Desi Arnaz News

Had Lucy's family stayed in Trenton, history might have been very different, but the Garden State stayed peripherally involved the Queen of Comedy's life and work.

The National Comedy Center, the nation's first museum and visitor experience dedicated to the comedic arts, announced today that Sebastian Maniscalco and John Mulaney will headline the 2019 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, August 7th -11th. Tickets for their performances will go on pre-sale for National Comedy Center members only -- starting Wednesday, February 20th at Noon ET at www.ComedyCenter.org.  

Bid to win 4 Tickets to I Love Lucy: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom, a special one-night-only live radio theater performance on Sat, March 2, 2019, 7:00 pm in Beverly Hills, CA!

The National Comedy Center will celebrate the centennial year of legendary comedy innovator Ernie Kovacs with the acquisition and display of never-before-seen material and rare artifacts courtesy of the comedian's estate. The acquisition and exhibit were announced today – on Ernie Kovacs' 100th birthday – by the National Comedy Center and Kovacs estate executive Josh Mills.

The National Comedy Center will celebrate the centennial year of legendary comedy innovator Ernie Kovacs with the acquisition and display of never-before-seen material and rare artifacts courtesy of the comedian's estate. The acquisition and exhibit were announced today - on Ernie Kovacs' 100th birthday - by the National Comedy Center and Kovacs estate executive Josh Mills.

The Actors Fund announced today that television favorites Sarah Drew (Grey's Anatomy) and Oscar Nuñez (The Office) will portray Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in I Love Lucy: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom by Gregg Oppenheimer, on Saturday, March 2 (7pm) at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills. All proceeds from this one-night-only live radio theater performance will benefit The Actors Fund's programs and services.

Actress, Singer and Comedienne Kaye Ballard died today, January 22, 2019, peacefully at home in Rancho Mirage, CA at age 93 after a brief illness.

I LOVE LUCY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL, a new one-hour special featuring two back-to-back colorized episodes of the classic series, will be broadcast Friday, Dec. 14 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

One sure sign of a troubled musical is the inability to recall a single tune from the twenty listed in the show's program immediately following the performance. But that's not all that needs adjusting in Pegasus Theatre's ambitious new work, THE CUBAN AND THE REDHEAD, onstage at the Charles W. Eisemann Center for the Performing Arts through September 30th.

Renowned actress and singer Linda Purl, best known for 'Happy Days', 'Matlock' and 'The Office' will make her solo cabaret debut at Feinstein's 54 Below on September  4th and 5th with her sensational new show 'Big Band Romance' featuring the all- female Diva Jazz Orchestra.

Pegasus Theatre presents The Cuban and the Redhead, a new musical about Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, with book, music and lyrics by Robert Bartley and Danny Whitman. Tickets are on sale now.

Gianni Valenti, the music world's gift to New York City, has created another venue for the performing arts. Jim Caruso made it official last night as he introduced Lucie Arnaz, who with her longtime friend and music director Ron Abel thrilled a celebrity filled opening night audience.

On Thursday, July 12th, Hollywood maven and powerhouse, Donelle Dadigan, (Co-Founder of the Jose Iturbi Foundation/President & Founder of The Hollywood Museum, Chairman of The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce) invited a select group of VIPs for an evening of dinner and a concert at The Hollywood Bowl as the Los Angeles Philharmonic presented an evening of Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No.2 under the stars with Behzod Abduraimov on piano and conductor, Gustavo Dudamel.

Sarah Drew (Grey's Anatomy) and Oscar Nuñez(The Office) will portray Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in the world premiere of I Love Lucy: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom by Gregg Oppenheimer. Five performances will take place July 12 through July 15 at the James Bridges Theater, located on the campus of UCLA, where L.A. Theatre Works will record Oppenheimer's hilarious behind-the-scenes account in front of a live audience for future radio broadcast, digital download and online streaming.

On May 20, The Camelot Theatre in Palm Springs previewed an incredible new documentary, 'The Show Goes On', about the life and career of Broadway, Film and Television Icon Kaye Ballard to a 'more than full house'. In fact, two theatres were opened for the screening since demand far exceeded the number of seats in the main house. With her typically self-deprecating humor, Ms. Ballard proclaims herself 'The Greatest Star You Hardly Knew', and the beautifully constructed 90 minute film details her extraordinary accomplishments from Broadway's 'Carnival', 'The Golden Apple', 'Molly' and 'Pirates Of Penzance' to her stellar nightclub, film and television career including 'The Doris Day Show' and the beloved and  iconic 'Mother's In Law' with Eve Arden. It highlights the extraordinary talents of Ms. Ballard and doesn't shy away from the disappointments and challenges along the way, featuring interviews with Woody Allen, Carol Channing, Hal Prince, Carol Burnett, Michael Feinstein, Joy Behar and more. Hal Prince boldly states 'if Kaye Ballard had been cast as the mother in 'Gypsy,' 'she would have made history.' I had the chance to visit with Ms. Ballard at her home on 'Kaye Ballard Lane' in Rancho Mirage (the home formerly owned by her friend and TV director, Desi Arnaz) to talk about the film and more. Here are a few excerpts from the conversation:

The National Comedy Center will celebrate its grand opening with appearances by Amy Schumer, Lily Tomlin, Saturday Night Live original cast alumni including Dan Aykroyd and more, coinciding with the annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, August 1st -5th in Jamestown, New York.

Back by popular demand, Lucie Arnaz actress, singer, dancer and Emmy Award-winning daughter of Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz returns to Feinstein's at the Nikko with her acclaimed show, Latin Roots, for two performances only Friday, February 23 (8 p.m.) and Saturday, February 24 (8 p.m.).

I LOVE LUCY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL, a new one-hour special featuring two back-to-back colorized episodes of the classic series, will be broadcast Today, Dec. 22 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

I LOVE LUCY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL, a new one-hour special featuring two back-to-back colorized episodes of the classic series, will be broadcast Today, Dec. 22 (8:00-9:01 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

I LOVE LUCY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL A New One-Hour Special Featuring Two Episodes of Classic Series To Rebroadcast 12/24