Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were actually married in real life, as well as on stage. They got many of the shows storylines from actual life experiences of their marriage. Most of the situations were built around common misunderstandings. Later, after many shows, which Arnaz ran, he and Ball emerged together and created "Desilu" Production Company. It eventually turned into a Hollywood giant during the era. In all, "I Love Lucy" ran for nine years, which over that span won more than 200 awards, including five Emmys. Still today, it's never gone out of syndication. Sadly, Lucille Ball died on April 26, 1989, at the age of 77.
There were several aspects/impacts that made "I Love Lucy" unique. First and foremost, CBS took a big chance in airing a show which featured for the first time an inter-enthic marriage. (Lucy, the redhead and the Cuban bandleader Desi Arnaz) In the beginning, the producers disliked the idea because they were afraid to effect the sensibility of the American audience, which at this time was very conservative.
Second, the producers insisted that "I Love Lucy" be filmed in Hollywood rather than New York. The show was filmed, which made it possible to have high quality prints of each episode. This lead to the development of syndication.
Third, "I Love Lucy" was filmed before a live studio audience, which was a first of any kind. This didn't come widespread until the 1970's. But the audience loved it, and thought of it as a good change.
Finally, "I Love Lucy" invented the technique of using three cameras simultaneously. This allowed for editing, and eventually became the standard for sit-com productions. The technique laid the foundation for the future shows which repeated the process.
The genre of "I Love Lucy" is situational comedies. Concerning James Cheseboro's scheme, "I Love Lucy " best fits the Mimetic type of communication, because the main characters intellect is equal to the audience. Plus, there is a minor rule violation, which is allowed by guilt. The accidental circumstances are explained, and they all become wiser in the end of the show.
The overall critical reaction was that "I Love Lucy" became an immediate success story. It was the top-ranked program of the year for many years, and was the first ever to be seen by an audience of more than 10 million households. On Monday evenings, most other activities in the U.S. came to a stop. It was also the first time a show was able to really capture audiences of all generations, from young to old.
"I Love Lucy" has an outstanding global appeal, and Lucille Ball's face has been given "the most recognized face in history." The series achieved heights of popularity unmatched even by Milton Berle in the early days or by any later comedy show on American television.
In closing, a 1995 survey revealed, it was estimated that over a half million people are still watching "I Love Lucy" on international syndication every week.
BLH9712@uncwil.edu