Desi Arnaz: Cuban-American Bandleader, Actor, and Television Pioneer

Early life

Arnaz was born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, and brought to performing at a young age. He developed a reputation as a bandleader and musician before moving into Hollywood films and radio, where his Cuban musical background helped shape his public persona.

Television career

Arnaz rose to national prominence in the 1950s through his work on television. As Ricky Ricardo on I Love Lucy, he played a nightclub bandleader and comic foil to his real-life wife. Off-screen, he and his partner developed production techniques—including the use of multiple cameras before a live audience—and co-ran a production company that helped produce and distribute television programming.

Personal life

• Marriage to Lucille Ball: Arnaz married actress Lucille Ball in 1940. The couple became one of Hollywood’s best-known pairs while working together on television; they had two children before divorcing in 1960.
• Later life: In 1963 Arnaz married Edith Mack Hirsch; the couple remained together until her death in 1985.

Death

Arnaz died of lung cancer on December 2, 1986, in Del Mar, California. He was 69 years old.