Person
Desi Arnaz
Acting · 1917–1986 · Santiago, Cuba
Biography
Desi Arnaz (March 2, 1917 – December 2, 1986) was a Cuban-born American musician, actor and television producer. While he gained international renown for leading a Latin music band, the Desi Arnaz Orchestra, he is best known for his role as Ricky Ricardo on I Love Lucy, starring with then-wife Lucille Ball.
Known for
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host & Musical Guest
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
Ironside
Dr. Juan Domingo
The Virginian
El Jefe
Tony Awards
Self - Performer
Alice
Ruth
The Red Skelton Show
Self
What's My Line?
Self
I Love Lucy
Ricky Ricardo
Filmography
- 2025A Grammy Celebration of Latin MusicSelf/Ricky Ricardo (archive footage)
- 2025Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL MusicSelf (archive footage)
- 2022Lucy and DesiSelf (archive footage)
- 2020My Darling VivianSelf (archive footage)
- 2016I Love Lucy Christmas SpecialRicky
- 2011Classic TV Bloopers UncensoredRicky Ricardo (archive footage)
- 2005Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony AwardsManuelito (segment "Too Many Girls") (archive footage)
- 2004Judy Garland: By MyselfSelf (archive footage)
- 2004TV in Black: The First Fifty Years(archive footage)
- 2000Lucille Ball: Finding LucySelf (archive footage)
- 1999Television: The First Fifty YearsRicky Ricardo (archive footage)
- 1997The Funny World of Lucy, Volume 1
- 1996E! True Hollywood Story
- 1993Lucy and Desi: A Home MovieSelf
- 1983Hollywood Out-takes and Rare FootageSelf (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1982The Escape ArtistMayor Leon Quiñones
- 1976CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 YearsSelf
- 1976AliceRuth
- 1976SalsaSelf (archive footage)
- 1976JoysSelf
- 1976Donny & MarieSelf
- 1975Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television(archive footage)
- 1975Saturday Night LiveSelf - Host & Musical Guest
- 1968Land's EndGuest Waiting to Cash Check
- 1968Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InSelf (uncredited)
- 1967The Mothers-in-LawRaphael Delgado
- 1967IronsideDr. Juan Domingo
- 1966The Carol Channing ShowProducer
- 1965Star Trek: The CageExecutive Producer
- 1963Surf SceneExecutive Producer
- 1962The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf
- 1962The Lucy ShowProducer
- 1962The VirginianEl Jefe
- 1961The Mike Douglas ShowSelf
- 1961Dragon by the TailExecutive Producer
- 1961Alcatraz ExpressExecutive Producer
- 1960Guestward, Ho!Director
- 1960The Man in the Funny SuitSelf - Host
- 1960The Gun of ZangaraExecutive Producer
- 1959NBC Sunday ShowcaseRicky Ricardo
- 1958Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
- 1958The Ann Sothern ShowProducer
- 1958The TexanProducer
- 1958The Fountain of YouthExecutive Producer
- 1958Colgate TheatreExecutive Producer
- 1958Strange WitnessProducer
- 1957The Lucy–Desi Comedy HourRicky Ricardo
- 1957The Walter Winchell FileProducer
- 1956The Bob Hope Chevy ShowFred Mertz
- 1956U.S. MarshallProducer's Assistant
- 1956Tony AwardsSelf - Performer
- 1956Forever, DarlingLorenzo Xavier 'Larry' Vega
- 1956Lucy's Really Lost MomentsRicky Ricardo
- 1955MGM ParadeSelf
- 1954December BrideSelf
- 1954A Star Is Born World PremiereSelf
- 1954The Long, Long TrailerNicky Collini
- 1953I Love Lucy: The MovieRicky Ricardo / Self
- 1952Cavalcade of AmericaExecutive Producer
- 1951I Love LucyRicky Ricardo
- 1951The Red Skelton ShowSelf
- 1950The Bob Hope ShowSelf
- 1950What's My Line?Self
- 1949The Ed Wynn ShowSelf
- 1949Holiday in HavanaCarlos Estrada
- 1949The Emmy AwardsSelf
- 1948The Ed Sullivan ShowSelf
- 1946Desi Arnaz and His OrchestraSelf
- 1946Cuban PeteDesi Arnaz
- 1943BataanFelix Ramirez
- 1942The Navy Comes ThroughPat Tarriba
- 1942Four Jacks and a JillSteve Sarto / King Stephan VIII of Aregal
- 1941Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 2
- 1941Father Takes a WifeCarlos Bardez
- 1940Too Many GirlsManuelito
- —The Lucy-Desi Milton Berle Special
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