'Little Ricky Survives Tough Life After 'I Love Lucy' Role - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zoneboy · 11-14-2008, 12:13 AM

Link

Let's try former child stars for $800, Alex

He was a professional drummer by the age of 3 and on a hit television show by 5, playing the son of a Cuban band leader and his zany redheaded wife.

Sound like Little Ricky from "I Love Lucy" fame?

How about who is Keith Thibo-deaux?

That's correct!

Keith Thibodeaux was Little Ricky on the legendary sitcom.

Of course, on the show he was billed as Richard Keith because producers thought Thibodeaux (pronounced tib-id-oe) would be too difficult for people to pronounce.

Recently, the 57-year-old musician/actor and director of a dance company called Ballet Magnificat was in Pittsburg, Pa., to shoot a role for the Christian movie "C Me Dance," now filming in and around Carnegie.

"Well, we got a call from (director and producer) Greg Robbins," he said, "so it was kind of out of the blue, and I wasn't very much aware of Greg and what he had done." Robbins' company, Uplifting Entertainment, produces and distributes Christian entertainment for families.

Robbins sent Thibodeaux the script, which centers on a young dancer.

The former child star was able to work the film shoot into the dance company's North American tour.

Thibodeaux got accustomed to a busy schedule at a young age. Born in Lafayette, La., he was traveling with a big band as a professional drummer by the age of 3. During a hiatus in Los Angeles, a friend of his father's found out Desilu Studios was looking for a little boy to portray Lucy and Ricky's son.

"I got signed to a seven-year contract with them in 1956," Thibodeaux recalled.

He was part of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's extended family, he said.

"Lucy took care of me," he said. "On the set they gave me whatever I wanted, made sure the crew didn't cuss around me. They basically looked out for me as a child being on an adult set."

He said while his parents loved him and wanted the best for him, his father was a bit of a stage dad.

"He had always wanted to go to Hollywood and always saw himself there," he said. Eventually his father got a job with Desilu's public relations department.

After "I Love Lucy" went off the air, Thibodeaux continued to work, doing episodic television, including a recurring role as Opie's best friend, Johnny Paul Jason, on "The Andy Griffith Show."

His parents divorced in the mid-'60s.

"We ended up living with our aunts and uncles," he said of his mother, brothers and sisters. "That really kind of ended my Hollywood show business career."

Thibodeaux began playing in high school bands and continued with rock bands and garage bands after his 1968 high school graduation and some time at the University of Southwestern Louisiana.

In the early 1970s, he joined a rock band called David and the Giants.

But like many former child stars, he had trouble with drugs and other personal problems.

"My life took a turn for the worse," Thibodeaux said.

He was clinically depressed and desperate.

"I was either going to die from what the sin in my life had become or I was going to have a miracle," he said. "I began to cry to God and I said, 'If you don't help me I'm going to end up in a mental institution.' "

Thibodeaux became a Christian and began to talk to his bandmates about God. "I told them God is real and that there's more to God than men have led us to believe."

He left the band, met his wife, Kathy, and moved to Los Angeles. Eventually the other members of David and the Giants turned to religion, and Thibodeaux rejoined his old bandmates in 1979.

He toured with the band throughout the '80s, leaving in 1989 to become director of the ballet company he and his wife started.

The couple, who live in Jackson, Miss., have been married for 32 years and have a 29-year-old daughter, Tara Drew, who is choreographing some of the scenes in "C Me Dance."

comedyfreak · 11-14-2008, 02:10 AM

That's cool, I've always wondered what happened to him.

catlover79 · 11-14-2008, 03:20 PM

What a classy guy. I wrote to him last year and he replied!! I highly recommend his book, Life After Lucy. Thanks for posting this article, Charles.

The Great One · 11-14-2008, 04:52 PM

Great article!

TripperFan · 11-14-2008, 06:17 PM

I've seen him in interviews over the years and luckily he did grow up with his head screwed on properly.

I know he always loved both Lucy and Desi and said they treated him as their own.

Interesting, I always wondered what happened to him after he was on Andy Griffith. Too bad he could have kept acting - he was pretty good from anything I saw and always good looking.

InspectorExstead · 11-17-2008, 05:13 AM

good for him!

Benno123 · 11-17-2008, 08:56 PM

Somewhere I read that Keith's wife Kathy and Desi Arnaz, Jr.'s wife Amy were roommates in college years before either of them met their future husbands. If that is true, then it is a small world afterall!

dawsongirl · 04-25-2009, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benno123

Somewhere I read that Keith's wife Kathy and Desi Arnaz, Jr.'s wife Amy were roommates in college years before either of them met their future husbands. If that is true, then it is a small world afterall!

Well, they're both involved in dance, so it would make sense.

catlover79 · 04-25-2009, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawsongirl

Well, they're both involved in dance, so it would make sense.

Yes, Keith wrote about that in his book Life After Lucy.

