Lucille Ball: The Darling of Hollywood

By Phin Upham

One of the most storied careers in Hollywood belongs to Lucille Desiree Ball, a native New Yorker who rose to become one of television’s greatest icons. Most people know her as the star of the show “I Love Lucy”, but Ball’s career really began in 1929.

She had landed work as a model, after spending time at the John Murray Anderson School for the Dramatic Arts. She’d studied in the same classrooms as Bettie Davis, but in her words, all she’d learned was “how to be frightened”. When she was 19, she became the Chesterfield Cigarette girl, and she began getting chorus work on Broadway. She even performed in a few small films under the name “Diane Belmont” throughout the 1930s and 40s.

It was during that time in her life that she met the first man she would marry, Desi Arnaz. They eloped in 1940, beginning Lucille’s rise to becoming a television star. I Love Lucy premiered in 1951, and is still in syndication. It became one of the most endearing programs in American television history. For twenty years, the two remained a couple and grew both of their presences in Hollywood.

Then, in 1962, Lucille Ball became the first woman in history to run a television studio, “Desilu Productions”. Thanks to Desilu, Star Trek and Mission Impossible saw the light of day.

She died at the age of 77 in 1989, having won four Emmy awards and a lifetime achievement award throughout her career. She is fondly remembered by people of all ages.

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About the Author: Phin Uphamis an investor at a family office/ hedgefund, where he focuses on special situation illiquid investing. Before this position, Phin Upham was working at Morgan Stanley in the Media and Telecom group. You may contact Phin on his Phin Upham website orTwitter page.