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Desi Arnaz
ACTOR

Desi Arnaz

Known for Saturday Night Live · I Love Lucy · The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Desi Arnaz (March 2, 1917 – December 2, 1986) was a Cuban-born American musician, actor and television producer. While he gained international renown for leading a Latin music band, the Desi Arnaz Orchestra, he is best known for his role as Ricky Ricardo on I Love Lucy, starring with then-wife Lucille Ball.

Snapshot 2026-10-16

Born
Mar 2, 1917
Died
Dec 2, 1986
Birthplace
Santiago, Cuba
Known For
Acting

Biography

Desi Arnaz (March 2, 1917 – December 2, 1986) was a Cuban-born American musician, actor and television producer.

While he gained international renown for leading a Latin music band, the Desi Arnaz Orchestra, he is best known for his role as Ricky Ricardo on I Love Lucy, starring with then-wife Lucille Ball.

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Known For

TVSaturday Night Live
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Host & Musical Guest · 1975
★ 6.9
TVI Love Lucy
I Love LucyRicky Ricardo · 1951
★ 7.9
TVThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 1962
★ 7.6
TVE! True Hollywood Story
E! True Hollywood Story1 eps · 1996
★ 8.1
TVIronside
IronsideDr. Juan Domingo · 1967
★ 6.8
TVAlice
AliceRuth · 1976
★ 7.0
TVThe Lucy Show
The Lucy ShowDirector · 1962
★ 7.1
TVRowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InSelf (uncredited) · 1968
★ 6.8

Filmography

Movies

Too Many GirlsManuelito
1940
Father Takes a WifeCarlos Bardez
1941
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 2
1941
Four Jacks and a JillSteve Sarto / King Stephan VIII of Aregal
1942
The Navy Comes ThroughPat Tarriba
1942
BataanFelix Ramirez
1943
Cuban PeteDesi Arnaz
1946
Desi Arnaz and His OrchestraSelf
1946
Holiday in HavanaCarlos Estrada
1949
I Love Lucy: The MovieRicky Ricardo / Self
1953
A Star Is Born World PremiereSelf
1954
The Long, Long TrailerNicholas Collini
1954
Forever, DarlingLorenzo Xavier Vega
1956
Lucy's Really Lost MomentsRicky Ricardo
1956
Lucy's Really Lost MomentsProducer
1956
Lucy's Really Lost MomentsDirector
1956
Lucy's Really Lost MomentsWriter
1956
The Bob Hope Chevy ShowFred Mertz
1956
Strange WitnessProducer
1958
The Fountain of YouthExecutive Producer
1958
TG
The Gun of ZangaraExecutive Producer
1960
TM
The Man in the Funny SuitSelf - Host
1960
TM
The Man in the Funny SuitProducer
1960
AE
Alcatraz ExpressExecutive Producer
1961
Dragon by the TailExecutive Producer
1961
Surf SceneExecutive Producer
1963
Star Trek: The CageExecutive Producer
1965
TP
Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television(archive footage)
1975
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 YearsSelf
1976
JoysSelf
1976
SalsaSelf (archive footage)
1976
The Escape ArtistMayor Leon Quiñones
1982
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare FootageSelf (archive footage) (uncredited)
1983
Lucy and Desi: A Home MovieSelf
1993
The Funny World of Lucy, Volume 1
1997
TT
Television: The First Fifty YearsRicky Ricardo (archive footage)
1999
LB
Lucille Ball: Finding LucySelf (archive footage)
2000
Judy Garland: By MyselfSelf (archive footage)
2004
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years(archive footage)
2004
Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony AwardsManuelito (segment "Too Many Girls") (archive footage)
2005
Classic TV Bloopers UncensoredRicky Ricardo (archive footage)
2011
I Love Lucy Christmas SpecialRicky
2016
My Darling VivianSelf (archive footage)
2020
Lucy and DesiSelf (archive footage)
2022
AG
A Grammy Celebration of Latin MusicSelf/Ricky Ricardo (archive footage)
2025
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL MusicSelf (archive footage)
2025
The Lucy-Desi Milton Berle Special
The Time ElementHost
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse Bernadette EpisodeHost (himself)

Television

The Ed Sullivan ShowSelf · 6 eps
1948
TE
The Ed Wynn ShowSelf · 1 eps
1949
The Emmy AwardsSelf · 2 eps
1949
The Bob Hope ShowSelf · 2 eps
1950
What's My Line?Self · 3 eps
1950
I Love LucyRicky Ricardo · 180 eps
1951
I Love LucyProducer
1951
The Red Skelton ShowSelf · 1 eps
1951
Cavalcade of AmericaExecutive Producer
1952
December BrideSelf · 1 eps
1954
MGM ParadeSelf · 1 eps
1955
Tony AwardsSelf - Performer · 1 eps
1956
The Lucy–Desi Comedy HourRicky Ricardo · 13 eps
1957
The Lucy–Desi Comedy HourDirector
1957
The Lucy–Desi Comedy HourProducer
1957
The Lucy–Desi Comedy HourExecutive Producer
1957
The Walter Winchell FileProducer
1957
Colgate TheatreExecutive Producer
1958
The Ann Sothern ShowProducer
1958
The TexanProducer
1958
U.S. MarshallProducer's Assistant
1958
U.S. MarshallExecutive Producer
1958
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse7 eps
1958
Westinghouse Desilu PlayhouseExecutive In Charge Of Production
1958
Westinghouse Desilu PlayhouseCreator
1958
NS
NBC Sunday ShowcaseRicky Ricardo · 1 eps
1959
NS
NBC Sunday ShowcaseDirector
1959
Guestward, Ho!Director
1960
The Mike Douglas ShowSelf · 1 eps
1961
The Lucy ShowDirector
1962
The Lucy ShowProducer
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 2 eps
1962
The VirginianEl Jefe · 1 eps
1962
TC
The Carol Channing ShowProducer
1966
TC
The Carol Channing ShowDirector
1966
IronsideDr. Juan Domingo · 1 eps
1967
The Mothers-in-LawRaphael Delgado · 4 eps
1967
The Mothers-in-LawDirector
1967
The Mothers-in-LawExecutive Producer
1967
LE
Land's EndGuest Waiting to Cash Check · 1 eps
1968
LE
Land's EndWriter
1968
LE
Land's EndDirector
1968
LE
Land's EndProducer
1968
LE
Land's EndCreator
1968
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InSelf (uncredited) · 1 eps
1968
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InSelf · 1 eps
1968
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Host & Musical Guest · 1 eps
1975
AliceRuth · 1 eps
1976
Donny & MarieSelf · 1 eps
1976
E! True Hollywood Story1 eps
1996

Photos

Desi Arnaz photo
Desi Arnaz photo
Desi Arnaz photo
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