Women’s History Month: Why Lucille Ball is an icon

When Lucille Ball first started acting then rose to stardom, it definitely wasn’t an easy time for women overall. Imagine what it was like in movies and television. But there’s a reason why the actress is still talked about to this day.

There’s just something so unique about Ball that can’t be explained. Even years later, her legacy remains. Not only was she a wonderfully talented actress, but she took control and steered a production company as well.

Her influence and commitment helped pave the way for women going forward. She helped inspire so many actresses of that time to show them they could do so much more. Though she had a rough start and was mostly just the star of what they called B-movies at the time, she never gave up.

Her perseverance and hard work definitely paid off and should always be celebrated. So for Women’s History Month, we’re taking a look at why Lucille Ball was definitely a star that shone bright and continues to do so today.

Why Lucille Ball is an icon

Of course we can’t talk about Ball without mentioning her hit show, I Love Lucy. The series took the nation by storm and changed television forever. That was due to her husband Desi Arnaz‘s smart approaches behind the scenes, and her talent and wit onscreen.

Even going back to the inception of the show, Ball showed just how strong she was. Though she’d been trying to break through Hollywood for years and finally received an offer that had potential, she held her ground. The network didn’t want Arnaz to play her husband on the show because they were an interracial couple. The two got what they wanted at the end, and it proved to be more than successful. When the audience watched Lucy and Ricky, it had nothing to do with race.

Though her character would break out into a cry and there are things that were socially acceptable that definitely wouldn’t fly today, the Lucy character still portrayed women in a different way. In a time where women just had to listen to their husbands, Lucy continuously tries to do what she wants and schemes up ways to do more than just be a housewife.

Another way Ball shaped television was by portraying her real life pregnancy on screen. During the time of I Love Lucy, married couples had to be seen sleeping in separate beds and the word “pregnant” couldn’t even be spoken on television. Though the network tried to avoid having Lucy pregnant on the show, Ball and Arnaz made it happen.

Desilu productions

What is probably one of her most significant contributions is the fact that she was such a successful businesswoman. She and Arnaz founded television production company Desilu Productions together in 1950. The company is known for producing some of the most famous shows like The Untouchables and Star Trek.

This made her the first woman to head a production studio. On top of that, in 1962, around two years after the couple divorced, Ball bought out Arnaz and ran the company herself for several years.

Awards

Throughout the years Ball has received multiple awards including the Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards in 1977, five Primetime Emmy Awards, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Kennedy Center Honors in 1986.

Lucille Ball was such a beauty, but she was never afraid to make a fool out of herself or act in a wacky way to get those laughs. There really is no one like Ball when it comes to physical comedy. She was a crazy talent that deserves to be celebrated during Women’s History Month, and everyday in between!