When Lucille Ball registered to vote in 1936 and 1938, she listed her party affiliation as Communist.Â
To sponsor the Communist Partyâs 1936 candidate for the California State Assemblyâs 57th District, Ball signed a certificate stating, âI am registered as affiliated with the Communist Party.â The same year, she was appointed to the State Central Committee of the Communist Party of California, according to records of the California Secretary of State. In 1937, Hollywood writer Rena Vale, a self-identified former Communist, attended a Communist Party new membersâ class at Ballâs home, according to Valeâs testimony before the United States House of Representativesâ Special House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), on July 22, 1940. Two years later, Vale affirmed this testimony in a sworn deposition:
âWithin a few days after my third application to join the Communist Party was made, I received a notice to attend a meeting on North Ogden Drive, Hollywood; although it was a typed, unsigned note, merely requesting my presence at the address at 8 o'clock in the evening on a given day, I knew it was the long-awaited notice to attend Communist Party new members classes ⊠on arrival at this address I found several others present; an elderly man informed us that we were the guests of the screen actress, Lucille Ball, and showed us various pictures, books, and other objects to establish that fact, and stated she was glad to loan her home for a Communist Party new members class.â ~ Rena Vale
On September 4, 1953, Ball met privately with HUAC investigator William A. Wheeler in Hollywood and gave him sealed testimony. She stated that she had registered to vote as a Communist âor intended to vote the Communist Party ticketâ in 1936 at her socialist grandfatherâs [Fred Hunt] insistence. She stated she âat no time intended to vote as a Communistâ.
Ball stated she has never been a member of the Communist Party âto her knowledgeâ ⊠[She] did not know whether or not any meetings were ever held at her home at 1344 North Ogden Drive; stated⊠[that if she had been appointed] as a delegate to the State Central Committee of the Communist Party of California in 1936 it was done without her knowledge or consent; [and stated that she] did not recall signing the document sponsoring Emil Freed for the Communist Party nomination to the office of member of the assembly for the 57th District.
Immediately before the September 11, 1953, filming of âThe Girls Go Into Businessâ, Desi Arnaz, instead of his usual audience warm-up, told the audience about Lucy and her grandfather. Reusing the line he had first given to Hedda Hopper in an interview, he quipped:Â
âLucy has always had a clear conscience about this. She has never been a Communist, and whatâs more, she hates every Communist in Hollywood. The only thing red about Lucy is her hair, and even that is not legitimate.â
The moment was recreated in the TV bio-film Lucy (2003) starring Rachel York as Lucy and Danny Pino (above) as Desi.
The studio audience gave Lucy a rousing round of applause, and in December of that year the âI Love Lucyâ cast was invited to perform at the White House, President Dwight Eisenhower thereby confirming her innocence.
The day after the filming, the Arnazes held a press conference at their Chatsworth Ranch. When asked about the damage to her career, Lucille Ball answered, âI have more faith in the American people than that. I think any time you give the American people the truth theyâre with you.â
TV Guide columnist Dan Jenkins stood up and said âWell, I think we all owe Lucy a vote of thanks, and I think a lot of us owe her an apology.â Lucy and Desi walked over to where Jenkins was standing and gave him a huge hug. Jenkins later said, âFrom that time on, we were very good friends.â Â
FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover said in a 1956 interview that Lucy and Desi were among his favorite stars. He was twice mentioned on âI Love Lucy.âÂ
One of Hooverâs fans took offense, and that letter is in the FBI file on Ball. âIâm wondering if there is not a mistake or misquote of some kind since it lists Lucy and Desi among your favorite entertainers who you think set a good example for the youth of America.âÂ
Fast forward to Lucille Ballâs sudden passing on April 26, 1989. One of the New York City television stations sent a reporter to the street in front of the Alvin Theatre (where Lucy had done Wildcat in 1960) to deliver the sad news to the metropolitan area. By this time, the Alvinâs name had been changed to the Neil Simon Theatre. The marquee, prominently visible to TV news watchers, was for a new musical called Senator Joe, which had closed in previews six weeks earlier. Its producer was accused of financial misconduct and landed in jail. Â
The one-act musical by Hair director Tom OâHorgan included Lucille Ball in its comic opera treatment of Senator âJoeâ McCarthy. Coincidentally, the theatre later hosted Cher the Musical, in which Lucille Ball was a supporting character.Â
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