We can’t say that many of our readers were alive on this date 70 years ago, but nonetheless, a major point in history occurred. It was the first time audiences saw the real-life marriage of a one Lucille Ball with her endearing, though philandering husband, Cuban orchestra leader, Desi Arnaz on television together in the launch of I Love Lucy. The date was Oct. 15, 1951. Today is National I Love Lucy Day, and some of us here at AY About You are way invested in this topic. 

 

 

The once-mousy brown Ball wowed audiences as a redhead who at age 40 — and that was O-L-D then — gave birth to Little Ricky in a television first; being pregnant was not discussed at the time; Ricky said she was “‘specting.” The episode where she gave birth was the highest-rated episode of the series and one of the most-watched television events ever. This was before color television, before more than three networks, and when many homes didn’t even have a television set. That’s the kind of popularity this sitcom attracted. Plus, it was the first television show recorded before a live studio audience, and it was shot with 35-mm film and not 16-mm film that was used in the day. 

 

 

IMDb gathered a list of the highest-rated I Love Lucy episodes. And no, the chocolate factory was NOT number 1. Here’s the list: 

 

The 10 Highest Rated Episodes Of I Love Lucy (According To IMDb)

  1.  “Lucy Does A TV Commercial” (Vitameatavegamin)
  2.  “Hollywood At Last” 
  3.  “Job Switching” (the chocolate factory episode)
  4.  “Lucy’s Italian Movie”
  5.  “The Great Train Robbery” 
  6.  “Lucy And John Wayne”
  7.  “The Freezer”
  8.  “Lucy And Superman”
  9. “Lucy and Harpo Marx”
  10.  “Ethel’s Hometown” 

 

 

What’s your favorite I Love Lucy memory? 

 

Photos courtesy CBS. 

 

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