Laughs, Luck...and Lucy: How I Came to Create the Most Popular Sitcom of All Time (with Lucille Ball Audio CD) [Hardcover]

Gregg Oppenheimer (Author), Lucille Ball (Author)

Book Description

Series: Television | Publication Date: December 1996

Half a century after its debut, "I Love Lucy" remains the most popular and influential sitcom phenomenon in TV history. Jess Oppenheimer, "the brains" of "I Love Lucy," gives us an insider's view of this groundbreaking show, generously interspersed with actual recordings of classic Lucy performances--including her famous "Vitameatavegamin" routine. Sounding much like an episode of "Lucy" itself, Oppenheimer weaves a wonderfully entertaining tale of the creation of this landmark show. Lucy aficionados will also delight in his personal accounts of stars such as Desi Arnaz, William Frawley, Vivian Vance, and of course, Lucille Ball. Read by three-time "I Love Lucy" veteran Larry Dobkin, and featuring comedy performances by Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Gale Gordon, Hans Conried, Bea Benaderet, Frank Nelson, and more! Published in hard cover as "Laughs, Luck...and Lucy: How I Came to Create the Most Popular Sitcom of All Time."

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Laughs indeed as Jess Oppenheimer charts his rise from radio station gofer to inventor of the sitcom, as he winds up writing--then producing--Lucille Ball's show, first on radio, then on television. Luck, too, as the author recounts the good fortune that has him, within minutes of arrival in Hollywood, sitting down at a lunch counter and getting a tip that secures a job within days and a career for life. Ironic, too, that this inveterate TV writer had to be cajoled for years to set down these Hollywood heyday memoirs. He never finished, and it was left to son Gregg to complete the book. All this, plus a reproduced Lucy script, and a CD-ROM filled with famous sketches!

From The New Yorker

If you love Lucy, you'll love this book (and CD). --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 312 pages
• Publisher: Syracuse University (December 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0815604068
• ISBN-13: 978-0815604068
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #932,937 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #27 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( B ) > Ball, Lucille

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Behind the Scenes of the Best TV Show Ever, May 2, 2004

By 

E. Warner (Long Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Laughs, Luck...and Lucy: How I Came to Create the Most Popular Sitcom of All Time (with "I LOVE LUCY's Lost Scenes" Audio CD) (Paperback)

I'd like to start with a clarification: this book is not a biography of Lucy, it is the creator's (Jess Oppenheimer) memoir. As such, there are many parts of the book that have nothing to do with Lucy, including episodes from Oppenheimer's childhood and young adult life.

However, this is still a GREAT book! It is well-written and full of entertaining annecdotes. "Laughs, Luck, and Lucy" follows Oppenheimer's slow rise to the top in the Hollywood radio industry. He describes Lucille Ball's program, "My Favorite Husband," which became the basis for "I Love Lucy." The book also includes some behind the scenes information about the making of "I Love Lucy."

The included audio cd is fun because it has clips from both "I Love Lucy" and "My Favorite Husband."

If you are only interested in information specifically about Lucille Ball, this might not be the book for you (try her autobiography, "Love, Lucy"). However, if you (like me) are fascinated with everything surrounding "I Love Lucy" and the Hollywood entertainment industry of the 1940s and 1950s, this is a great read!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the best book on the best television show, February 8, 2000

By 

Laura (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Laughs, Luck...and Lucy: How I Came to Create the Most Popular Sitcom of All Time (with "I LOVE LUCY's Lost Scenes" Audio CD) (Paperback)

I've read many books about Lucille Ball, I Love Lucy, and other members of the cast. I have to say, they've all bored me except for this one, and I'm a diehard "I Love Lucy" fan. It starts off as an autobiography of Jess Openheimer, but ends up explaining in great detail the wonderful show he produced. You'll learn a lot about Lucille Ball, other cast members, and the making of the series. It's a great book for real I Love Lucy fans.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A gripping read, October 26, 2003

By 

M. Holley - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Laughs, Luck...and Lucy: How I Came to Create the Most Popular Sitcom of All Time (with Lucille Ball Audio CD) (Hardcover)

The best "Lucy" book yet. Aside from providing amazing insight into the "I Love Lucy" show and behind the scenes, this book also makes the reader feel as if he has been right along side Jess Oppenheimer throughout all of his fascinating experiences in San Francisco and early Hollywood. By the time I finished the book, I felt like I was saying good-bye to an old friend. Laugh out loud funny and impossible to put down, the book is brilliantly written and feels like a hilarious conversation with a genious.