TV GUIDE: TV IS 50!

May 6, 1989

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz appeared on the cover of TV Guide (vol. 37, No. 18, #1884) on May 6, 1989 celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Television.  

Lucy and Desi share the cover with: 

Mary Tyler Moore, Georgia Engel, and Valerie Harper on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” ~ A sitcom that showed a modern, independent woman in the workplace. Lucile Ball did Moore’s variety show, and Valerie Harper was a chorus girl in Lucy’s Broadway debut in Wildcat (1960). 

John F. Kennedy Jr. saluting his father’s casket on November 25, 1963 ~ which also happened to be his third birthday.  President Kennedy was the destination when “Lucy Visits the White House” (TLS S1;E25) just eight months before the iconic photo was taken. On the show, an off-screen voice provided Kennedy’s famous New England accent. 

Bill Cosby & Keisha Knight-Pulliam of “The Cosby Show” ~ In 1968, former Emmy-winner Bill Cosby presented Lucille Ball with an Emmy.

Neil Armstrong Walking on the Moon on July 20, 1969 ~ In “Lucy Becomes an Astronaut” (TLS S1;E6) aired on November 5, 1962 Lucy and Viv spend 24 hours in a simulated space ship as part of a “Women in Space”.  On October 11, 1971 “Lucy and the Astronauts” (HL S4;E5) Harry takes Lucy along to a NASA splash-down, but before the astronauts can be medically cleared, Lucy has kissed them forcing Lucy and Harry to join the space travelers in isolation.

Carroll O’Connor as Archie Bunker of “All in the Family” ~ The advent of socially-aware sitcoms all but signaled the death knell of Lucille Ball’s family-friendly situation comedy. Ironically, both were products of CBS.  The National Comedy Center in Lucy’s hometown of Jamestown, New York, has both iconic shows (and characters) side by side in their display case of famous comedy costumes.  

Alan Alda, Mike Farrell and Harry Morgan in “M*A*S*H” ~ another CBS show that had a long run, and record viewership. Coincidentally, “I Love Lucy” was on the air during the Korean War (1950-53) during which the series took place.  Lucille Ball often employed Alan Alda’s father, Robert Alda. She also employed Harry Morgan on the hit Desilu show “December Bride” (1954-59).

The inside article about Lucille Ball is titled “The Day Lucy Set Fire To Her Nose” by Lawrence Eisenberg. It includes a photo of Ball and William Holden from “Hollywood at Last!” (ILL S4;E16). 

“The Moments You Can Never Forget” naturally includes the birth of Little Ricky on January 19, 1953.  The photo, however, is not from the episode aired that day, but from “The French Revue” (ILL S3;E7). 

“Our TV Hall of Fame” includes Lucille Ball, the Queen of Comedy.  The photo is a rare color photo from behind the scenes of “Lucy’s Italian Movie” (ILL S5;23) in 1956.