MGM – The Lucy Room

The Long, Long Trailer Original Title Artwork

During the hiatus of I Love Lucy in the summer 1953, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz filmed a romantic comedy for MGM called The Long, Long Trailer. Fans of the couple got to see them together on the big screen and in color for the first time and it was a blockbusting success.

The movie opened with the instrumental version of “Breezin’ Along with the Breeze” along with this title card. Hand painted with thick, glossy royal blue paint the artwork measures over 32 inches by 24 inches, and was shot by the camera with added layers of a red, white and blue ribbon with wagon wheel and shadows of leaves to give it depth. The copyright information, MGM logo and text “produced” are missing but the adhesive used for them can still be visible at the bottom.

October 1, 2025October 1, 2025 by The Lucy Room Categories: Desi Arnaz, Desilu, Film, I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball, MGM, Movie, The Long Long TrailerTags: 1953, 1954, Artwork, Desi Arnaz, Desilu, Film, I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball, MGM, Movie, Pandro S Berman, Screen Used, The Long Long Trailer, Title Card, Vincente Minnelli Leave a comment

Lucille Ball Handwritten Postcard to Prop Master Kenny Westcott

While vacationing on the Island of Hawaii in June of 1973, Lucille Ball and Gary Morton sent Kenny Westcott and his wife Betty this postcard from the Manua Kea Beach Hotel. Lucy simply writes:

“Dear Betty and Kenny – This place is heavenly! See you soon – Love Lucy & Gary”

Kenneth Westcott first worked at MGM’s commissary when he was in high school during the late 1930’s, then joined the Navy before the start of World War II. Following his service to the US, Kenny went back to work at MGM becoming the second assitant property master and then did a brief stint at Hal Roach Studios before going back to MGM. Around this time he first started working with Lucille Ball on her new series The Lucy Show, continuing onto Here’s Lucy. In between these shows and after, he worked on Lucy’s other films and specials. Kenny was responsible for all the props for every scene of every show or movie.

January 9, 2025January 9, 2025 by The Lucy Room Categories: Autograph, George Cukor, Handwritten, Here's Lucy, Lucille Ball, MGM, Movie, Paramount, Personal, Prop, The Lucy ShowTags: Friendship, Gone With The Wind, Handwritten, Hawaii, Here's Lucy, Hollywood, I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball, MGM, Note, Paramount, Personal, Postcard, Prop, Signed, The Lucy Show Leave a comment

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.

December 5, 2024December 5, 2024 by The Lucy Room Categories: Costume, Earrings, Film, Film Worn, Jewelry, Joseff of Hollywood, Lucille Ball, Meet the People, MGMTags: Bert Lahr, Broadway, Cowardly Lion, Diamond, DIck Powell, Earrings, Film Worn, Hollywood, Jewelry, Joseff of Hollywood, June Allyson, Lucille Ball, Lucille Ball Worn, Meet the People, MGM, Movie, Musical, Pearl, Rags Ragland, Screen Worn, Virginia O'Brien, Wizard of Oz, World War II Leave a comment

Elizabeth Patterson Christmas Card

Elizabeth Patterson was a veteran character actress before she famously became known as Matilda Trumbull, neighbor to Lucy and Ricky Ricardo on I Love Lucy. Like most actors from the golden era of Hollywood, Patterson began her career in the theatre with her first Broadway appearance in 1913’s Everyman. Her first movie was a silent film made in 1926 called The Boy Friend.

Elizabeth’s introductory appearance on television was in fact I Love Lucy for the 1952 episode “The Marriage License.” She portrayed Mrs. Willoughby who marries the Ricardos for a second time in Greenwich, Connecticut (honoring where Lucy and Desi were wed in real life). She was then cast as Mrs. Trumbull after Little Ricky was born.

This is a holiday card sent by the actress. The single sided piece of red cardstock with a metallic gold border, measures roughly 8 inches by 3 inches and features Patterson’s writing and signature printed in white that reads:

“Christmas Greetings from Elizabeth Patterson”

November 21, 2024November 21, 2024 by The Lucy Room Categories: Autograph, Card, CBS, Christmas, Desi Arnaz, Desilu, I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball, Personal, Vivian Vance, William FrawleyTags: Card, Christmas, Christmas Card, Desi Arnaz, Desilu, Elizabeth Patterson, I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball, MGM, Mrs. Trumbull, New York City, Note, Personal, RKO, Vivian Vance, WIlliam Frawley Leave a comment

Lucille Ball Inscribed Portait to Gary Morton

Lucille Ball penned to husband Gary Morton “Gary! Gary! Gary! My Guy “Your Missus – Lucy” on this uncommon side portrait of her from the mid-1940’s. Against a red background that almost matches her lips, Lucy wears a white top that has her initials embroidered on the center neckline – LDB for Lucille Desiree Ball. During their marriage she and Gary would write each other many notes and letters and Lucille sometimes gave him photos of herself with inscriptions such as this.

October 30, 2024October 30, 2024 by The Lucy Room Categories: Autograph, Gary Morton, Handwritten, I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball, MGM, Movie, Personal, PhotoTags: 1940's, Autograph, Color Photo, Gary Morton, Handwritten, I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball, MGM, Personal, Photo, Publicity, Publicity Photo, Signature, Signed Leave a comment

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.

