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Post by Dramatwist on Mar 11, 2019 17:20:00 GMT -5
You remember Desi Arnaz, don't you? The husband of Lucille Ball, and the juggernaut behind the classic TV show "I Love Lucy."
Back in the 1970s, he was on a tour promoting a book he had written called "A Book, by Desi Arnaz."
He was making an appearance at Macy's in San Francisco. I grew up on "I Love Lucy" and couldn't resist the opportunity to see him.
The crowd was huge.
I had brought my Pentax Spotmatic SLR, hoping to get some good shots of him.
Out he came eventually, on a little makeshift stage... people were shouting and applauding and generally going nuts.
I made my way carefully to the front of the crowd before his brief appearance was over. I kneeled down, to get a few good shots of him.
He looked down at me, smoking his Cuban cigar, and said "Go away" in his iconic voice.
Nevertheless, I had snapped off a dozen or more pictures.
I decided to spend the rest of the day in the city and bum around. Ended up at Tower Records.
Bought a couple of LPs. Got involved in opening them, and checking them out. Took a cable car back to where I had parked.
Left the Pentax on the cable car. Was never able to recover it.
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Post by sperrytops on Mar 11, 2019 17:27:42 GMT -5
Wow, Martin. Tat must have been a disappointment. I too enjoyed I Love Lucy, in the day.
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Post by Legend Lover on Mar 11, 2019 17:31:50 GMT -5
Noooooooooooo
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Post by pepesdad1 on Mar 11, 2019 17:44:41 GMT -5
I have a picture of my father and Desi at our home back from the 50's...he always thought he was the talent in that duo...was an a**hole even then.
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Post by toshtego on Mar 11, 2019 18:00:31 GMT -5
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Post by unknownpipesmoker on Mar 11, 2019 18:05:32 GMT -5
That guy was a trip, for sure.
I knew a Cuban guy decades ago who looked and talked just like him.
Everyone called him Ricky.
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Post by Butch Cassidy on Mar 11, 2019 18:33:55 GMT -5
Never cared for that man........
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2019 19:37:19 GMT -5
Without Lucille he was pretty much a nobody who played with Al Capones son. His father was exiled in 1933 from Cuba and fled to the US.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2019 19:41:49 GMT -5
Wow, not many people get told off by Clapton and Ricky Ricardo in a single lifetime!  |
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Post by pepesdad1 on Mar 11, 2019 19:57:20 GMT -5
Well...to be fair and honest...Martin is a pretty special guy. Eric doesn't know what he is missing...and Ricky can still kiss my a s s.
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Post by roadsdiverged on Mar 11, 2019 20:08:38 GMT -5
^^^ hahaha I love it! That sucks Martin. You still have the memory though  |
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Post by qmechanics on Mar 11, 2019 20:45:13 GMT -5
Wonderful guy!! Everyone knows Desi put Lucille Ball on the map!!!😁
PS The real bummer is the camera. With the digital world around us, I hear the 35mm film cameras come cheap these days. Did you find a replacement on eBay?😁 Do you have a dark room?😁
All kidding aside, I enjoyed your story.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2019 21:00:22 GMT -5
Lucile was acting and dancing 17 years before she met whats his name.
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Post by unknownpipesmoker on Mar 11, 2019 21:09:07 GMT -5
I was always more of a All in the Family guy. Just a bit more edgy. I love Desi and Lucy, though. Just a good, wholesome TV show. Takes me back to a time... that never really existed, when you think about it.  Or maybe it did. Just not for "people like us". |
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Post by blackmouth210 on Mar 11, 2019 21:39:44 GMT -5
I once read that Ricky was responsible for a lot of innovations in the sitcom world. Some of which shaped the industry to what it is today. One, I recall, was a way to use multiple cameras to record/film the show. IDK the details...It was a decent list of contributions/ideas he pioneered. But I read that many years ago. Maybe someone else here knows more. If true, he made his mark well beyond his performance in front of the camera and was not just riding Lucille's coat tails. Edit to show I found the article. Turns out he produced the show and it was his idea to record in front of a live studio audience. Something never done before with as many as 3 cameras filming. Heres the link: www.pbs.org/wnet/pioneers-of-television/pioneering-people/desi-arnaz/ |
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Post by Dramatwist on Mar 12, 2019 2:40:34 GMT -5
Wonderful guy!! Everyone knows Desi put Lucille Ball on the map!!!😁 PS The real bummer is the camera. With the digital world around us, I hear the 35mm film cameras come cheap these days. Did you find a replacement on eBay?😁 Do you have a dark room?😁 All kidding aside, I enjoyed your story. ...as a matter of fact, Q, I picked up a near-mint Asahi Pentax Spotmatic a couple of years ago for $25... sitting on the kitchen table right now... |
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Post by Dramatwist on Mar 12, 2019 2:41:56 GMT -5
I once read that Ricky was responsible for a lot of innovations in the sitcom world. Some of which shaped the industry to what it is today. One, I recall, was a way to use multiple cameras to record/film the show. IDK the details...It was a decent list of contributions/ideas he pioneered. But I read that many years ago. Maybe someone else here knows more. If true, he made his mark well beyond his performance in front of the camera and was not just riding Lucille's coat tails. Edit to show I found the article. Turns out he produced the show and it was his idea to record in front of a live studio audience. Something never done before with as many as 3 cameras filming. Heres the link: www.pbs.org/wnet/pioneers-of-television/pioneering-people/desi-arnaz/...yeah, he was a genuine pioneer in the television industry... |
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Or maybe it did. Just not for "people like us".
