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Desi Arnaz

Source: bangthebox.net

Desi Arnaz was a Cuban-American musician, actor and television producer. He gained international renown for leading the Latino music band, the Desi Arnaz Orchestra. In addition to his music career, he is best known for his role as Ricky Ricardo on the classic American TV series I Love Lucy, starring opposite his real-life wife, Lucille Ball.

In 1940 Arnaz moved to Hollywood to appear in the movie version of the musical Too Many Girls at RKO, which starred actress, comedienne, and future wife Lucille Ball. On October 15, 1951, after starring in a string of films in the 1940s, Arnaz produced and starred in the premiere of I Love Lucy, in which he played a fictitious version of himself, Cuban orchestra leader Enrique "Ricky" Ricardo. When he was not portraying Ricky Ricardo, Arnaz performed at, and later own, the Tropicana Club which, under his ownership, he renamed Club Babalu.

With Lucille Ball, Arnaz later founded Desilu Productions. Although Arnaz was told that it would be impossible to allow an audience onto a sound stage, the determined Arnaz worked with his cameraman Karl Freund to design a set that would accommodate an audience, allow filming, and also adhere to fire and safety codes. In addition to I Love Lucy, Arnaz also produced The Lucy Show, Our Miss Brooks, The Andy Griffith Show, The Untouchables, and Star Trek TOS.

• Born: Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III March 2, 1917 Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
• Died: December 2, 1986 (aged 69) Del Mar, California, US
• Cause of death: Lung cancer
• Occupation: Actor, musician, producer
• Years active: 1936–1982
• Spouse(s): Lucille Ball (m. 1940; div. 1960) Edith Mack Hirsch (m. 1963; her death 1985)
• Children: Lucie Arnaz (born 1951) Desi Arnaz, Jr. (born 1953)
• Parent(s): Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha II (1894–1973) Dolores de Acha (1896–1988)
• Relatives: Alberto de Acha (grandfather)

Read more about Desi Arnaz at Wikipedia or at the Internet Movie Database

• For television
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