Lucie Arnaz is Living Proof that Child Stars Can Survive - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zoneboy · 03-03-2009, 01:20 PM

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STATEN ISLAND, NY -- Perhaps if Lucie Arnaz's parents had been shoemakers, the world would have a unique brand of stylish and sophisticated shoes.

But her parents were iconic entertainers, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, who live on in the memories of millions of people. What Arnaz witnessed first-hand was an incredible joy and appreciation for show business that influenced her own four-decade career on TV, film and stage.

"They they made it look so fun and easy -- regardless of how difficult the marriage was or the business was or anything else, the actual work was good," Arnaz said via telephone from the Connecticut home she shares with her actor/writer husband, Laurence Luckinbill, and their five children. "I think if you watched your father make shoes and he loved it and was good at it, you would want to wake up every day and have fun like he does."

Fresh from an acclaimed stint at Manhattan's legendary Birdland jazz club, Arnaz is back by popular demand at Lorenzo's Cabaret in Bloomfield on March 6 at 9:30 p.m. to share musical stories and film montages (dinner seatings are at 7:30 p.m.).

"At heart, I'm a good storyteller," she said. "If I find a good story, I enjoy sharing it and telling it. I love music and get energized when I'm in front of a band. I'm in my bliss, a place where past and future don't matter."

Arnaz is more widely known as an actress and singer, a classification she says she loves.

"We're really just people trying to get jobs like everybody else," said the TV and Broadway veteran. "Multifaceted is not bad. When you're not being paid to act, you can be paid to sing."

And, as expected, humor plays a big role in everything she does.

"I don't think I could live my life without humor," she said. "It's the salvation of humanity."

She got her start at 12 in a recurring role opposite in her mom's sitcom, "The Lucy Show" (1963-67), and later was a series regular on "Here's Lucy" (1968-74). While she says her parents never discouraged her from show biz, "They also didn't say, 'Come on, do this, it's fabulous,'" said Arnaz. But again watching her parents and other performers since birth, it was difficult to resist the urge, especially when she had talent.

Arnaz said she and her brother, Desi Jr., sidestepped many of the pitfalls that pummel some child stars.

"Neither Desi nor I started that young," she said. "But sometimes that meltdown happens when you become too big too fast or become an icon so early. You get this twisted sense of your worth and when people are not so interested in them anymore they feel like they've failed -- at 20 -- and turn to drugs, alcohol or whatever. But they haven't failed, they're just living."

And hers has been an undeniably full life.

On the big screen, she earned a Golden Globe nomination in 1981 for her role opposite Neil Diamond as "The Jazz Singer," and returned to series TV in 1985 for the short-lived "The Lucie Arnaz Show." She made her Broadway debut in 1979's "They're Playing Our Song," for which she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award, followed by main stem stints in Neil Simon's "Lost in Yonkers" (1992) and in the Tony-winning "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" (2006).

Arnaz has also added public speaker, writer, producer and editor to her list of credits. She won an Emmy for producing1993's "Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie" and a nomination for 2001's "I Love Lucy's 50th Anniversary Special."

Now in her mid-50s, Arnaz is adjusting for an industry that has changed so drastically in her lifetime. Variety shows were plentiful in her youth, as were made-for-television movies and loads of touring shows. At this point in her life and career, Arnaz says she is at a crossroads.

"I'm trying to decide where my passion lies," said Arnaz, who's exploring documentary filmmaking and producing Broadway shows. "There are so many things that interest me. I'm a little confused where my energies want to go, but I'm not going to panic. I'm just going to enjoy the adventure."

catlover79 · 03-03-2009, 03:47 PM

Great article - thanks for posting it, Charles. Both Arnaz children have turned out so well - their parents would be so proud.

dakert · 03-03-2009, 05:54 PM

Lucie Arnaz is going to be in Altoona PA (Mishler Theatre) this month

catlover79 · 03-03-2009, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dakert

Lucie Arnaz is going to be in Altoona PA (Mishler Theatre) this month

Cool! Are you going to go?

treky · 03-09-2009, 12:34 AM

I never knew she was on "THE LUCY SHOW"

Marvo301 · 03-09-2009, 12:41 AM

I think Lucie is actually quite a good actress. I really enjoyed her work on Here's Lucy. I wish she would take more acting jobs than she does. I'd love to see more of her work!

Jude The Obscure · 03-09-2009, 12:45 AM

^Yep, she played Chris' friend, Cynthia during the first season, while Desi Jr played Billy Simmons, the son of Audrey Simmons (Mary Jane Croft's first Lucy Show character). Both would later do other non-regular roles in the show most notably, Lucie playing a ADULT friend of Lucy Carmichael in the "Lucy Meets Bob Goulet" episode (opening scenes with both Lucys are hysterical) and the notorious "Lucy Goes Back to High School", a fellow student (also has a young pre-CHIPs Robert Pine).

