THE HEART FUND

January 31, 1950

In addition to being television’s favorite performers, Lucy and Desi were philanthropists who were well-liked in the entertainment community, as witness this January 31, 1956 praise by syndicated columnist Herb Lyon. 

By JOHN BARROW, CHICAGO (INS)

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz gave a street performance in Chicago Monday that made them yearn for home. 

The thermometer read 14 degrees and Lucy, popping her wide blue eyes, exclaimed: 

“I thought I’d freeze to death! And Desi – he’s never been so cold his life, not even in the Army. Oh, for California.” 

But a fleeting grin showed she was only kidding. The couple left their sun-kissed hacienda to help launch the National Heart Fund drive. 

Give Cold Performance 

For 30 minutes Lucy and Desi stood on the windy city’s blustery corner of State and Madison Streets. Interviewed later in their hotel suite, Desi said: “You should have seen the band shivering. The piano man played mittens.” “The clarinet player turned blue,” Lucy said. “He had to play without gloves.” 

Lucy, her copper-colored hair

peeking from beneath a wide-brimmed mink-trimmed hat, toyed with a pocket-size photo album of her four-year-old daughter, Lucie. 

Live Near Comedian 

Asked if they really have neighbors like the ones on their show, Desi said “We have neighbors alright.” 

“But they’re nothing like that,” Lucy said. “They are Jack Benny and Mary Livingston.” 

Desi said “He always says something about my playing the drums.“ 

“And we tell him about his violin,” Lucy said. “He practices all the time.”

Asked if they could play a duet, Desi gave a Latin shrug and asked “Ever hear ‘Love in Bloom’, played on bongos?” 

Two Somerset women will be among those entertained by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz at a kickoff luncheon for Pittsburgh’s 1956 Heart Fund drive. 

They are Miss Elizabeth Tims, executive secretary, Somerset County Heart Association, and Mrs. Eugene Lloyd, Somerset Borough Heart Sunday chairman.

The luncheon will be conducted February 2 at 12:30 p.m. in the terrace room of the Hotel William Penn, Pittsburgh. Dr. Andrew B. Fuller, associate professor of medicine, University of Pittsburgh and past president of the Western Pennsylvania Heart Association, will be the principal speaker. Others who will participate in the program will be Mayor David L. Lawrence and Bill Hinds of KDKA-TV.

In an appeal to the residents and business people of western Pennsylvania to support the 1956 heart fund drive generously, John R. Titzel, general chairman of the annual campaign, pointed out that the major portion of all proceeds from the drive will be used locally to combat the heart diseases through research, education and community service programs. 

The drive is sponsored by the Western Pennsylvania Heart association which is affiliated with the American Heart association. The Somerset county heart fund campaign has a goal of $8,000, which it must endeavor to reach during the month of February.

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The 1953 Heart Fund drive took the couple to Manhattan, coinciding with the premiere of The Long, Long, Trailer in December 1953. 

Lucy and Desi even incorporated the Heart Fund into their television show in “Bullfight Dance” (S4;E23) aired on March 28, 1955. 

 During June 1956, they did a tag for an episode that reminded viewers that it was heart month and to support their local heart association.

The 1956 Heart Fund drive continued in Dallas in February. 

Unconnected to matters of the heart (fund), this item, also date January 31, 1956, doesn’t seem to know that there nearly was an “I Love Lucy” movie, comprised of three episodes and behind the scene footage. MGM convinced Desilu to ‘kill’ the film after one preview, fearing the TV material would hurt their box office for The Long Long Trailer and Forever Darling.