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Watch "Ames Brothers - Forever Darling - 1956" on YouTube

#Lucille Ball #Desi Arnez #The Ames Brothers #Forever Darling #James Mason #Title Song #Film #Youtube

SELLING ‘FOREVER’

March 2, 1956

Linn and Scruggs was located at 161 North Main Street in Decatur, Illinois. They opened in 1924 and closed in 1970. The marquee of the Lincoln Theatre (mentioned in the ad) can be seen on the left, with an illuminated sign saying “It’s Cool Inside” to promote their air conditioning.

Although Forever Darling had premiered on February 2, 1956, it was slowly rolled out to theatres across the country over the ensuing months. Ball and Arnaz had promoted the film via a cross-country train tour with stops in Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York City, and Ball's hometown of Jamestown, New York. The film opened at the Loew's State Theatre in Manhattan, where the newlywed couple had performed their first vaudeville act in 1941. Programmers at Radio City Music Hall, where their Long, Long Trailer had premiered, refused to let the film open there because they found it sub-standard. The film received mixed critical reception.

In addition to fashions, Lucy and Forever Darling also pitched a jewelry line...

...and even sold automobiles!

#Forever Darling #Lucille Ball #Desi Arnaz #1956 #Linn and Scruggs #Decatur Illinois #Lincoln Theatre #Dodge #James Mason

HE STILL LOVES LUCY

February 12, 1956

This year Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz are celebrating their 16th Valentine's Day as husband and wife. Although their marriage has had its ups and downs, they are considered one of Hollywood's happiest couples, on screen and off. When I asked Lucille to explain this happy state of affairs, she said. "That's easy. Desi is the boss, at work and at home."

She offered proof, too. When she had wanted them to live at their Chatsworth ranch, Desi preferred to buy a house in Beverly Hills so they're now living in Beverly Hills! He also keeps her on a strict allowance, in spite of their substantial income. And meals are prepared with Desi's taste in mind, and vacations taken when he can get away.

To keep the record straight, I also asked Desi what he thought was responsible for all those happy Valentine's Days. He considered a sense of humor highly important. To illustrate, he told me that Lucille can't go to sleep at night unless the windows are wide open, even though he complains he "freezes to death."

"Lucy lets me close the windows and I go to sleep," he said, "but no sooner do I doze off than she opens them again. And then I freeze the rest of the night. To take this for 15 years, you have to have a sense of humor!"

Considering how their backgrounds differ, it's amazing how well they have adjusted to one another. Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III is the son of a former mayor of Santiago, Cuba, the grandson of one of his country's heroes who rode with Teddy Roosevelt, and a descendant of one of Cuba's oldest families. Lucille's father was a mining engineer and her mother a hat buyer for a New York department store. (**)

While Desi divided his time between three ranches totaling 100,000 acres, a palatial home in the city, a cruiser, and a racing stable, Lucille worked as a soda jerk, a model for a wholesale dress company, and a chorus girl in Ziegfeld's "Rio Rita."

They met in Hollywood in 1940 where they co-starred in RKO's "Too Many Girls." Lucille had established herself as a first-rate comedienne while Desi, after fleeing Cuba during the 1933 revolution, had made a name for himself as a band leader. They soon realized they had more in common than either had expected.

Lucille's Irish temper was a perfect match for Desi's fiery Latin disposition. Each was stubborn enough to like to see things through, and both shared a common interest in show business and show people. They were married Nov. 30, 1940, in Greenwich, Conn.

Skeptics said their marriage wouldn't last, that "I Love Lucy" would never be a success, and that their own film productions would never make money. But the marriage has been one of Hollywood's brightest, "I Love Lucy" is among television's Top Ten, and MGM has just released their new independent film, "Forever, Darling," in which they co-star with James Mason.

All in all, there seem to be many more happy Valentine's Days ahead for Mr. and Mrs. Desi Arnaz.

(**) = It appears that Lucille was still embroidering her family history for the press. Early in her career she said that her father was a mining company executive and that she was born in Butte, Montana. In reality, her father Henry Ball worked for Bell Telephone as an itinerant lineman and she was born in Jamestown, New York. Her mother, Dede, was a housewife and sometimes was described as a concert pianist, but there is no evidence that she was a hat buyer for a New York department store.

#Lucille Ball #Desi Arnaz #1956 #Forever Darling #Valentine's Day #Family Weekly #Asbury Park Press #I Love Lucy

FOREVER GIMBELS!

February 8, 1956

Gimbel Brothers was founded by Adam Gimbel opened in 1887 and went out of business in 1987. It’s New York City store opened in 1910.

Their flagship store in Herald Square held a long-standing rivalry with neighbor Macy’s. Gimbels NYC store had three basement levels where customers could find deep discounts thereby creating the first ‘bargain basement.’ The term has since entered popular culture. Gimbles was mentioned several times on “I Love Lucy”.

When “Lucy and Ethel Buy The Same Dress” (ILL S3;E3) in 1953, Ethel says she got her dress at Macy’s, while Lucy got hers at Gimbels.

In “The Fashion Show” (ILL S4;E19) in 1955, Ethel states that she’s more comfortable in Gimbels basement than at Don Loper’s salon.

The store was also mentioned when Lucy and Desi guest-starred on “The Danny Thomas Show” in 1959.

Ricky Ricardo: “Do you know what Lucy could buy at Macy’s alone?” Danny Williams: “What?” Ricky Ricardo: “Gimbels!”

Forever, Darling premiered in Lucille Ball’s hometown of Jamestown, New York, the previous evening, February 7, 1957. They then head directly to New York City to appear at Gimbels and to do promotion on television programs.