CHRISTMAS AT SUN VALLEY / DIVORCE RUMORS

December 27, 1959

The “television show” referenced in the byline was “Lucy Goes To Sun Valley” (LDCH S1;E5). 

On Sunday, December 27, 1959, The Twin Falls (ID) Times-News did a story with photos about the annual influx of celebrities, including Lucille Ball, who spend their holidays at Sun Valley. 

Charles Denton also added grist to the rumor mill about the Arnaz marriage. The title “This Week’s Lucy-Desi Rumor” implies that gossip about the couple was a regular feature of Denton’s column!

Meanwhile, also on December 27, 1959, syndicated columnist Hy Gardner mused on rumors that Lucy’s marriage was about to end. Despite Lucy’s denial, the divorce papers were issued just four months later. 

The newswire story wraps the divorce rumor in an item about Lucille Ball’s popularity in Japan. 

In Florabel Muir’s “Behind Hollywood’s Silken Curtain” column, she talks about a press party held at Desilu Studios thrown to introduce a new detective series “Miami Undercover” starring Lee Bowman and former boxer Rocky Graziano. Landlady Lucille Ball turned up to mock spar with Graziano, capturing the attention of the photographers. Except for the first two episodes, the series was shot entirely in Miami Beach, with the cast and crew lodged at the Eden Roc Hotel, where the Ricardo’s and Mertzes stayed when visiting Florida during season 6 of “I Love Lucy.”  The series wouldn’t debut until October 1961, 22 months after the party, and only lasted 38 episodes. 

Despite being December, the Airway Drive-In Theatre in St. Louis, Mo, was offering a triple bill that included Lucille Ball’s Miss Grant Takes Richmond (1949). The film was already ten years old at the time, so it was likely programmed to capitalize on Lucille Ball’s television popularity and to provide the bill with a comedy.