Back in 1933, in the film Roman Scandals, Lucille Ball dazzled audiences as she danced around with a group of glamorous women, all adorned with blonde wigs and ancient Roman tunics. This was no ordinary film—it was a musical comedy featuring the legendary comedian Eddie Cantor and marked Lucille's big-screen debut as one of the Goldwyn Girls. Who would have thought that this was just the beginning of an incredible journey?
From Aspiring Actress to Queen of B Movies
Like many young starlets who flocked to Hollywood in the 1930s, Lucille Ball had dreams that reached for the stars. She wanted nothing more than to become a movie star. But as fate would have it, her road to stardom was far from straightforward. For almost two decades, Lucille hovered just below the radar of true film stardom. During this time, she graced the silver screen in over 70 films across various genres, earning herself the nickname "Queen of the B Movies." It was a title that spoke to her versatility and tenacity, but it also hinted at the challenges she faced in breaking through to the A-list.
The Early Years: A Mother's Encouragement and a Leap of Faith
Lucille’s journey wasn’t just about talent and hard work; it was also about the unwavering support she received from her mother, Dede. Lucille's daughter, Lucie Arnaz, fondly recalls her grandmother as a "pioneer spirit" who was always ready to lend a helping hand. "You could go to her for anything," Lucie says. "She was game for anything and she had a great cackling laugh that could light up any room." It was this encouragement that propelled Lucille to take the leap when she heard about an opportunity to join the Goldwyn Girls in Los Angeles. Without hesitation, Lucille called her mother, who simply said, "Do it." And so, Lucille packed her bags and headed west, ready to chase her dreams.
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At the time, Lucille was making ends meet as a model and Chesterfield cigarette girl in New York City. But when the call came for her to audition for the Goldwyn Girls, she knew it was her chance to break into the world of entertainment. Her mother's support gave her the confidence she needed to take that bold step.
Starting Small: The Early Struggles of a Future Legend
In her early film appearances, Lucille often didn’t have any lines. She would simply stand in the background, a pretty face in the crowd. "She would hang around the studio, so she’d be on hand when someone said, ‘Hey, we need a pretty face to stand there,’” explains Sarah Royal, author of A.K.A. Lucy: The Dynamic and Determined Life of Lucille Ball. "She became like a chorus member in the background." But Lucille wasn’t discouraged by these small roles. In fact, she embraced them wholeheartedly. "I loved being part of the business," Lucille once said. "I would have swept floors just to be in it."
Her determination didn’t stop there. Lucille sought out mentors to guide her, including Lela Rogers, the mother of Ginger Rogers, who ran an acting workshop on the RKO lot. Under Lela’s tutelage, Lucille learned not only how to impress decision-makers but also how to speak properly and expand her understanding of character. "Lela took the dungarees off us and put us into becoming dresses," Lucille recalled. "She made us read good literature to improve our English and expand our understanding of character." It was through these lessons that Lucille honed her craft and began to develop the skills that would eventually make her a household name.
Comedy and the Search for Stardom
While Lucille had a natural knack for comedy, not everyone recognized her potential. She appeared in comedies with The Three Stooges and The Marx Brothers, but her career didn’t quite catch fire. "She could have been a great star of the silent era," notes Kathleen Brady, author of The Life of Lucille Ball. "But after sound came in the late 1920s, studio heads insisted that actresses be beautiful and glamorous. They couldn’t take pratfalls." Despite this, comedian Buster Keaton saw something special in Lucille and brought her to Columbia Pictures. There, she got the chance to showcase her comedic talents in films where she performed all sorts of wild stunts, like getting caught in a mudslide, jackhammering a foundation, and hanging from a clothesline. These films may not have set the country ablaze, but they demonstrated what Lucille was capable of.
For Lucille, comedy was never just about making people laugh. It was about being an actress first and foremost. "What she really cared about was that she was an actress—that was a real calling to her," Brady explains. "She said, ‘I am an actress who has learned to execute in a comedic way what my writers write for me.’" Even when she was taking pies to the face or performing slapstick routines, Lucille approached her work with the seriousness of an artist.
The Pursuit of the Silver Screen
Lucille’s ambition didn’t stop at small roles or B-movies. She aspired to be a leading lady, and she wasn’t afraid to go after the big parts. It’s rumored that she was among the thousands of women who auditioned for the role of Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind. Although she didn’t land the role, she did have the opportunity to co-star with legends like Fred Astaire in Follow the Fleet and Henry Fonda in The Big Street. Film expert Ben Mankiewicz considers The Big Street, Lured, and especially Stage Door, with Katharine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers, among Lucille’s best film performances. "She’s funny. She’s smart," he says. "Ironically, she’s the one who goes and gets a husband!"
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From Movies to Television: A New Chapter
If not for her meeting and eventual marriage to Desi Arnaz in 1940’s Too Many Girls, Lucille might have continued to pursue movie stardom. But with the birth of their children and her desire to start a family, she turned her attention to radio and the burgeoning medium of television. And the rest, as they say, is history. I Love Lucy catapulted Lucille to international fame, making her one of the most beloved stars of her time. Yet, despite her success on TV, Lucille never lost her desire to be a movie star. "She came from a generation who believed that to be a great star, you had to be a movie star," film expert Robert Osborne notes. Lucille hoped her starring role in the 1974 musical Mame would be her triumph. "That was the movie that in her mind might win her an Academy Award and make her a movie star," Osborne adds. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen, but Lucille never gave up. "One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged," she said. "Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself."
