What Was Lucille Ball's Net Worth and Salary?
Lucille Ball, an iconic American comedian, actress, model, and businesswoman, had a net worth of $60 million at the time of her passing in 1989, equating to approximately $125 million today, adjusted for inflation. Ball captivated audiences in various films before finding enduring fame with the legendary television show, 'I Love Lucy.'
Lucille was a trailblazing businesswoman and the entertainment industry's first female mogul. In a historic deal, she and Desi Arnaz negotiated ownership of their show. In 1957, they sold their episodes to CBS for $4.5 million (equivalent to $40 million today) and used the proceeds to establish Desilu Productions. Lucille bought Desi's shares in the company for $2.5 million in 1962, later selling Desilu to Gulf+Western for $17 million in 1967, which is approximately $130 million today.
Early Life
Lucille Ball was born on August 6, 1911, in Jamestown, New York. She faced a tumultuous childhood, moving frequently due to her father's work with Bell Telephone. Her father tragically passed away from typhoid fever when Lucille was just three years old. Growing up under the care of strict, Puritanical grandparents, she developed a passion for performing at age twelve. She attended the John Murray Anderson School for the Dramatic Arts in New York, where she was classmates with the legendary Bette Davis. However, her early career was interrupted by a severe bout of rheumatic fever, forcing her to take a two-year hiatus.
Early Career
In 1932, after recovering, Lucille Ball returned to New York City to pursue her acting dreams, working as a Chesterfield cigarette girl for Carnegie and landing chorus work on Broadway, only to be fired quickly. She featured in 1933's 'Roman Scandals' in an uncredited role and subsequently relocated to Hollywood to become a film star. Throughout the 1930s, Ball secured numerous small roles, including films with the Marx Brothers and musicals featuring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. She starred in the play 'Hey Diddle Diddle' in 1936 and lost an audition for 'Gone with the Wind' to Vivien Leigh. Ball's significant break in films came with 'Too Many Girls,' where she met and fell in love with co-star Desi Arnaz.
'I Love Lucy'
Lucille's breakthrough came in 1948 with the CBS radio comedy 'My Favorite Husband.' The show's success led CBS to develop it for television, but Ball insisted on starring alongside Arnaz. Initially skeptical, CBS was convinced after Lucille and Desi's successful vaudeville tour. 'I Love Lucy' premiered and quickly became a phenomenon, transforming Ball and Arnaz into beloved celebrities.
'I Love Lucy' was groundbreaking, making Lucille the first woman to lead a TV production company, Desilu. The show introduced pioneering techniques like live studio audience filming. Additionally, Lucy and Desi starred in feature films like 'The Long, Long Trailer' (1954) and 'Forever Darling' (1956). Desilu would go on to produce other iconic series like 'The Untouchables,' 'Star Trek,' and 'Mission: Impossible,' solidifying their legacy in television history. 'I Love Lucy' remains one of the most influential sitcoms ever, continuing to be syndicated globally.
(Photo by CBS/Getty Images)
Desilu Productions
In 1950, Lucille and Desi co-founded Desilu Productions to produce their vaudeville act. With Ball handling creative decisions and Arnaz overseeing business operations, Desilu flourished. One key to their success was Desi's insistence on high-quality filming for syndication, making 'I Love Lucy' an affordable yet high-quality show. Owning the physical film prints turned out to be extremely lucrative.
In 1957, CBS bought back the show's 180 episodes for $4.5 million, a deal valued at roughly $40 million today. That same year, Desilu purchased RKO Studios for $6 million, establishing Lucille as the first major female production mogul in Hollywood. Desilu produced many hit shows, such as 'The Untouchables,' 'The Ann Sothern Show,' and 'Sheriff of Cochise.'
Lucille and Desi took Desilu public in 1958, growing to over 800 employees and generating over $20 million annually. Following their divorce in 1960, Ball bought out Desi's shares in 1962 for $2.5 million. She green-lit monumental projects like 'Star Trek' and 'Mission: Impossible,' further cementing Desilu's prominence. In 1967, Lucille sold Desilu to Gulf+Western for $17 million (approximately $130 million today). The company subsequently became part of Paramount Studios.
Getty Images
Life After 'Lucy'
After 'I Love Lucy,' Ball starred in the Broadway musical 'Wildcats' in 1960, which ended prematurely due to illness. She hosted the CBS radio talk show 'Let's Talk to Lucy' from 1964-1965 and continued her television career with 'The Lucy Show' (1962-1968) and 'Here's Lucy' (1968-1974). Ball also taught comedy courses at California State University in Northridge in 1979. Attempting a TV comeback, she starred in 'Stone Pillow' (1985) and 'Life with Lucy' (1986), which was short-lived. Her last public appearance was at the 1989 Academy Awards, a month before her passing from a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Personal Life
Lucille filed for divorce from Desi in 1944 but reconciled and had two children – Lucie in 1951 and Desi Arnaz Jr. in 1953. The couple finally divorced in 1960 but remained close friends. Ball married Gary Morton in 1961, staying with him until her death in 1989. Lucille stayed close to Desi until his death in 1986, visiting him a week before he passed away.
