Henry Durrell Ball

September 16, 1887 – February 28, 1915

Lucille Ball’s father, Henry Durrell Ball, known as “Had” to friends and family, died on February 28, 1915, at 1am, according to his death certificate. Oddly, his death certificate lists the date as February 27, possibly due to the death occurring at 1am. 

The official cause of death was typhoid fever. He left his wife Desiree (”Dede”), and a daughter, age four, Lucille (”Lucy”). His wife was pregnant with his second child at the time of his death. His son, Frederick (”Fred”) was born in July 1915. His family is distantly related to George Washington, first President of the United States. Henry Ball was just 28 years old when he died, having been born on September 16, 1887 in Sheridan, New York. Coincidentally, this was the same year that William Frawley (Fred Mertz) was born. 

Rumors persist that Henry and Desiree also had another daughter, Ethel Madeline Mitchell (nee Ball). No tangible proof establishes the year of birth or validity of the claim. The rumor was probably motivated by the name “Ethel”. 

At the time of his passing, he was living at 126 Biddle Street, in Wyandotte, Michigan. Professionally, Ball was a lineman for the Bell Telephone Company. He took job offers that moved his family across the country, including Montana and New Jersey.  

“I do remember everything that happened,” Lucille said. “Hanging out the window, begging to play with the kids next door who had measles, the doctor coming, my mother weeping. I remember a bird that flew in the window, a picture that fell off the wall.” ~ Lucille Ball

The death of her father at such an early age had a great impact on the future queen of comedy. Throughout her television career, and the four situation comedies built around her, the “Lucy” characters had mothers, but their references to their fathers remained vague and off-screen. There are one or two anecdotal mentions of fathers, but nothing of any substance, let alone emotional resonance. 

The one notable exception is in “Lucy and Johnny Carson” (HL S2;E11). When appearing on “The Tonight Show” and playing Stump the Band, Lucy Carter chooses a song titled “Snoops the Lawyer” that she says her father sang to her when she was a child. 

Another was in “Mother of the Bride” (LWL S1;E8) in 1986, where Lucy Barker and her sister Audrey (Audrey Meadows) mention their father in a private conversation in the kitchen. 

The location of Henry’s passing, Wyandotte, Michigan, haunts early seasons of “I Love Lucy” through a framed portrait of Major John Biddle painted by  Thomas Sully (1783-1872). In 1818, Biddle (1792-1859) acquired 1,800 acres of land south of Detroit and built an estate which was later developed into the city of Wyandotte, Michigan. Lucille Ball was about a year old when her family moved to Wyandotte so that her father could take a job with Michigan Bell. Coincidentally, they lived at 126 Biddle Street. When Henry died the family moved back to Jamestown, New York, where Lucille had been born in 1911. 

The portrait of Biddle turns up again during season 5 in “Lucy Goes to a Rodeo” behind the desk of Ricky’s new agent, Johnny Clark. 

OH, HENRY!

Only minor characters in Lucille Ball series’ shared her father’s Christian name: 

• On Lucy’s radio show “My Favorite Husband” an elevator operator played by Louis Nicoletti was named Henry.

• The nearsighted waiter played by Frank Nelson in “Lucy Changes Her Mind” (”Pork chops, huh?”) was named Henry. 
• The tourist from Kansas at the top of the Empire State Building in “Lucy is Envious” was called Henry (Dick Elliott) by his wife, Martha. 
• The psychiatrist friend of Ricky’s in “The Inferiority Complex” (“Treatment, Ricky! Treatment!”) played by Gerald Mohr was named Dr. Henry Molin. 
• Ralph Dumke played Henry Opdyke in the film Forever Darling. 
• William Windom played Jerry Carmichael’s handsome History teacher Henry Taylor in “Lucy Digs Up a Date”.  Ironically, Lucy would later claim Taylor was her maiden name! 
• A teller at the Westland Bank was named Henry (Irwin Charone) in “Lucy Gets Mooney Fired.” 
• A showroom waiter played by Milton Frome in “Lucy and Donny Osmond” was named Henry. 
• A college student in “Lucy and Andy Griffith” played by Hank Stohl is named Henry. 

Like her own mother, Dede (who is said to have attended every filming of her daughter’s television shows) Lucy Carmichael, Lucy Carter, and Lucy Barker are all widows with children. Lucy Carmichael went the extra mile to be both mother and father to her children in “Lucy Becomes a Father” (TLS S3;E9) in 1964. 

“Several days later Desirée and Lucille accompanied Had’s body on the long train ride to upstate New York. On the chill, iron-gray morning of March 5, Had was buried at Lake View Cemetery in Jamestown. Lucille looked on blankly, oblivious to the glances in her direction. At the last moment, as Had’s casket was lowered into the grave, the loss suddenly hit home. The little girl was led away screaming to her grandparents’ house on Buffalo Street in Jamestown. Mother and child had no other refuge.” ~ BALL OF FIRE by Stefan Kanfer 

When Lucille Ball passed away on April 26, 1989, she was first buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood. Three years later, her children had her exhumed and moved to the family plot at Lake View Cemetery in Jamestown, where Lucy now rests with parents, as well as her brother and grandparents.
A new headstone was also created.  “You’ve Come Home”