movie star who is desperate for some good publicity to help boost her career so she does a variety of wacky stunts.

In the film as well as publicity photos, Lucille wears this simulated diamond and sapphire necklace made by Joseff of Hollywood. Measuring twenty three inches in length, it features open metal work centering on a large central medallion.

The necklace as also worn by Bette Davis in a 1930’s publicity portrait, John Bennett in a wardrobe test for The Man in the Iron Mask (1939) Ruth Donnelly in Pillow to Post (1945).

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: Annabel Takes a Tour, Film Worn, Jewelry, Joseff of Hollywood, Lucille Ball, Movie, Necklace, RKOTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Lucille Ball’s “Panama Lady” Brooch by Joseff of Hollywood

In 1939 Lucille Ball starred in Panama Lady an RKO film about a nightclub girl who gets involved with an oil rigger played by Allan Lane (he would come to be the voice of Mr. Ed). For the publicity shots of the movie Lucille wore this ornate, door knocker-style brooch with simulated amethysts by Joseff of Hollywood.

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: Jewelry, Joseff of Hollywood, Lucille Ball, Movie, RKOTags: , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz Marriage Flower Card

In November of 1940 Desi was playing the Roxy in New York City and Lucy had finished “A Girl, A Guy and a Gob” for RKO. The studio sent her to NYC for the film’s premiere, which was great as she and Desi would be able to see and spend some time with each other. After giving an interview to a magazine about being single, Lucy was told by Desi that what she had said would change because they were going to get married the next day.

On November 30, 1940 Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were married at the Byram River Beagle Club in Connecticut. Wearing a black dress and silver fox coat and hat, Lucy accepted a ring Desi bought at Woolworths. Upon returning to Manhattan for Desi’s show that night, Lucy was presented with a bouquet of flowers from the manager of the Byram River Beagle Club along with this card. The reverse had a message from a Mr. Edward White, which sadly is now partially missing. What is visible Ed writes about seeing her in “Marines Fly High”, another movie Lucy made with RKO.

by Categories: Desi Arnaz, Lucille Ball, Personal, RKOTags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Desilu Productions Studio Light

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz formed Desilu Productions in the early 1950’s. By 1957 their company was in high demand, growing and needed more space. While filming the episode “The Celebrity Next Door” for The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, Desi struck a deal to buy RKO. This was the same studio where they met and worked for some 17 years prior. When Desilu took over they now owned multiple lots, many soundstages and all the props and wardrobe from Hollywood’s Golden Age. This included production equipment which Desi had all studio lights painted green and stenciled Desilu.

This studio light – number 692 – retains that original green paint and stencil and has all inner workings, cord and lens. The light still works and casts an extremely bright, very warm spotlight. A detachable arm allows it to be mounted from the rafters or on a rolling stand. This light may have lit some of the biggest film productions like Citizen Kane or King Kong in the RKO days to I Love Lucy and Star Trek for television.

by Categories: Desi Arnaz, Desilu, I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball, Movie, RKO, TelevisionTags: , , , , , Leave a comment