Did you know that Star Trek® almost didn't make the network? After a failed pilot, Lucille Ball not only advocated for a second pilot but circumvented the board of her production company, putting up her own money to ensure that the show had another chance.

Did Lucille Ball have something to do with Star Trek?

The actress and her studio helped bring The Original Series to life. The journey to get Star Trek: The Original Series on television was a long and arduous one, but series creator Gene Roddenberry had help from an unlikely heroine.

Does Lucy own Star Trek?

(/ˈdɛsiluː/) was an American television production company founded and co-owned by husband and wife Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball. The company is best known for shows such as I Love Lucy, The Lucy Show, Mannix, The Untouchables, Mission: Impossible and Star Trek.

Did Lucy finance Star Trek?

Star Trek coming to Fridays this fall on NBC. Contrary to any internet memes that you may have read, though, Lucy did not come out of pocket. to finance either pilot with her own money. That really wasn't necessary, but she did approve the financing of both pilots.

Did William Shatner know Lucille Ball?

Lucille Ball played a large part of William Shatner's career, and the two of them never met. Not once. Shatner played the nervous, terrified passenger of an airplane with a surprise guest on the wing that only he was privy to. This performance earned him an Emmy Nomination, and catapulted him into TV guest star heaven.

Here's How LUCILLE BALL Saved Star Trek!

What did Lucille Ball think of Star Trek?

Lucy believed in Gene Roddenberry's vision for Star Trek

Thankfully, Lucille Ball insisted the project go ahead — despite not understanding what the show was about (according to Business Insider, Ball thought it had something to do with traveling USO performers).

Did Lucille Ball buy the rights to Star Trek?

Ball and Arnaz eventually divorced in 1960, but Ball ended up buying out the remaining shares of Desilu by 1962. This made her one of the first female producers to head her own studio, and she'd use her clout to secure the rights for Star Trek.

How much was Lucille Ball worth when she died?

Lucille had an estimated net worth of $60 million at the time of her death at age 77 in 1989, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The Emmy winner, born to Henry Durrell "Had" Ball and Désirée Evelyn "DeDe" Ball in 1911, earned her first credited acting role in 1935's I Dream Too Much.

Did dod Lucille Ball produce Star Trek?

Have an account? Log in . Lucille Ball kept the Starship Enterprise in flight. The comedy icon's company, Desilu Productions, was responsible for Gene Roddenberry's original "Star Trek" series.

How rich was Desi Arnaz when he died?

Desi Arnaz—whom she divorced in May 1960—was worth $20 million at the time of his death, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Arnaz, a regular cigarette smoker, died three years before Ball on December 2, 1986, from lung cancer.

Did the cast of Lucy get along?

Did the actors who played I Love Lucy get along in real life? Aside from the marital difficulties of Lucy and Desi, the actors who played the Mertzes, Vivian Vance and William Frawley, hated each other. For one thing, there was the 20-year age difference.

Who originally owned Star Trek?

The first franchise owner, the Lucille Ball-owned studio Desilu, produced the two Trek pilots "The Cage" and "Where No Man Has Gone Before" in 1964 and 1965 respectively, and began to produce Star Trek: The Original Series in 1966.

How much did Lucille Ball make per episode?

According to Bart Andrews' 1985 book, The I Love Lucy Book, Ball and Arnaz were paid a joint salary of $4,000 per episode ($2,000 each) for I Love Lucy. The book reports that the couple originally asked for $5,000 per episode, but CBS and Arnaz agreed to $4,000 for complete rights to the show.

Why did Lucille Ball have red hair?

As it turns out, America's favorite redhead wasn't actually a redhead. Before jumping into comedy, Ball was a natural brunette, and even a blonde at one point during her early modeling days. She didn't dye it red until she landed a role in the 1943 musical Du Barry Was a Lady and then decided to keep it.

What is the most controversial Star Trek episode?

Did Lucille Ball Green Light Star Trek?

Not only did Lucille Ball green light Star Trek for Desilu when she took over the studio, she also green lit another show no one wanted: Mission Impossible.

Did Desi Arnaz go to the army?

Arnaz served two years, seven months and four days. His primary unit was the 9th Service Command, Army Service Forces. For his service during World War II, he was awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

Where is the Scary Lucy statue now?

The Lucille Ball statues are located in the Lucille Ball Memorial Park in Celoron, New York. “Scary Lucy” is located just to the west of “Lovely Lucy.” Celoron is a village that sits on the western boundary of the city of Jamestown in southern Chautauqua County, New York.

What did Desilu have to do with Star Trek?

Desilu Productions, also credited as Desilu Studios, was the production company that started the Star Trek franchise with the production of the, initially, unaired 1964 pilot television episode "The Cage", and the Star Trek: The Original Series television series which began airing in September 1966.

Who inherited Lucille Ball's money?

When she died in 1989, she split her estate between her two children, Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill and Desi Arnaz Jr., and her second husband, Gary Morton.

How much older was Lucille Ball than her husband?

They weren't your typical Hollywood couple: Ball was nearly six years older than her husband (a gap so taboo at the time that she reportedly lied about her birth year on their marriage certificate); Arnaz was Cuban.

Why did Lucille Ball leave her husband?

Lucy filed for divorce in 1944, over issues with Desi's heavy drinking and cheating, according to People. Desi was also gone a lot on tour and, when he was home, he would be out late while Lucy had to be up early for work. The two eventually decided to work things out.

Who gets the money from I Love Lucy reruns?

That negotiation is widely considered one of the smartest business decisions in the history of American entertainment, as Desilu Studios went on to invent the concept of the “rerun” and use profits from the I Love Lucy show syndication to fund the growth of the studio.

Did Desi Arnaz become a US citizen?

It wasn't until Arnaz became a naturalized citizen in 1943, that he opted to have his name officially changed to Desi Arnaz. Foreign nationals who served with the US military were not required to become citizens, but service did facilitate citizenship if the individual wanted to pursue it.

Why was I Love Lucy cancelled?

After six seasons, Ball decided to end the series, feeling that the show had enough episodes for syndication. Ball opted to continue on television under the provision that her two children, Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr., agreed to appear alongside her.