Lucie Arnaz

Lucie Désirée Arnaz (born July 17, 1951) is an American actress, singer, and producer.[1][2][3]

Lucie Arnaz
Arnaz at the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, 2013
Born
Lucie Désirée Arnaz

(1951-07-17) July 17, 1951
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationActress, singer, dancer, producer
Years active1963–present
Spouse(s)
Philip Vandervort Menegaux
(m. 1971; div. 1976)

Children3
Parent(s)Desi Arnaz
Lucille Ball
RelativesDesi Arnaz Jr. (brother)
Fred Ball (maternal uncle)
Desiderio Alberto Arnaz II (paternal grandfather)

Early life and education

Lucie Arnaz was born and raised in Los Angeles, the daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and is the sister of actor Desi Arnaz Jr.[4][5][6][7] She lived for a few years in New York City when she was 10 years old, and attended St. Vincent Ferrer School, along with her brother, and attended the Roman Catholic Immaculate Heart High School.[8]

Career
Arnaz, her mother Lucille Ball, and her brother Desi Jr., in Here's Lucy, 1968

Television

Having had walk-on roles on her mother's television series The Lucy Show, Arnaz made her acting debut in a continuing role in the series Here's Lucy from 1968 to 1974. She played Kim Carter, the daughter of the eponymous Lucy—who was played by Arnaz's real-life mother, Lucille Ball.[2][9][10]

Arnaz branched out into television roles independent of her family from the mid-1970s. In 1975, she played murder victim Elizabeth Short in an NBC telefilm of Who is the Black Dahlia?,[11] [12] and she starred with Lyle Waggoner and Tommy Tune in Welcome to the "World," The Wonderful World of Disney special commemorating the grand opening of Space Mountain at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.[13] In 1978, she appeared in an episode of Fantasy Island [14] as a woman desperately trying to save her marriage. She has continued to make appearances in a number of popular television series over the years, including Murder, She Wrote, Marcus Welby, M.D., Sons and Daughters (CBS, 1991),[15] and Law & Order.

Arnaz also had a short-lived series of her own, The Lucie Arnaz Show, on CBS in 1985. The reviewer for The New York Times described the show as "the always ingratiating Miss Arnaz as a psychologist who not only writes an advice column, but also takes calls from listeners on her own radio program."[16][17][18]

Another eponymous series, this one a late-night-style talk show, aired for one season from 1995 to 1996. It was unsuccessful, but The Rosie O'Donnell Show would use the same format a year later to much greater success, prompting Arnaz's agent to pitch a revival that would not be picked up.[19]

She won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Special, in 1993 for her documentary about her parents, Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie.[3][20][21][22][23]

Theatre

Arnaz has had a lengthy career in musical theatre. In June 1978 she played the title role in Annie Get Your Gun at the Jones Beach Theatre on Long Island, New York.[24] This was the first production at Jones Beach Theatre after the death of longtime producer Guy Lombardo.[25] In 1981, she played the lead female role in Educating Rita at The Cape Playhouse in Dennis, Massachusetts.[26][27]

She made her Broadway debut in February 1979 in the musical They're Playing Our Song.[28] Arnaz won the Theatre World Award [29] [30] and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Sonia Walsk. In 1986, she won the Sarah Siddons Award for her tour with Tommy Tune in the international company of the musical My One and Only.[31][32]

She has numerous other theater credits, both in the United States and abroad: Seesaw (first national company, 1974[33]), Whose Life Is It Anyway?, The Guardsman (Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, New Jersey, January 1984[34]), The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True (Concert at Lincoln Center, 1995, televised[35][36][37]), Sonia Flew (Coconut Grove Playhouse, Florida, April 2006[38]), The Witches of Eastwick (London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, June 2000[39][40]), Vanities (Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 1976 as "Kathy"[41]), Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers (Broadway[42]), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Broadway, May 23, 2006, to September 3, 2006[42]), and Terence McNally's Master Class (Seacoast Repertory Theatre, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, April to May 1999[43]).

