Lucille Ball marries Desi Arnaz

For better or for worse, Lucille Ball married Cuban band leader Desi Arnaz on November 30, 1940. The two met while filming in Hollywood.  Their marriage was tempestuous and plagued by Desi’s problems with alcoholism and philandering. His travel schedule did not help matters either. To save their marriage and spend more time together, the couple embarked on a sitcom that they pitched to skeptical television executives. They borrowed $5,000 to start Desilu Productions in 1951. The show, “I Love Lucy”, became one of the most popular in television history, and one of the first to star a Latino. Their marriage ended in 1960.