I Love Lucy TV Show History

I Love Lucy 

I Love Lucy premiered on October 15, 1951 and aired on Monday nights at 9pm EST until its 179th episode aired on May 6, 1957. There are 181 episodes total—including the pilot episode and a Christmas special. The same cast of actors reprised their roles in thirteen hour-long Lucy Desi Comedy Hour specials that aired on CBS from 1957 to 1960. 

Principal cast members include Lucille Ball as Lucy Ricardo, Desi Arnaz as Ricky Ricardo, Vivian Vance as Ethel Mertz, and William Frawley as Fred Mertz. 

The character of Little Ricky, Lucy and Ricky Ricardo’s son, was played by six different actors over the course of the show’s run: James John Ganzer (1953), Richard Lee Simons and Ronald Lee Simons (1953), Michael Mayer and Joseph Mayer (1953-1956), and Keith Thibodeaux (1956-1960). 

I Love Lucy was nominated for 21 Emmy Awards and won 5 times:   

1. 1953: Best Situation Comedy
2. 1953: Best Comedienne, Lucille Ball
3. 1954: Best Situation Comedy
4. 1954: Best Supporting Actress, Vivian Vance
5. 1956: Best Actress—Continuing Performance, Lucille Ball