April 3: First Issue of TV Guide is Published

On this date in history ... April 3, 1953:

The first TV Guide was published with Lucille Ball and her new son Desi Jr. on the cover.  It sold at a price of only fifteen cents. She was on the cover more than any other celebrity, a total of 39 times with Johnny Carson coming in second with 28 covers.

TV Guide reached a circulation of 1.5 million its first year and eventually peaked at 20 million in the 1980s.  Cable created a challenge for the magazine and its circulation dropped to about 3 million.

January 18: "The Jeffersons"

On this date in History .... 1975:

The first episode of “The Jeffersons” airs on CBS and would run for 11 years, becoming the longest running All-in-the-Family spin-off.

 

The series was the first show to depict a successful black family. It showed the viewing public not only the white side of bigotry but also the black side of bigoty.  “George Jefferson was .....the opposite side of Archie Bunker, a bigot on the opposite side of racial intolerance.”

 

 

In the Norman Lear method of addressing taboo topics, George even uses two “politically incorrect” terms (spoiler alert: they are used in this clip  - Click Here - ).

 

Several CBS executives tried to get the interracial kiss between (neighbors) Tom and Helen Willis (the first black/white “married” couple on TV) edited out, but executive producer Fred Silverman successfully lobbied to keep it in.

 

(The title of “1^st interracial couple” is given to Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz; the 1^st scripted interracial kiss was in 1966 between Capt. Kirk and Lt. Uhura.)

 

In 1981, Isabel Sanford (Louise) became the only African-American to ever win the Emmy award for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

 

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November 18: Desi Arnaz

On this date in History .... 1939:

The play “Too Many Girls” opened on Broadway. The cast included a little known Cuban named Desi Arnaz. Arnaz was born in Cuba into a very wealthy family. His father was the youngest mayor of Santiago and his grandfather was one of the 3 founders of Bacardi Rum.  The family, stripped from office and of all of their properties, fled to the U.S. after the Cuban Revolution in 1933. 

Desi worked for a short time for Xavier Cugat before forming his own band and introducing the conga line to American audiences.  After filming “Too Many Girls”, he made three more films before joining the army.  He became a U.S. citizen while serving in the United States Army where he entertained the troops. After his tour of duty, he formed a new orchestra and served as the band leader on Bob Hope’s radio show from 1946 to 1947.

Growing up, he was friends with Albert “Sonny” Capone, the son of Al Capone. In 1949 he began focusing on the development of the “I Love Lucy Show”. Desi argued with producers to use film on the “I Love Lucy” show and he owned the film rights, which made him the creator of the rerun and the inventor of several techniques that are taken for granted in sitcoms.

Click here to see video of Desi Arnaz