JUST THE PERFECT BLENDSHIP - Red Skelton, one half of a mutual admiration society between television's most famous redheads, was born this day in 1913.
While Lucille Ball and Red Skelton's most celebrated collaboration is, perhaps, "Lucy Goes to Alaska," the eighth instalment of The Lucy Desi Comedy Hour, in which Ball joins one of Red's most beloved characters, Freddie the Freeloader, at his own game, their association goes right back to the start of Skelton's career.
Red Skelton made his feature film debut in Having Wonderful Time, alongside Ginger Rogers, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and a host of RKO supporting players who never went anyplace...you know... future icons like Eve Arden, Ann Miller, and a certain brunette from Jamestown, NY.
By the time Ball received her first successful henna rinse from MGM hairstylist Sydney Guilaroff she and Skelton were ready to paint Metro red in DuBarry Was a Lady.
Red and "Red" also shared billing in Thousands Cheer, Ziegfeld Follies, The Fuller Brush Girl and the television special Swing Out Sweet Land, before their final on-screen appearance together at the 1986 Emmy Awards where Ball presented Skelton with the Governors Award.
What's your favourite Lucille Ball-Red Skelton collaboration?
#lucilleball#redskelton#tvpioneers#comedy#comedians#ilovelucy#thelucydesicomedyhour#dubarrywasalady#havingwonderfultime#thefullerbrushgirl#ziegfeldfollies#MGM#sydneyguilaroff#gingerrogers#evearden#freddiethefreeloader#lucygoestoalaska#classictv#classicfilm#tcm#oldhollywood#oldhollywoodglamour#thelucylounge
Film legend Ginger Rogers was born on this day in 1911. Ginger was one of Lucy’s closest and long-lasting friends in show business. In an illustrious, Academy Award-winning career that spanned decades, Ginger starred in 73 movies and Lucy appeared in five of them. Their relationship dated back to 1935’s Roberta, which Ginger starred in with Fred Astaire and Irene Dunne and Lucy had the unbilled role of a model. To keep Ginger’s domineering mother Lela from interfering on her daughter’s sets, RKO established a training program for young contract players at the studio and installed Lela as the head. Lucy was one of the initial students and Lela was impressed with Lucy’s versatility, likening it to Ginger’s. Lucy considered Lela to be like a second mother and Lucy and Ginger became extremely close friends. Only a few weeks apart in age, the two travelled together, played games together, and double dated together. Lela’s maiden name was Ball, so Lucy and Ginger started calling each other “cousin.” Lucy was cast in two other Astaire-Rogers classics, Top Hat and Follow the Fleet, with her role becoming bigger with each film. Lucy played Ginger’s best pal in 1937’s Stage Door, which Lucy considered to be her big break. Lucy, Ginger, and many Stage Door veterans reunited to make Having Wonderful Time, which had a fun location shoot. Ginger later guest starred in one of the most loved Here’s Lucy episodes “Ginger Rogers Comes to Tea,” in which the two ladies and Lucie Arnaz did a memorable Charleston number. Lucy and Ginger remained close for the rest of their lives and, in later years, had houses right across the street from each other in the Palm Springs area.
Do you have a favorite of the five films Lucy appeared in with Ginger?
#lucilleball#gingerrogers#roberta#tophat#followthefleet#stagedoor#havingwonderfultime#hereslucy#gingerrogerscomestotea#fredastaire#oscarwinner#palmsprings#lelarogers#rko#luciearnaz#lanaturner#birthdaycelebration#charleston#thelucylounge