JamesG
08-15-2013, 04:31 PM
The Surprising Celebrity Producers Behind Top Shows
The Huffington Post | by Chris Harnick
8/15/13
Lucille Ball - "Star Trek"
With Desilu Productions, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's production company that brought "I Love Lucy" to life, Lucille Ball threw her weight behind some classic shows, including "Star Trek".
At the time it was acquired by Gulf & Western, which had just gotten hold of Paramount Pictures, Desilu was producing "Star Trek", "Mission: Impossible", "Mannix" and "The Lucy Show". As the Hollywood story goes, Ball was an early supporter of Gene Roddenberry and her clout helped convince NBC to order a second pilot.
Ball's daughter Lucie Arnaz helped induct "Star Trek" star William Shatner into the Television Hall of Fame and recounted her mother's struggles to keep "Star Trek" on the air.
Arnaz reportedly said Ball's studio chiefs informed her mother, "'The two most expensive shows are 'Mission: Impossible' and 'Star Trek', so they have to go.' She used to always listen to everything the dyed-print suits said. But she said, 'No, I like 'em!' And they said, 'They cost too much!' And she said, 'But I like 'em!' So they left them."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/15/lucille-ball-star-trek-surprising-celebrity-producers_n_3756120.html?
The Huffington Post | by Chris Harnick
8/15/13
Lucille Ball - "Star Trek"
With Desilu Productions, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's production company that brought "I Love Lucy" to life, Lucille Ball threw her weight behind some classic shows, including "Star Trek".
At the time it was acquired by Gulf & Western, which had just gotten hold of Paramount Pictures, Desilu was producing "Star Trek", "Mission: Impossible", "Mannix" and "The Lucy Show". As the Hollywood story goes, Ball was an early supporter of Gene Roddenberry and her clout helped convince NBC to order a second pilot.
Ball's daughter Lucie Arnaz helped induct "Star Trek" star William Shatner into the Television Hall of Fame and recounted her mother's struggles to keep "Star Trek" on the air.
Arnaz reportedly said Ball's studio chiefs informed her mother, "'The two most expensive shows are 'Mission: Impossible' and 'Star Trek', so they have to go.' She used to always listen to everything the dyed-print suits said. But she said, 'No, I like 'em!' And they said, 'They cost too much!' And she said, 'But I like 'em!' So they left them."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/15/lucille-ball-star-trek-surprising-celebrity-producers_n_3756120.html?