I Love Lucy: The Complete Picture History of the Most Popular TV Show Ever - Michael McClay ... Book

We love Lucy. More than four decades after the last new episode of I Love Lucy aired, the all-time classic situation comedy is still playing somewhere in the world and making some lucky TV viewer laugh. Since its premiere on November 5, 1951, the show has been watched by more than a billion people and dubbed into dozens of languages. It set the standard by which all subsequent sitcoms have been made and measured.

Now, for I Love Lucy fans everywhere comes this ultimate tribute to the most popular series in television history. Authorized by the Lucille Ball estate and graced with an introduction by Lucie Arnaz, this complete pictorial history of every I Love Lucy episode sparkles with more than 1,000 photographs, many in full color, and draws from dozens of exclusive interviews with the show's stars and creators. As an extra bonus, author Michael McClay-who, as the son of Desilu's publicity director, literally grew up on the I Love Lucy lot-provides a real insider's view of the series and its cast, both before and behind the camera.

Lucy and Desi's is the quintessential American success story: the young girl of humble background, destined to become the nation's queen of comedy, and the youthful refugee fleeing from political persecution fall in love and become one of the most talked-about couples of the twentieth century. Their personal and professional partnership created a show that has had a profound impact on both American television and the nation. This book reveals how the show's unforgettable characters were created, what made them so popular in the 1950s, and what keeps them irresistible today. It covers the entire history of the series-including the triumphs and the tragedies-and explains what happened to the major players after I Love Lucy ceased production.

And there's more. Thirty-five classic episodes-vintage comic misadventures such as Ricky's murder plot, the audition, the TV commercial, job switching, and the expectant mother, as well as uproarious visits from guest stars William Holden, John Wayne, Harpo Marx, Bob Hope, Orson Welles, and others-are celebrated with detailed plot synopses and photo montages from exclusive production stills. Also included is a complete pictorial I Love Lucy "TV-ography": a glimpse at all 179 episodes and 13 one-hour specials that were broadcast.

For the millions who love Lucy and Ricky and Fred and Ethel, this book is an unparalleled record of the show that held an affectionate mirror to the American family-and won its place in the hearts of families everywhere and always.

Author Biography:
Michael McClay is a twenty-five year-veteran in the fields of marketing, public relations, and advertising. He has directed campaigns for Columbia Pictures, the Grammy Awards, Bob Hope Enterprises, KCET public television, Metromedia, Aaron Spelling Productions, Paramount, and Lucille Ball Productions.

The only book on I Love Lucy authorized by the Lucille Ball estate, this oversized, maginificently illustrated volume features a moving Introduction by Lucie Arnaz. A detailed history of the show, in-depth descriptions of the top 35 episodes, and a comprehensive reference section filled with facts, trivia, and a brief synopsis of every episode accompany more than 1,000 mint-condition photos, many in color.