October 9, 2024October 9, 2024 by The Lucy Room Categories: Autograph, Birthday, Film, George Cukor, Handwritten, Letter, Lucille Ball, MAME, MGM, Movie, Paramount, Personal, RKOTags: Audrey Hupburn, Birthday, DIrector, Friendship, George Cukor, Gone With The Wind, Handwritten, Hollywood, I Love Lucy, Judy Garland, Letter, Lucille Ball, Lucille Ball Owned, MAME, MGM, Note, Oscar, Paramount, Personal, RKO, Signed, Stationary Leave a comment

Lucille Ball Signed Oversized MGM Publicity Photo

Lucille Ball was awarded the title “Technicolor Tessie” by make-up artists and cameramen when she was with MGM in the early 1940’s. Her blue eyes, coral-rouged lips, fair skin and newly changed haircolor to a shade of “Tech Red” made her apperance in technicolor sensational and pop on screen.

This oversized publicity photo highlights this very glamourous time in Lucy’s career. Taken during the run of the films Du Barry Was A Lady and Best Foot Forward, images from this session were used throught the press world to showcase the studio’s new leading lady. Measuring roughly 15 inches by 19 inches it has been signed in blue ink by the redhead and beautifully framed in gold, one of Lucy’s favorite colors.

May 9, 2024May 21, 2024 by The Lucy Room Categories: Autograph, Feathers, Handwritten, I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball, MGM, Movie, Personal, PhotoTags: 1943, Autograph, Best Food Forward, Du Barry Was a Lady, Handwritten, I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball, MGM, Personal, Photo, Publicity, Publicity Photo, Signature, Signed Leave a comment

Lucille Ball’s Personal Red Wig

Irma Kusely first worked with Lucille Ball in the 1940’s at MGM. Nearly a decade later they would reunite on I Love Lucy. Irma became Lucy’s hair stylist for next four decades. Kusely began her Hollywood career at Max Factor styling wigs where she learned the technique of how they were made by hand using real hair.

In the clip shown above from a 2001 Television Academy Arts & Sciences interview, Irma makes it clear about Lucy’s hair color – “It’s not red at all, it’s a golden apricot color.”

Irma’s career with Lucy spanned hundreds of appearances both on and off screen. In the early 1990’s she was asked to supply some of Lucy’s custom wigs for Universal Studio’s “Lucy: A Tribute” exhibit. This is one of those wigs, still styled and untouched since Irma did it over 30 years ago.

March 13, 2024March 13, 2024 by The Lucy Room Categories: Here's Lucy, I Love Lucy, Irma Kusely, Life With Lucy, Lucille Ball, Lucy Ricardo, Max Factor, MGM, Personal, Shown Worn, Television, The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show, The Lucy Show, The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, WigTags: Custom Made, I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball, Lucille Ball Owned, Lucille Ball Worn, Max Factor, MGM, Museum, Personal, Red Wig, Redhead, Universal Studios, wig Leave a comment

Lucille Ball’s Red ‘Du Barry Was A Lady’ Wig

After signing with MGM, Lucille Ball’s first film at the studio was 1943’s Du Barry Was a Lady. At the time Lucy’s hair was close to her natural color, a mousey-brown and since it was going to be shot in Technicolor a change needed to be made so her look would pop more on screen. MGM’s hair stylist, Sydney Guilaroff decided to dye her hair a vibrant red/orange. Along with her porcelain skin, blue eyes and red lips, the new hair color made her look sensational on and off camera. She remained a redhead for the rest of her life.

This was the wig Lucille wore in the movie. Considered a “3/4 fall” it was attached to the crown of her head providing long locks while her real hair was made in an updo. The interior lace has two labels sewn onto it – a Max Factor Studios label and a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer label with 493 written in blue. This number matches that found on the original black wig box. The box has a label affixed detailing the color (tech. red) size and performer who it was created for. Also included is the original wig stock record card with all this information and production number. The wig would be reused in 1967 by actress ‘S. Yarnell’ as written on the card however this may actually be Celeste Yarnall of Star Trek fame.

February 6, 2023August 29, 2024 by The Lucy Room Categories: Film Worn, Lucille Ball, Max Factor, MGM, Movie, Shown Worn, WigTags: Du Barry Was a Lady, Gene Kelly, Lucille Ball Worn, Max Factor, MGM, Red Skelton, Redhead, Screen Worn, wig Leave a comment

Desi Arnaz MGM Employee Registration Form

In 1943, Desi Arnaz was under contract with MGM, appearing in the war film BATAAN. This is Desi’s studio registration form completed by hand in blue ink on January 4, 1943. The document lists personal information such as address, phone number, social security number and wife’s full name. Interesting note – he wrote May 2, 1917 as his date of birth when in reality it was March 2nd. He also lists his mother Delores as a dependent too.

The reverse has information regarding his immigration status, because at this time he was not yet a naturalized US citizen. Desi applied for citizenship in September of 1942 however he would not be officially naturalized until October 1943. Both sizes of this form is signed twice by Desi, including his full name.

October 15, 2022August 29, 2024 by The Lucy Room Categories: Desi Arnaz, Handwritten, Lucille Ball, PersonalTags: Chatsworth, Desi Arnaz, Lucille Ball, MGM, Personal Leave a comment