Lucy Arnaz Reflects on Her Parents’ Marriage
Lucy Arnaz, the daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, recently shared her thoughts regarding her father’s alleged infidelities during his marriage to the beloved actress known for “I Love Lucy.” Surprisingly, Lucy doesn’t see these claims as particularly problematic.
In a new interview with CBS Sunday Morning, the 73-year-old remarked, “People say he had a problem. I never treated him.” She seemed to shrug off the gravity of the situation, offering a candid assessment.
Lucy went on to mention, “Did he even know the names of these women? They were prostitutes.” Although she acknowledged that her father likely deceived his famous wife, she maintained that Desi genuinely loved Ball and believed she understood his shortcomings.
“He loved my mother,” Lucy emphasized. “It was a very unique and strange situation. I think that’s why she stayed with him. I don’t think she could do anything about it.” She implied that their relationship, while complicated, met both their needs in some way.
The couple wed in November 1940 and introduced some of the first modern sitcoms to American audiences, creating a legacy of laughter. Desi was a musician and bandleader long before he became Ricky Ricardo, while Ball was an aspiring actress who rapidly rose to fame as Lucy Ricardo.
Interestingly, Lucy revealed that while Ball wanted to name her daughter Susan, Desi secretly opted for Lucy on the birth certificate. The couple later welcomed a son, Desi Arnaz Jr., in 1953.
Despite their professional successes, Ball filed for divorce from Desi in March 1960 after two decades of marriage. She reportedly felt it would be better for everyone involved not to remain together.
Lucy vividly recalls the day she and her brother learned about their parents’ separation. “We were at their home in Palm Springs,” Lucy recounted. “And they said, ‘We love each other, but the husband and wife part is broken. We can’t live together anymore.'” Her brother’s innocent question, “But if it’s broken, can’t we fix it?” lingers in her memory. They were told, “I don’t think so.”
Interestingly, Lucy admitted she felt “happy” after the divorce, stating, “The truth is, they were happy after they divorced. The arguments stopped.” Both Lucille and Desi remarried later on. Desi married his friend Edith Mac Hirsin in 1963 and remained with her until her passing in 1985. He succumbed to lung cancer in December 1986. Lucille, on the other hand, married comedian Gary Morton in 1962 and stayed married until her death at age 77 in 1989.