11-14-2008, 12:13 AM	#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: 34,391	'Little Ricky Survives Tough Life After 'I Love Lucy' Role Link Let's try former child stars for $800, Alex He was a professional drummer by the age of 3 and on a hit television show by 5, playing the son of a Cuban band leader and his zany redheaded wife. Sound like Little Ricky from "I Love Lucy" fame? How about who is Keith Thibo-deaux? That's correct! Keith Thibodeaux was Little Ricky on the legendary sitcom. Of course, on the show he was billed as Richard Keith because producers thought Thibodeaux (pronounced tib-id-oe) would be too difficult for people to pronounce. Recently, the 57-year-old musician/actor and director of a dance company called Ballet Magnificat was in Pittsburg, Pa., to shoot a role for the Christian movie "C Me Dance," now filming in and around Carnegie. "Well, we got a call from (director and producer) Greg Robbins," he said, "so it was kind of out of the blue, and I wasn't very much aware of Greg and what he had done." Robbins' company, Uplifting Entertainment, produces and distributes Christian entertainment for families. Robbins sent Thibodeaux the script, which centers on a young dancer. The former child star was able to work the film shoot into the dance company's North American tour. Thibodeaux got accustomed to a busy schedule at a young age. Born in Lafayette, La., he was traveling with a big band as a professional drummer by the age of 3. During a hiatus in Los Angeles, a friend of his father's found out Desilu Studios was looking for a little boy to portray Lucy and Ricky's son. "I got signed to a seven-year contract with them in 1956," Thibodeaux recalled. He was part of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's extended family, he said. "Lucy took care of me," he said. "On the set they gave me whatever I wanted, made sure the crew didn't cuss around me. They basically looked out for me as a child being on an adult set." He said while his parents loved him and wanted the best for him, his father was a bit of a stage dad. "He had always wanted to go to Hollywood and always saw himself there," he said. Eventually his father got a job with Desilu's public relations department. After "I Love Lucy" went off the air, Thibodeaux continued to work, doing episodic television, including a recurring role as Opie's best friend, Johnny Paul Jason, on "The Andy Griffith Show." His parents divorced in the mid-'60s. "We ended up living with our aunts and uncles," he said of his mother, brothers and sisters. "That really kind of ended my Hollywood show business career." Thibodeaux began playing in high school bands and continued with rock bands and garage bands after his 1968 high school graduation and some time at the University of Southwestern Louisiana. In the early 1970s, he joined a rock band called David and the Giants. But like many former child stars, he had trouble with drugs and other personal problems. "My life took a turn for the worse," Thibodeaux said. He was clinically depressed and desperate. "I was either going to die from what the sin in my life had become or I was going to have a miracle," he said. "I began to cry to God and I said, 'If you don't help me I'm going to end up in a mental institution.' " Thibodeaux became a Christian and began to talk to his bandmates about God. "I told them God is real and that there's more to God than men have led us to believe." He left the band, met his wife, Kathy, and moved to Los Angeles. Eventually the other members of David and the Giants turned to religion, and Thibodeaux rejoined his old bandmates in 1979. He toured with the band throughout the '80s, leaving in 1989 to become director of the ballet company he and his wife started. The couple, who live in Jackson, Miss., have been married for 32 years and have a 29-year-old daughter, Tara Drew, who is choreographing some of the scenes in "C Me Dance."
	__________________ 'Twas The Night Before Christmas And All Through The Full House Not A Creature Was Stirring, Not Even Mighty Mouse. All My Children We're Nestled All Snug In Their Beds While Visions Of Sugarbakers Danced In Their Heads.

11-14-2008, 02:10 AM	#2
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,060	That's cool, I've always wondered what happened to him.
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11-14-2008, 03:20 PM	#3
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	What a classy guy. I wrote to him last year and he replied!! I highly recommend his book, Life After Lucy. Thanks for posting this article, Charles.
	__________________ "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

11-14-2008, 06:17 PM	#5
TripperFan In God's Arms Now Forum Star Join Date: Sep 14, 2003 Location: Heartbreak Ridge Posts: 12,086	I've seen him in interviews over the years and luckily he did grow up with his head screwed on properly. I know he always loved both Lucy and Desi and said they treated him as their own. Interesting, I always wondered what happened to him after he was on Andy Griffith. Too bad he could have kept acting - he was pretty good from anything I saw and always good looking.
	__________________ If I don't see you in this world, I'll meet you in the next one.....don't be late James Marshall Hendrix Voodoo Chile The Forum Legend formerly known as TripperFan "religion is for people who are afraid of hell--spirituality is for people who have been through hell"---anonymous

11-17-2008, 05:13 AM	#6
InspectorExstead Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Oct 29, 2001 Location: The Golden State Posts: 12,902	good for him!
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11-14-2008, 04:52 PM	#4
The Great One Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Aug 29, 2006 Posts: 6,378	Great article!

11-17-2008, 08:56 PM	#7
Benno123 Jenna Fischer Rocks My World!! Senior Member Join Date: Nov 01, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,036	Somewhere I read that Keith's wife Kathy and Desi Arnaz, Jr.'s wife Amy were roommates in college years before either of them met their future husbands. If that is true, then it is a small world afterall!