Lucy in the Afternoon: An Intimate Memoir of Lucille Ball [Hardcover]

Jim Brochu (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the late 1980s, screenwriter and admitted Lucille Ball "freak" Brochu wrote a play he had envisioned as a vehicle for his idol. Though she turned down the part, he found himself drawn into the commedienne's inner circle. Ball's last months serve as a backdrop for this abbreviated, unrevealing biography, which retraces familiar ground with an emphasis on the star's wisecracks. Brochu chronicles his infatuation with Ball; after meeting her, he virtually rearranged his life to accommodate a daily rendezvous. Brochu succeeds in capturing the star's high spirits, yet, disappointingly, the book is little more than a collection of remembrances of days passed pleasantly, with backgammon and easy banter, in each other's company. Photos not seen by PW. Literary Guild selection; author tour.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Diehard Lucille Ball nuts are the likely readers of this corny star biography. Brochu, an admitted I Love Lucy freak, was 14 when he saw his heroine in a Broadway play and apparently never got over it. Years later, near the end of her life, he became a daily afternoon fixture for backgammon and conversation. Readers who can stomach Brochu's constant self-aggrandizement--the book actually opens and closes with his dreams about Lucy--will come away with some interesting stories about her phenomenal rise on TV, marriage to and breakup from Desi Arnaz, and relationships with co-stars ranging from Bob Hope to Richard Burton. There's no denying that Ball was a pioneering force in TV comedy; it's too bad that this "special friend's loving tribute" is so fawning.
- Kevin Sweeney, Chicago
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 271 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow & Co; 1st edition (April 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688086462
• ISBN-13: 978-0688086466
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,374,644 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #60 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( B ) > Ball, Lucille

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Very touching, but not accurate at all, October 15, 2000

By 

Chandani - See all my reviews

This review is from: LUCY IN THE AFTERNOON (Paperback)

The first time I wrote a review for this book, I gave it 5 stars.However, this book is the least accurate of all the Lucy book I have read, and I have read a lot. While I was reading it, I noticed that some of the things Mr. Brochu said about Lucy directly contradicted with her autobiography. I didn't think much of it at the time, but then I went to Luie Arnaz's website. She distinctly said that this book was not accurate at all and to skip it.Then everything started to fall into place. This is as much of a cartoon of Lucy's life as anything. Yes, it's touching, but what good is touching if it's not true? Everytime I think about the fact that Mr. Brochu so plainly lied, it infuriates me to tears. If you want to know the REAL Lucy, skip this book. Go staright to her own touching, candid memoirs, "Love, Lucy."

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not endorsed by Lucie Arnaz....Skip it!, March 4, 2009

By 

a viewer "a viewer" (antioch, tn United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: LUCY IN THE AFTERNOON (Paperback)

I bought this in hardcover when it first came out in 1990. Having pulled it off the bookshelf, I reread it again recently and had forgotten that there are indeed many, many, inacuraccies in this book. The author, who claims to be the most avid Lucy fan ever made one big mistake in this book. In referring twice to the "William Holden..L.A. at Last" episode on "I Love Lucy" he says she dumped a platter of spaghetti on him. Any TRUE Lucy aficionado who has seen this episode hundreds of times would know that Lucy did NOT dump a plate of spaghetti on Holden. She bumped into a waiter who was carrying a tray of "creme deserts" and it was her bumping into the waiter that caused the waiter to dump the desert tray on him. You'd think the author would know this as any "true" Lucy devotee does.

Another thing, he comes across crass and vulgar and makes it sound as though he was the ONLY friend Lucy had during the last few months of his life. It seems odd that she would allow him to spend every afternoon with her......just very weird stuff. The guy himself looks like a creepy boogeyman.

Lucie Arnaz does NOT endorse this book on her website. She advises to skip it. As there is nothing new here to add to the Lucy legend, my advice is to follow Lucie's advice.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jim Brochu hits the funnybone in a great way!, December 22, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: LUCY IN THE AFTERNOON (Paperback)

Jim Brochu makes you feel that you're actually sitting with him every afternoon playing backgammon and sipping Lucy's Lemonade listening to every tidbit of Lucy's life. A *MUST READ* book for _\ANY/_ Lucille Ball fan!