In 2010, Arnaz performed (along with Raúl Esparza and Valarie Pettiford) in and directed Babalu: A Celebration of the Music of Desi Arnaz and his Orchestra. A Miami, Florida performance was given in July 2010.[44]

She toured in Pippin in 2014, playing the role of Berthe, the title character's grandmother.[45] She appeared on Broadway in Pippin, from October 9, 2014 to November 9, 2014.[46][47]

Film

Arnaz made feature-film appearances, including The Jazz Singer (1980) in which she co-starred with Neil Diamond and Laurence Olivier.[48] She earned a nomination for the 1981 Golden Globe Award, Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture.[49]

Other works
  • Arnaz was a Trustee on the Board of The American Theatre Wing for 15 years (1999–2014).
  • In October 2008, Arnaz and longtime family friend, Hollywood columnist and Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne participated in a tribute to Arnaz's mother, Lucille Ball, at the Paley Center For Media in New York City.[50] The program, "Lucie and Lucy: Lucie Arnaz Shares Treasures From The Family Video Collection," included a discussion between Osborne and Arnaz about Ball, and also focused on Ball's last long-running series, Here's Lucy (which was celebrating its 40th anniversary), as well as several of Ball's television specials and guest appearances during the 1970s, which Arnaz had recently donated to the Paley Center for Media.

Preserving Lucille Ball's legacy
  • From about 2002 to 2007, Arnaz was the president of the board of directors of the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center in Jamestown, New York. She resigned over a dispute with the executive director over the future direction of the Center.[51][52]
  • Arnaz appeared live on stage in Jamestown at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts on August 3, 2012, to promote the Lucille Ball Festival of New Comedy in which new comedians are invited to perform. She gave tribute to both her parents and expressed a desire to further expand the Festival of New Comedy and expand the Jamestown, New York, Lucy Fest. Comedians who performed at the 2012 Festival of New Comedy included Billy Gardell, Paula Poundstone and Tammy Pescatelli.[53][54][55] She gave the history behind the Lucy-Desi Museum and Lucy-Desi Playhouse, and the 2011 birthday centenary for Lucille Ball (which was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest number of people dressed like Lucille Ball in one place at one time).
  • At that time, Arnaz announced intent to start using the recently renovated Jamestown Train Station to further the mission and vision of the Lucille Ball Festival of New Comedy. Lucie Arnaz praised and appeared on stage with the new executive director of the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center and applauded her work and dedication to the festival. This work culminated in the opening of the National Comedy Center in Jamestown on August 1, 2018.[56]

Personal life

Arnaz has married twice, to divorced actor Philip Vandervort Menegaux (July 17, 1971-April, 1976) and actor-writer Laurence Luckinbill (June 22, 1980 – present).[4][57][58] Luckinbill and Arnaz live in Palm Springs, California.[59]

Arnaz has three children together with Luckinbill: Simon, Joseph and Katharine Luckinbill.[60] Luckinbill has two sons from his previous marriage: Nicholas and Benjamin Luckinbill.

Arnaz attended an all-girls Catholic high school mainly because of its good drama program.[60] She is a member of the Unity Church.[61]

Stage

Filmography

Television

Sources: Archive of American Television;[68] Internet Movie Database[69]

