Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s relationship was anything but traditional. Initially, they were both involved with other people when they first met. Their first encounter was rather innocent due to Desi Arnaz’s girlfriend being in town. However, fate brought them together at a party just days later, leading to the start of their tumultuous romance.
In the book “Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television,” author Todd S. Purdum recounts how Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz crossed paths while filming “Too Many Girls.” Despite both being in relationships with others at the time, they quickly bonded and began a relationship. Their first outing together was restrained, given Arnaz’s prior commitment. But their connection deepened as they spent more time together, eventually leading to them ending their respective relationships to be together.
Their marriage in 1940 was marked by frequent conflicts, largely due to Arnaz’s infidelities. By 1944, Ball had had enough and filed for divorce. During this challenging time, she found support from an unexpected source – Arnaz’s former girlfriend, Renee De Marco, with whom she lived briefly.
As the divorce proceedings progressed, Arnaz reached out to Ball for a farewell dinner, which ultimately resulted in them spending the night together. However, the next morning, Ball realized the gravity of the situation and hurriedly left, indicating the complexities of their relationship.
In 1953, Lucille Ball stated, “I informed you this morning that I am divorcing you,” explaining that she had to “follow through with it” despite the presence of the press at the courthouse. She then went to court, obtained the divorce decree, and returned to bed with Desi, thereby negating the breakup under California law, which mandated a one-year ban on cohabitation after a provisional decree. They affectionately read about their split in the afternoon papers and later retreated to their Desilu ranch, where Desi began spending weekends at home. “Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television” (Simon & Schuster) is now accessible for reading.
