LUCILLE BALL Her Days of GLAMOUR & GRIT

BEFORE SHE BECAME A BELOVED TELEVISION ICON, SHE SPENT 20 YEARS AS A STRUGGLING ACTRESS

By LOUISE A. BARILE

In 1933’s Roman Scandals, Lucille Ball kicked up her heels in a circle of gorgeous women dressed alike in blonde wigs and tunics. The ancient Rome-set musical, starring comedian Eddie Cantor, marked her big-screen debut as a Goldwyn Girl. Like so many young starlets arriving in Hollywood in the 1930s, Lucille dreamed of being a movie star. Fate had other plans and for nearly 20 years, the future legend lingered on the cusp of film stardom. During that period, Lucille appeared in over 70 films in many genres, earning herself the nickname Queen of the B movies. Lucille’s mother, Dede, encouraged her daughter’s dreams from a young age. “She was a pioneer spirit,” Lucie Arnaz tells Closer of her grandmother. “You could go to her for anything, she was game for anything…

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Closer Weekly (Digital) - 1 Issue, November 13, 2023

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