I Love Lucy

I was born in the month of January, the year 1953.  No big deal.  Kids are born all the time.

But, not quite one year and three months previously in October, 1951 a new TV series premiered on CBS Television that would go on to revolutionize the situation comedy genre and TV in general.

That show: I Love Lucy, redefined the comedy genre and starred a certain redhead: Lucille Ball as Lucy and her Cuban husband Desi Arnaz as Ricky Ricardo.

Accompanying them as their neighbors were: Fred and Ethel Mertz -played by William Frawley and Vivian Vance.

As Ricky Desi played a Cuban singer/bandleader and Lucille as his scattered brain wife Lucy who is determined to break into showbiz.

Along the way the Ricardos and Mertz manage to turn not only their lives upside down but everyone else’s around them too.

The show featured some classic comedy sketches and outrageous slapstick-vaudeville physical humor all the while stressing the love of family and friends.

Despite Lucy’s hair brain schemes things always managed to turn out for the best.  TV audiences loved the I Love Lucy show and soon it became the number one show on TV.

While there where rumblings with the cast and crew behind the cameras once performing the professionalism and talent of each cast member shone through.

I have vague memories of seeing a few episodes before the show went off the air in 1957.

I do however, vividly remember watching the reruns with my mom, family and friends-usually on a small black and white TV set complete with rabbit ears.

It is remarkable that the show is as popular as ever as new generations discover the comedy genius behind the show.  Lucille Ball admitted she was not a natural comedian and had to work hard to perform her shenanigans-her professionalism and talent made up for any lack of humor.

CBS/Paramount has taken nearly seven hours of classic I Love Lucy episodes, colorized them and made them available for a whole new generation to enjoy.

Sixteen episodes make up the collection along with a special featurette on how the episodes got colorized.

For over 60 years I Love Lucy has entertained audiences and it looks like there is no end in sight.