What does it say about the state of network television that a sitcom from the 1950s was more diverse and progressive than about seventy percent of the shows on NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX? Whatever that may be, the world of comedy owes a large debt to Lucille Ball for refusing to act in I Love Lucy unless her husband, Desi Arnaz, was allowed to portray her on-screen husband as well. And what we got was a mishmash of hokey, old-fashioned husbandry and some Cuban stereotypes. But it was all in good fun. Never was there a better straight man than Ricky Ricardo, I believe. He also might be the only character to ever be involved in a blooper that was part of the episode. Oh, fine...
Ricky Ricardo: Lead character on I Love Lucy portrayed by Desi Arnaz.
He was great fun playing as the always-exasperated husband of the constantly up to something Lucy!
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