Top 10 Things Being the Ricardos Got Factually Right & Wrong

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Things Being the Ricardos Got Factually Right & Wrong.

For this list, we’ll be looking at details from this biographical drama that remained faithful to the lives of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, as well as liberties that Aaron Sorkin took.

Did you love “Being the Ricardos?” Let us know in the comments.

Ball is remembered for Vitameatavegamin, the chocolate factory, and other classic comedy bits, but nobody was laughing when she was accused of communism. As the film suggests, these accusations stemmed from a survey that Ball took over fifteen years earlier, registering as a member of the Communist Party. According to writer and former communist Rena Vale, Ball also opened her home to a class about the party. Coming from a working-class family, Ball wanted to “appease” her socialist grandfather, Fred Hunt. By 1953, though, she was essentially a liberal Democrat. Ball convinced the House Un-American Activities Committee that she had never been a communist or voted in the party’s favor. Ball emerged from the Red Scare virtually unscathed, although she came close to losing everything.

“Being the Ricardos” notes that “I Love Lucy” was an unprecedented ratings juggernaut. Airing a total of six seasons, the sitcom was America’s most-watched TV show for four. “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” was a high point with a rating of 67.7, attracting more than 70% of U.S. TV sets. Even the rebroadcasts proved so popular that they innovated the idea of reruns. In an era before streaming, on-demand, or even tapes, people rearranged their schedules to watch “Lucy.” However, Thursday night didn’t belong to “Lucy” as the film implies. For its entire original run, the series aired on Monday from 9:00 to 9:30 PM ET. Of course, if “Lucy” did air on Thursday, we think it still would’ve dominated.

Before ruling the small screen, Ball was the “Queen of the Bs.” Like Marie Windsor, who also shared the title, Ball starred in numerous B pictures. Alas, she could never find a vehicle that played to her strengths. As “Being the Ricardos” depicts, “Too Many Girls” was among Ball’s most significant films since it introduced her to Desi Arnaz, who played one of her bodyguards. The lovebirds eloped almost two months after the movie’s debut. “The Big Street” was one of her last RKO films, although Ball actually appeared in several more movies with MGM and other studios before “My Favorite Husband” paved the way for “I Love Lucy.” To think, this star of film, radio, and TV was indeed kicked out of acting school.

Just as Ethel and Fred constantly argued, Vance and Frawley didn’t have the best rapport off-screen. Since Frawley was 22 years older, Vance felt that he should play her father rather than her husband. Although she was only two years Ball’s senior, the wardrobe department aimed to make Vance look older. In “Being the Ricardos,” an argument arises over Vance’s weight loss. While it’s unclear if this ever happened, Vance once claimed that her contract required her to weigh ten pounds more than Ball, which remains unconfirmed. In any case, Vance remained friends with Ball, but her relationship with Frawley further soured after she turned down a Fred and Ethel spinoff. Vance would co-star on “The Lucy Show,” but she insisted on more glamorous clothes.

Although Ricky was often against Lucy’s endeavors, Arnaz was supportive of Ball’s career aspirations. Their marriage faced numerous other challenges, though. Aside from frequently arguing, Ball believed that Arnaz was being unfaithful. While this is reflected in “Being the Ricardos,” it overlooks another factor that put a strain on their relationship, Arnaz’s reported alcoholism. After almost twenty years together, the two divorced in 1960, the same year “The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour” ended. However, this wasn’t the first time that Ball filed for divorce. Ball was prepared to leave Arnaz over his alleged infidelity and drinking in September 1944, but they reconciled before anything was finalized. The marriage eventually ended nonetheless, although Arnaz stated shortly before his death, “‘I Love Lucy’ was never just a title.”

“Being the Ricardos” takes place during the production of “Fred and Ethel Fight.” While it’s mentioned that the show has produced over 30 episodes, “Fred and Ethel Fight” was actually the twenty-second episode. “Lucy Does a TV Commercial” is referenced multiple times, even though “Fred and Ethel Fight” predated it. The writers have several episodes in development, but some wouldn’t see the light until much later. “Lucy’s Italian Movie” notably didn’t air until Season 5. “Lucy Tells the Truth” was a Season 3 episode, but the original script did include a bit involving an IRS auditor. Ricky did address the audience about Ball’s communist accusations before an episode taping, but it wasn’t “Fred and Ethel Fight.” It was Season 3’s “The Girls Go Into Business.”

Nowadays, pregnancy storylines are commonplace in sitcoms. In 1952, though, even saying the word “pregnancy” on TV was viewed as shocking. Lucy and Ricky were rarely even seen in the same bed. Nevertheless, when Ball became pregnant with her second child, Arnaz and her wanted to write a storyline around the Ricardos becoming parents. Although the subject had previously been addressed on “Mary Kay and Johnny,” CBS still had reservations about the idea. The network ultimately allowed Lucy to appear pregnant, but they’d still have to work around saying the word. Taking a note from the French, the big reveal episode was entitled “Lucy Is Enceinte.” Ironically, the following episode was called “Pregnant Women Are Unpredictable,” but the taboo word still wasn’t said or displayed.

As mentioned before, Arnaz helped shoot down the communism accusations surrounding Ball during a passionate speech before a studio audience. “Being the Ricardos” changes much of the dialogue, though. Sorkin doesn’t even include Arnaz’s famous line, “The only thing red about Lucy is her hair, and even that is not legitimate.” The most glaring artistic liberty is when Arnaz gets J. Edgar Hoover himself on the phone to confirm that Ball isn’t a communist. While that didn’t happen, Ball’s HUAC testimony was forwarded to Hoover. After referencing Hoover in Season 5’s “The Great Train Robbery,” the FBI director sent Ball a fan letter saying how much he enjoyed the episode. However, Hoover reportedly kept a close eye on Ball even after her name was cleared.

Since “My Favorite Husband” served as the basis for “I Love Lucy,” CBS naturally wanted Richard Denning to reprise his role. As we see in the film, Ball insisted that her TV husband be played by her actual husband. Ball knew that Arnaz had the talent, but even more importantly, she saw this as a way to spend more time with him. CBS didn’t share the same enthusiasm. Despite being a real-life couple, the network argued that audiences wouldn’t believe an “all-American” woman would be married to a Cuban man. This was long before interracial couples were regularly portrayed on screen. Nevertheless, Ball remained firm and after putting on a successful vaudeville act with Arnaz, CBS decided to take a chance on “the bongo player.”

According to “Being the Ricardos,” three of the show’s major hurdles happened in one busy week. In reality, many of the events depicted in the film were spread out. Ball became pregnant with Desi Arnaz Jr. in 1952 when “I Love Lucy” still would’ve been in the midst of its first season. Another nine months after Arnaz Jr.’s birth, Ball made her HUAC testimony and Arnaz Senior defended her in a speech to the audience. The Confidential magazine issue asking, “Does Desi Really Love Lucy?,” didn’t publish until January 1955. Regardless, Sorkin decided early on that he wanted the film’s narrative to take place over a single production week. While not entirely historically accurate, there’s still a lot to love about “Being the Ricardos.”