A wall display at the Lucy-Desi Museum

By Todd Moning
FMCA.com editor

Jamestown , N.Y., is in love. The traces are everywhere — on signs, in shops, on murals and in restaurants around town.

Jamestown, located approximately 70 miles southwest of Buffalo, is the birthplace and hometown of Lucille Ball and her "I Love Lucy" TV character, Lucy Ricardo. The town is is emboldened by the comedienne who threw herself into one unenviable — but comical — situation after another in the 1950s. Monday nights at 9. Remember?

Strong bond
Lucille Ball maintained ties to Jamestown all her life, and the town reciprocates. The Lucy-Desi Days festival takes place there each May, and Lucy's Birthday Celebration is in August.

Perhaps Jamestown 's biggest homage to the actress is the Lucy-Desi Museum , which opened in May 1996 downtown. Fans of the "I Love Lucy" show or TV nostalgia in general will enjoy this museum, which chronicles the lives of Lucy and Desi and their contributions to early television.

Unflagging appeal
"I Love Lucy" aired from 1951 to 1957, winning five Emmy awards. Real-life husband-and-wife Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz portrayed the main characters, Lucy and Ricky Ricardo. William Frawley and Vivian Vance played the Ricardo's neighbors, landlords and best friends, Fred and Ethel Mertz.

A half-century after it first flashed onto black-and-white screens, "I Love Lucy" continues to generate new legions of fans.

Jamestown characters
One of the most popular attractions at the Lucy-Desi Museum is a video that plays continuously in a special screening area. "The video is a lot of fun," said Pat Brininger, the museum's marketing director. "It shows clips from 'I love Lucy' in which Lucy Ricardo makes references to Jamestown."

The names of Lucy's real-life friends from Jamestown often were used for characters' names in the show, Brininger said. The video includes interviews with some of these friends, who talk about growing up with Lucy.

Exhibits
At the museum, visitors can follow Lucy's and Desi's life stories and acting careers through audio and video segments and larger-than-life wall panels. Watch historic "I Love Lucy" episodes. View family scrapbooks created by the couple's daughter, Lucie Arnaz.

Watch excerpts of Lucie Arnaz's documentary Lucy & Desi: A Home Movie. Peruse costumes and personal memorabilia used on the show. Test your "I Love Lucy" knowledge through interactive displays.

New theme
The museum changes its exhibit theme each year. Beginning in May 2003, the theme is "Lucy and Desi in the movies."

Lucille Ball appeared in 79 movies, Brininger said. "She was actually a serous movie actress before she was on television. She was known as queen of the B movies and was really a top actress at that level."

Museum is growing … moving
The Lucy-Desi Museum is planning to relocate to a building a few blocks away. "We're looking toward expanding our facility," Brininger said. "Within a year, by 2004, we expect to be in a much larger space."

The additional space will accommodate more exhibits, such as Lucy's 1972 Mercedes Benz and the stage set of the Ricardos' living room. In the '50s, "Lucy" fans could buy furniture modeled after the furniture used in the show.

You should know …
Jamestown is about an hour and a half from Buffalo-Niagara. The museum is wheelchair accessible and houses a gift shop containing large assortment of Lucy merchandise. Admission is $5, $3.50 for seniors (55 and older).

The on-street parking areas near the museum may not accommodate larger motorhomes. Driving a towed vehicle is advised. Call (716) 484-0800 or toll-free (877) 582-9326 for more info.

 

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