http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3F7ViwsEo0

Understanding Lucille Ball's Death..................

Lucy lived to be 78, which is slightly above average.

She also lived in a "Mad Men" era where she smoked and drank (not a drunk like Desi) alcohol probably several days a week. She was (in my opinion) a workaholic who would just about do any role, was on a primetime TV show from 1951 to 1974 straight, and then with all that, ran a very successful TV company called Desilu.

One thing that was sort of her downfall was her last TV series "Life with Lucy" which totally bombed, which was basically the first time that she failed at a entertainment venue. It was the late 1980's, and television tastes changed and she was too old to do her own pratfalls, not to mention Gale Gordon. It wasn't her fault, she is just too old. Sort of like having Michael Jordan go back and play in the NBA. He's too old and his skills have diminished. Same with Lucy, the same with everyone, this is our lot in our mortal existance.

A lot of older, driven people do not want to quit what they are doing and retire because retirement is the last step before death. When it was cancelled, she took it very personably and thought that no one liked her anymore. Desi died, as well as Vivian Vance. I think she was old, tired, had her run and knew it was time to go.

And not to be cruel, if she would have laid off the Camels, and retired back in '74, she might have lived 10 more years.

That's a long run.