Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz: When America's Favorite TV Couple Divorced for Real
Behind the laughter of 'I Love Lucy' was a marriage destroyed by alcoholism and infidelity
Key Facts
What Happened
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were America's sweethearts. Their CBS sitcom 'I Love Lucy' (1951-1957) was the most-watched television program in the country, with over 60 million viewers tuning in weekly to watch Lucy Ricardo scheme and Ricky Ricardo exasperate. The show was groundbreaking — it was the first to show an interracial couple (Ball was of English-Irish descent, Arnaz was Cuban), the first to show a pregnant woman on television, and the first to be filmed before a live audience using the three-camera setup that became the industry standard.
But the real marriage behind television's perfect couple was coming apart. Arnaz's alcoholism escalated throughout the 1950s, and his womanizing was an open secret in Hollywood. Ball later testified in court that married life with Desi was 'a nightmare' and that 'he drank and he gambled, and he went around with other women.' The couple tried to hold the marriage together for the sake of the show and their two children, Lucie and Desi Jr., but by 1960 the pretense was unsustainable.
Ball filed for divorce on March 4, 1960, in Santa Monica Superior Court. The divorce itself was relatively straightforward, but the business dissolution was revolutionary. Ball and Arnaz had co-founded Desilu Productions, which by then was one of the largest independent production companies in Hollywood, owning the former RKO Studios lot and producing multiple television series. The question of who would control the studio was far more consequential than the personal divorce.
In 1962, Ball bought out Arnaz's shares in Desilu for a reported $2.5 million, becoming the first woman to run a major Hollywood production studio. Under her leadership, Desilu produced 'Star Trek' and 'Mission: Impossible.' She sold the company to Gulf+Western/Paramount in 1967 for $17.5 million. The business outcome of the Ball-Arnaz divorce was arguably more historically significant than the personal one — it demonstrated that a woman could not only survive divorce but could use it as a launchpad for unprecedented professional achievement.
Legal Breakdown: Community Property
Dividing a Jointly Owned Business
The most complex asset in the Ball-Arnaz divorce was Desilu Productions. When spouses co-own a business, divorce requires either: (1) one spouse buying out the other, (2) selling the business and splitting proceeds, or (3) continuing to co-own (rare and usually disastrous). Ball chose the buyout route, paying Arnaz $2.5 million for his half. The lesson: business valuations during divorce are critical and often contentious. What the business is worth today versus its future potential can result in very different numbers.
Community Property in California
California is a community property state, meaning assets acquired during marriage are presumptively owned 50/50. Desilu Productions was created during the marriage, making it community property regardless of each spouse's individual contribution. Even though Arnaz was the business mind and Ball the talent, both had equal legal claim. This principle applies to any business, investment, or asset built during marriage in community property states.
Post-Divorce Professional Reinvention
Ball's trajectory after divorce — from TV wife to studio CEO — illustrates a legal concept that courts increasingly recognize: the economic value of career sacrifice during marriage. Ball had subordinated her career ambitions to the Lucy/Desi partnership. Once free to operate independently, she demonstrated capabilities far beyond what the marriage had allowed. Modern alimony and property division frameworks attempt to account for this lost opportunity cost.
What This Means for Your Divorce
- →When divorcing a business partner-spouse, get an independent business valuation. The buyout price should reflect future potential, not just current revenue.
- →In community property states, a business built during marriage belongs equally to both spouses regardless of who did what.
- →Divorce can be a professional turning point. Ball's post-divorce career was far more impressive than what she achieved during the marriage.
- →Maintaining a civil co-parenting and professional relationship after divorce is possible — Ball and Arnaz remained friendly and even worked together on her next show.
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This article is based on publicly available court records, news reports, and legal analysis. It is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading this content.
Divorce laws vary by jurisdiction. Always consult a licensed attorney in your area before making legal decisions.