Lucille: The Life of Lucille Ball (Paperback)

by Kathleen Brady (Author) "The fiftieth anniversary of the debut of I Love Lucy offers an opportunity to explore a question that was not adequately addressed in the first..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, Lore Lucy, Lucy Ricardo (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Featured mainly in B-movies in the 1930s at RKO, leading lady in several MGM films in the '40s, Lucille Ball was never a "star," but she became the Queen of TV with I Love Lucy, first aired in 1951. In this evenhanded, serious look at America's beloved comedienne, Brady describes how, under Buster Keaton's tutelage, Ball developed her talents, and how her husband's womanizing led her to conceive the TV series "because it would keep Desi at home." Brady's biography is a narrative roller coaster veering from heartache to terror to triumph as she depicts Ball as actress, wife, mother and producer. The terror occurred during the McCarthy era, when she was investigated-then cleared-by HUAC. Desi Arnaz is shown as an astute businessman who, in tandem with his wife, became successful enough to buy the studio where their series was produced, Desilu Studios. Ball's outrageous behavior after her last series, Here's Lucy, ended in 1974 and her struggle against aging are recounted in doleful detail. Ball died in 1989 at the age of 78 but, as Brady remarks, "Lucy Ricardo" achieved eternal life. Fans will appreciate the profusion of I Love Lucy lore and trivia. Brady is co-chair of New York University's Biography Seminar. Photos.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
More than 40 years after the show's premiere, I Love Lucy reruns on television still attract a devoted following. Because of this interest, more than half a dozen books have been published during the past 15 years about the show itself or about Ball and husband Desi Arnaz. As a result of Brady's focus on Ball, more time is spent with her lesser-known (but hardly undocumented) film career, and the I Love Lucy show doesn't appear until halfway through her narrative. Still, there's not a lot of difference between this book and Warren G. Harris's Lucy & Desi (LJ 9/1/91) or Coyne Steven Sanders and Tom Gilbert's Desilu (LJ 1/93). All three books present the same basic facts, and all are well researched and well written. Buy only according to demand.
John Smothers, Monmouth Cty. Lib., Manalapan, N.J.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 424 pages
• Publisher: Billboard Books (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823089134
• ISBN-13: 978-0823089130
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #442,666 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Loving Lucy, but not the book..., July 16, 2002

By	James Hiller (Beaverton, OR) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The Lucille Ball in Kathleen Brady's book, "Lucille: The Life of Lucille Ball" is a study of contradictions. Partly an homage to a star she clearly adores, partly an expose on Lucy's dark side, this book paints an incomplete and unsatisfying picture of America's premiere television comedianne.

The Lucy in this book comes across both as a scrappy fighter early in her career, and a hardened soul at the end of it, which may very well be true, or not. It was difficult to discover the viewpoint of Lucy that the author was trying to take. At times, it was clearly injected with personal opinions and commentaries not warranted in the biography of someone else's life, both glowing and scandalous. And whereas the majority of the book takes up the years of Desilu's powerhold on the television industry, from I Love Lucy to Star Trek, it shortchanges both her early career and later career, almost as insignificant bookends to her highest pinnacle in the 1950's. Certainly, Lucy had a full, complete life, only some of which is shown here.

However, there were some parts I did enjoy. Lucy's less-than-impressive movie career which eventually gave birth to her TV persona was interesting, as you root for her to make the transition earlier. Her undying devotion to Desi in the early years, despite mutual fits of jealousy and rage, made for a deepening look at their marriage. And the occasional parts that show her softer, kinder side were warm to read.

Which leads to this thought. Clearly Lucy is loved country wide; were we ready to learn some negative things about the woman we cherished? Certainly not unknown, nor surprising to anyone who's read other things. The issue perhaps comes in balancing all viewpoints to present a clearer one, rather than being all over the board haphazardly.

As for Lucie and Desi Arnaz, Jr.'s objections to the book were clear to me as I read through to the end. Kathleen Brady seemed to have a personal vendetta against these two, as she paints them very unfavorably as spoiled Hollywood rich kids. Nary a kind word was said about these two, which leads me to think they offered no assistance in creating this book, so a price was paid for their silence.

In the end, I did not feel closer to Lucy than I had before reading this. I may suggest grabbing a bowl of popcorn, putting up your feet, and watching some classic episodes of I Love Lucy, to remember Lucy the way she wanted us to remember her, with a smile and a laugh.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite book about my favorite commedienne, September 4, 2003

By	Matthew Spady "800rsd" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Lucille: The Life of Lucille Ball (Hardcover)

When I was ten and heard that Lucy and Desi were divorcing, I was devastated. No one in my little village had ever divorced, and I did not know anyone who knew anyone who had. So, Lucy and Ricky, who were interchangeable in my mind with Lucy and Desi, were the first people I "knew" who took that drastic step. I couldn't figure out how they could be so happy on TV and still want to split.

A few years later, when Lucy returned to television, along with Ethel, rechristened as Vivian, I kept longing for DesiRicky to show up. Of course he didn't. Later, I saw some of her early movies and became one of the three people in the US who loved her on the screen as Mame. Even though I appreciated her skill and talent, for me, she was always Lucy Riccardo. Somewhere along the line, though, I realized that Lucille Ball was more complex than her TV counterpart.

Of the half-dozen books I've read about Lucy, which include the newly-released "Ball of Fire", a couple of the books about the series, and Vance's biography, Kathleen Brady's is my favorite. She comes closest to cracking the code, finding what drove Lucille Ball to the top of her profession.

Brady treats her subject tenderly, but does whitewash the harder side of her character. Rather, she tries to bring the apparently incompatible parts of her personality together into one whole, very understandable person. As much as is possible, she succeeds.

Where she is sure of details, she gives them. Where she is not, she offers alternate possibilities, for example, the unknown cause of Ball's paralysis that sent her home from NY and to bed for months or, on the more humorous side, exactly what happened the night that Tallulah Bankhead decided to disrobe during a production meeting of the LucyDesi Comedy Hour.

Well-researched and well-written, this is mandatory reading for any die-hard Lucy fan and an excellent choice for anyone who intends reading only one book about America's most famous comedienne.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting, but not very accurate, October 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Lucille: The Life of Lucille Ball (Paperback)

This is not the best book ever written about Lucille Ball, and although I found it a very interesting read, I can't say that it was all that accurate. I'm not the only one who feels that way. Lucie Arnaz, daughter of Lucy and Desi, has said her self that this is not the most accurate account of her mother's life, and I have to agree with her. For example, the part about Lucy having no memory of her father is not true at all, because in her memoirs Lucy vividly recalled her father tossing her into the air and catching her while she screamed with glee. The topless photo does not much resemble her and some things are just plain absurd. As Lucie said, either Ms. Brady didn't check the facts thoroughly or the people who she talked to made things up.If you want an accurate, honest account on the amazing life of the TV goddess, then you really shouldn't read this book. The best thing to do is read Lucy's own memoirs, "Love, Lucy." All in all, this book was an interesting read, but not very accurate.