DOWNBEAT

May 6, 1953

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz appeared on the cover of DownBeat (Volume 20, no. 9) on May 6, 1953.   The writing across the black and white photo implies that Desi Arnaz is America’s most famous bandleader – but not available. This was likely due to his hectic schedule on television. 

DownBeat was established in 1934 in Chicago, Illinois. In September 1939, the magazine announced that its circulation had increased from “a few hundred five years ago to more than 80,000 copies a month”, and that it would change from monthly to fortnightly from the following month. In April 1979, DownBeat went to a monthly schedule for the first time since 1939. In 1953, DownBeat wasn’t a magazine in the traditional sense, but a folded newspaper that often used one color print on the cover and front page. In this case, the color for the week was green.  Because it was essentially newsprint, back issues are very rare, and often in very poor condition.  Sadly, there were no images of the inside article about Desi Arnaz on page three that is promised on the cover. 

In “Men Are Messy” (ILL S1;E8) filmed on October 25, 1951 and aired on December 3, 1951 Lucy learns that a photographer is coming over. She assumes he is from HalfBeat magazine, a musician’s rag. HalfBeat is actually a veiled reference to the popular DownBeat. Unfortunately, after Lucy sabotages the photo shoot by pretending to be a hillbilly, she learns from mess cat Ricky that the photographer is not from Half Beat, but from prestigious Look magazine!  Uh oh!   

Two years later, Lucy and Desi would make the covers of both Look and DownBeat in real life!  It is curious that the real DownBeat name could not be used. It is likely that CBS was not able to get clearance from the publishers.  It did lead to some confusion by life-long reader Desi Arnaz…

When Lucy and Ricky BOTH answer the phone (it is on the line) Ricky has to listen, while Lucy has to repeat his words into the mouthpiece to convey the message to Kenny, his press agent. Desi Arnaz stumbles over the words, struggling to remember that for the show, DownBeat has been changed to HalfBeat. Lucille Ball imitates his broken English (”Febreeary” and “‘splain”) but does not repeat his bloopers! When Desi has to say the name of the magazine again later in the episode, he also momentarily trips over his words.

The words emblazoned across the top of the issue about Nat (King Cole) being stricken, are more fully explained on the first page. Cole had to withdraw from a concert tour with Sarah Vaughan due to bleeding ulcers. He took time to tell the waiting audience at Carnegie Hall what had happened before going directly to the hospital.  

When this magazine hit the stands, America was still talking about the most recent adventures of Lucy and Ricky in “The Indian Show” (ILL S2;E24), which had aired two days earlier. 

Lucille and Desi, on the other hand, where deep in rehearsals for “The Camping Trip” (ILL S2;E29), which was filmed on May 8, 1953, and would air exactly one month later.