03-03-2009, 01:20 PM	#1
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,338	Lucie Arnaz is Living Proof that Child Stars Can Survive Link STATEN ISLAND, NY -- Perhaps if Lucie Arnaz's parents had been shoemakers, the world would have a unique brand of stylish and sophisticated shoes. But her parents were iconic entertainers, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, who live on in the memories of millions of people. What Arnaz witnessed first-hand was an incredible joy and appreciation for show business that influenced her own four-decade career on TV, film and stage. "They they made it look so fun and easy -- regardless of how difficult the marriage was or the business was or anything else, the actual work was good," Arnaz said via telephone from the Connecticut home she shares with her actor/writer husband, Laurence Luckinbill, and their five children. "I think if you watched your father make shoes and he loved it and was good at it, you would want to wake up every day and have fun like he does." Fresh from an acclaimed stint at Manhattan's legendary Birdland jazz club, Arnaz is back by popular demand at Lorenzo's Cabaret in Bloomfield on March 6 at 9:30 p.m. to share musical stories and film montages (dinner seatings are at 7:30 p.m.). "At heart, I'm a good storyteller," she said. "If I find a good story, I enjoy sharing it and telling it. I love music and get energized when I'm in front of a band. I'm in my bliss, a place where past and future don't matter." Arnaz is more widely known as an actress and singer, a classification she says she loves. "We're really just people trying to get jobs like everybody else," said the TV and Broadway veteran. "Multifaceted is not bad. When you're not being paid to act, you can be paid to sing." And, as expected, humor plays a big role in everything she does. "I don't think I could live my life without humor," she said. "It's the salvation of humanity." She got her start at 12 in a recurring role opposite in her mom's sitcom, "The Lucy Show" (1963-67), and later was a series regular on "Here's Lucy" (1968-74). While she says her parents never discouraged her from show biz, "They also didn't say, 'Come on, do this, it's fabulous,'" said Arnaz. But again watching her parents and other performers since birth, it was difficult to resist the urge, especially when she had talent. Arnaz said she and her brother, Desi Jr., sidestepped many of the pitfalls that pummel some child stars. "Neither Desi nor I started that young," she said. "But sometimes that meltdown happens when you become too big too fast or become an icon so early. You get this twisted sense of your worth and when people are not so interested in them anymore they feel like they've failed -- at 20 -- and turn to drugs, alcohol or whatever. But they haven't failed, they're just living." And hers has been an undeniably full life. On the big screen, she earned a Golden Globe nomination in 1981 for her role opposite Neil Diamond as "The Jazz Singer," and returned to series TV in 1985 for the short-lived "The Lucie Arnaz Show." She made her Broadway debut in 1979's "They're Playing Our Song," for which she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award, followed by main stem stints in Neil Simon's "Lost in Yonkers" (1992) and in the Tony-winning "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" (2006). Arnaz has also added public speaker, writer, producer and editor to her list of credits. She won an Emmy for producing1993's "Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie" and a nomination for 2001's "I Love Lucy's 50th Anniversary Special." Now in her mid-50s, Arnaz is adjusting for an industry that has changed so drastically in her lifetime. Variety shows were plentiful in her youth, as were made-for-television movies and loads of touring shows. At this point in her life and career, Arnaz says she is at a crossroads. "I'm trying to decide where my passion lies," said Arnaz, who's exploring documentary filmmaking and producing Broadway shows. "There are so many things that interest me. I'm a little confused where my energies want to go, but I'm not going to panic. I'm just going to enjoy the adventure."

03-03-2009, 03:47 PM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Great article - thanks for posting it, Charles. Both Arnaz children have turned out so well - their parents would be so proud.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

03-09-2009, 12:34 AM	#5
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	I never knew she was on "THE LUCY SHOW"
	__________________ the Clampetts are in a fancy Beverly Hills jewelry store. Granny points to a tray of rubies. Granny: "How much fer one o' them red diamonds?" clerk: "Madam, those are rubies." Granny: "OK ask her kin we buy one offa her." clerk: " The ruby I am talking about is not a lady." Granny: "Lissen, how she got them diamonds is her business. I'm just sayin' ask her kin we buy one from her."

03-09-2009, 12:41 AM	#6
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,450	I think Lucie is actually quite a good actress. I really enjoyed her work on Here's Lucy. I wish she would take more acting jobs than she does. I'd love to see more of her work!
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

03-03-2009, 05:54 PM	#3
dakert Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Location: Altoona PA Posts: 3,411	Lucie Arnaz is going to be in Altoona PA (Mishler Theatre) this month

03-09-2009, 12:45 AM	#7
Jude The Obscure Retired Eternal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 7,519	^Yep, she played Chris' friend, Cynthia during the first season, while Desi Jr played Billy Simmons, the son of Audrey Simmons (Mary Jane Croft's first Lucy Show character). Both would later do other non-regular roles in the show most notably, Lucie playing a ADULT friend of Lucy Carmichael in the "Lucy Meets Bob Goulet" episode (opening scenes with both Lucys are hysterical) and the notorious "Lucy Goes Back to High School", a fellow student (also has a young pre-CHIPs Robert Pine).