References
  1. "Lucie Arnaz Broadway" playbillvault.com, accessed December 5, 2015
  2. "Lucie Arnaz Overview" tcm.com, accessed December 5, 2015
  3. "'Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie' Overview" tcm.com, accessed December 3, 2015
  4. "Lucie Arnaz Biography (1951–)" filmreference.com. Retrieved on 2011-11-12
  5. "Lucille Ball Biography, Encyclopedia of Television" museum.tv, accessed December 8, 2015
  6. Wire Services. "Southland : Family Bids Lucy a Private Farewell" Los Angeles Times, May 1, 1989
  7. Heckman, Don. "Arnaz the actress – in a show that sings" Los Angeles Times, November 11, 2004
  8. Zeigler, Todd. "Lucie Arnaz Brings Musical Legacy To Silks In The Bluegrass" The Voice-Tribune, April 17, 2014
  9. Here's Lucy on IMDb
  10. Here's Lucy at TV.com
  11. "'Who is the Black Dahlia?' Overview" tcm.com, accessed December 3, 2015
  12. "'Who is the Black Dahlia?' Overview" The New York Times, December 9, 2015
  13. scottnj1966 (6 March 2014). "Space Mountain Grand Opening Celebration 1975 "Welcome to the World"" – via YouTube.
  14. "'Fantasy Island: Anniversary; Reunion' (TV)" paleycenter.org, accessed December 4, 2015
  15. Zurawik, David. "'Sons and Daughters' goes from bad to worse" Baltimore Sun, January 4, 1991
  16. O'Connor, John J. "2 Sitcoms: 'Lucie Arnaz' And 'Hail to the Chief'", The New York Times, April 9, 1985, p. C16, ISSN 0362-4331
  17. Margulies, Lee. "Lucie Throws Her Series Into The Ratings Ring" Los Angeles Times, April 17, 1985
  18. Margulies, Lee. "'Jeffersons' Out Of Cbs Lineup" Los Angeles Times, May 8, 1985
  19. "Oh, Mama, another talker looms in Vicki's future". Daily News. July 5, 1996. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  20. Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie" imdb.com, accessed December 3, 2015
  21. Dunne, Susan. "Lucie Arnaz To Present 'Lucy And Desi: A Home Movie'" Hartford Courant, May 22, 2013
  22. King, Susan. "Retro : Lucy's Candid Camera : Documentary Shows Revealing Footage of Ball and Arnaz, Family and Friends" Los Angeles Times, February 14, 1993
  23. Marin, Rick (11 February 1993). "Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie". Variety.com. Variety.
  24. Shepard, Richard F. "Annie Get Your Gun Presented at Jones Beach Theater" The New York Times, July 3, 1978
  25. "Jones Beach Theatre History" limusichalloffame.org, accessed December 3, 2015
  26. Klein, Alvin. "Theater. A Rip-Roaring 'Annie Get Your Gun'" The New York Times, May 31, 1987
  27. "Summer Theater Circuit" The New York Times, August 21, 1981
  28. They're Playing Our Song at the Internet Broadway Database
  29. Simon, Neil. Introduction" They're Playing Our Song, Samuel French, Inc., 1980, ISBN 0573681058, p. 3
  30. "'They're Playing Our Song' Broadway" Playbill (vault), accessed December 3, 2015
  31. No author. "'My One And Only' Taps Into Town With Tommy Tune, Lucie Arnaz". Chicago Tribune. November 17, 1985
  32. "Awardees" Archived 2016-12-24 at the Wayback Machine sarahsiddonssociety.org, accessed December 3, 2015
  33. Altman, China. "Lucie Arnaz, Doing It Her Way" People, Vol. 1 No. 12, May 20, 1974
  34. Emblen, Frank. "New Jersey Guide. Lucie and Laurence" The New York Times, January 8, 1984
  35. "'The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True' Credits" allmusic.com, accessed December 3, 2015
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  37. Robinson, Mark. "10 Wickedly Wonderful Musicals Inspired By 'The Wizard of Oz'" playbill.com, October 30, 2015
  38. Jones, Kenneth. "Show Goes On: Coconut Grove's 'Sonia Flew', With Arnaz, Starts April 19" playbill.com, April 17, 2006
  39. Simonson, Robert and Paddock, Terri "Report: Arnaz Joins Crawford in West End 'Witches of Eastwick'" playbill.com, January 19, 2000
  40. Wolf, Matt. "Review: 'The Witches of Eastwick'" Variety, July 20, 2000
  41. Kataora, Mike. "'Vanities' To Premiere In PS" Desert Sun, December 3, 1976
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  44. "Review-Desi Arnaz tribute 'Babalu' sizzles at the Arsht". Miami Herald. Associated Press. July 9, 2010. Retrieved July 17, 2010.
  45. Gioia, Michael. "Lucie Arnaz Will Swing from Pippin's Trapeze on Tour" playbill.com, July 28, 2014
  46. Gioia, Michael. "Lucie Arnaz Swings Into Broadway's 'Pippin' Tonight" Archived 2015-12-08 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, October 9, 2014
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  48. The Jazz Singer (1980) at AllMovie
  49. "Winners and Nominees : Lucie Arnaz". GoldenGlobes.com. Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  50. The Paley Center announcement: Tuesday, October 28; 6:30 pm; Panelist: Lucie Arnaz; Moderator: Robert Osborne, Host, Turner Classic Movies.)"2008 Annual Report. Lucie & Lucy: Lucie Arnaz Shares Treasures From the Family Video Collection. p. 17" paleycenter.org, accessed December 4, 2015
  51. "Jamestown Update: Morris Resigns". Lucyfan.com. January 4, 2002. Retrieved 2013-12-21.
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