The Cabinet of Lucy Ricardo: Lucille Ball's Star Image

Abstract

While most film stars either resisted collaborating with television in the 1940s and 1950s, or were prohibited from appearing on TV by their studio contracts (aside from occasional guest spots), many radio, vaudeville, and nightclub personalities were ready to exploit the medium, as were a number of non-star film performers who possessed identifiable images. Almost every radio and vaudeville personality involved in early television had also made film appearances in the 1930s and 1940s, but, at best, they remained co-stars (Jack Benny, George Burns, Gracie Allen), supporting actors (Milton Berle, Eve Arden, Jackie Gleason), or non-narrative specialty performers (Paul Whiteman), just like their non-star film colleagues (Martha Raye, Ann Southern, Stuart Erwin, Audrey Meadows). One thing television seemed to offer all these performers was a second chance to become mass audience, audiovisual stars-a combination only film could provide before this time. Most of the early television performers achieved stardom conservatively by reproducing their radio, vaudeville, and film personalities in the new medium: Eve Arden's dry-witted radio Connie Brooks (already Mildred Pierce's Ida in a classroom) became television's Our Brooks; Ann Southern's Susie (Private Secretary) was one more in a long line of shrewd Trade Winds Girl Fridays; Martha Raye's aggressive, roughhousing big mouth film image was transferred intact to The Martha Raye Show; while Gracie Allen's zany Miss Allen character moved from vaudeville to film to radio to television with little alteration. However, a few performers from vaudeville, radio, and film found it more difficult to take this straightforward, conservative route to televisual stardom, as their previous success depended on multiple characters or images. Jackie Gleason solved the problem by displaying his comedy and musical talents in a variety show format, adding and subtracting characters from show to show (Ralph Kramden of The Honeymooners was developed in this manner). For Lucille Ball the task was more formidable, as she brought to television a film image that combined glamour, earthiness, musical ability, wit, and slapstick talents, as well as a popular radio role as a screwball wife (Liz Cooper, My Favorite Husband, CBS, 1948-51). But while Ricardo of I Love Lucy