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You're used to seeing her as a funny, goofy redhead on I Love Lucy, but Lucille Ball's career started way before that — and continued for a long time thereafter. See what she looked like off-screen in these gorgeous glimpses of her home and work life.
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1933: Modeling before becoming an actress
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Lucille Ball dropped out of school at the age of 15 to pursue her love of the fine arts and drama. In this photo, she's just 22 years old and was a model pursuing a career in acting.
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1936: Sporting the latest fashion in Hollywood
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Lucille decided to move to Hollywood in 1936 when she was offered to play a small, uncredited roll in Roman Scandals.
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1936: Drawing brow makeup on boxer Maxie Rosenbloom on the set of 'Muss 'Em Up'
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Despite having a small roll on Muss 'Em Up, Lucille still helped out on set where she could — specifically in the makeup department.
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1938: Sipping a shake through straws in classic '30s clothes
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While it's unclear what Lucille is up to in this photo, one thing is for sure: Her slapstick sense of humor was always front and center.
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1938: Appearing on the radio program 'The Phil Baker Show'
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In the late 1930s, Lucille worked at radio stations to supplement her income as an actress and model.
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1939: Dressed up in tulle for a portrait by Laszlo Willinger
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Even though in the late '30s Lucille was still more than a decade away from her life-changing role in I Love Lucy, she'd been working steadily in the industry for six years.
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1940: Rocking a swimsuit with a cute vintage hairdo
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Lucille met Desi Arnaz on the set of Too Many Girls in 1940.
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1940: After eloping in Greenwich, Connecticut
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In November of the same year, Lucille and Desi eloped. Here, the actor carries his new wife over the threshold of their home.
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1941: Showing off the latest fashions
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Lucille signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the early 1940s, which helped her gain better roles as an actress and boost her fine arts career.
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1942: Dancing in costume for 'The Big Street'
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Starring Henry Fonda and Lucille, The Big Street is about a busboy, Little Pinks, who is in love with Gloria Lyons. They become closer after Little Pinks saves her dog, but things start to go awry after Gloria's mobster boyfriend becomes violent.
Lucille modeled this gorgeous swimsuit back in 1943 for Best Foot Forward. AARP's magazine, Modern Maturity Magazine, placed the photo on the cover of their special 50th anniversary issue in 2001 to celebrate the I Love Lucy icon.
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1944: Adding orchids into her hair while getting ready to perform at Franklin D. Roosevelt's 60th birthday
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Lucille began dying her hair red in the early 1940s when MGM started to show movies in color.
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1945: Clowning around with Groucho Marx at CBS's KNX radio studios
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The two comedians were on the Hollywood Victory Caravan, which was a tour to 13 cities to raise money for Army and Navy relief during World War II.
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1950: Driving with Desi in a convertible
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Lucille and Desi had a second wedding, because his mother believed they needed to be married inside a church.
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1949: Kissing Desi at their second wedding
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After being married for nine years, the stars said "I do" again at Our Lady of the Valley Church in Los Angeles with their closest friends and family in attendance.
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1950: Hanging out at Ciro's nightclub in West Hollywood, California
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Ciro's was a Hollywood hotspot at the time and celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. frequented the club.
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1950: At home with her husband Desi and their three cute cocker spaniels
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Desi and Lucille created their production company, Desilu Productions, in 1950.
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1950: Blowing out candles with her then-husband
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Lucille told CBS she would only be part of My Favorite Husband (which later went on to be renamed I Love Lucy) if they put her current husband, Desi, in the show as well.
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1951: Gazing at her newborn daughter with with Desi
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Lucille had two children. Her first, daughter Lucie Desiree Arnaz, was born in 1951.
Sam's enthusiasm for makeup is only rivaled by their love of all things relating to cats. In their spare time, they enjoy watching scary movies, putting avocado on everything, and seeing how many shades of the rainbow they can dye their hair before 30.