Though starring in many successful 1940s musical comedies for MGM, her contract allowed her to honor her prior commitments.She starred in the film noir classics, "The Dark Corner"(1946) for Fox and the independently produced "Lured"(1947).
TV Guide picked her as the greatest TV star of all time.
Was Frank Sinatra's first choice for the role of Laurence Harvey's mother in The Manchurian Candidate (1962). He was only dissuaded when John Frankenheimer took him to see Angela Lansbury in a play.
Was good friends with actresses: Mary Jane Croft, Carole Lombard, Ginger Rogers, Vivian Vance, and Mary Wickes. All except Croft were childless; Wickes never married.
Was in frail health following a heart attack in May 1988.
Was known for a while as Dianne Belmont back when she was a model.
Was of Irish, Scottish, French, and English descent.
Was offered the role of Angel in The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), but was forced to turn it down due to pregnancy. Gloria Grahame was later cast instead.
Was once known as the "Chesterfield Girl" because she was the spokesmodel for Chesterfield cigarettes.
Was one of the 20 original "Goldwyn Girls", along with Virginia Bruce; Ann Dvorak; Paulette Goddard and Betty Grable.
Was the first woman to own her own film studio.
Was tutored in comedy by Buster Keaton.
When Ball lived at 1000 N. Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills, Jack Benny lived at 1002 N. Roxbury Drive.
When her subsequent series "The Lucy Show" (1962) and "Here's Lucy" (1968) became popular, Jess Oppenheimer, a co-creator of "I Love Lucy" (1951) alleged that her character Lucy Carmichael/Carter was in fact Lucy Ricardo re-named and threatened to sue. Rather than go to court, she settled for $220,000.
When they were first married in 1940, Desi Arnaz had to give Lucy a ring from a drugstore because all jewelry stores were closed. She wore it for the rest of their marriage.
While still contemplating whether to do the "I Love Lucy" (1951) shows, she claimed that in her dream, Carole Lombard came to her and told her to "Give it a whirl".