Product Description

The man Lucille Ball called "the brains" of "I Love Lucy" gives us an inside view of television history as it was being made. Jess Oppenheimer's famous sitcom was the most popular and influential television phenomenon in the history of the medium. Forty-five years after its debut, it remains a favourite the world over. Oppenheimer's book, written with his son, Gregg, is not only a record of how this groundbreaking comedy was conceived and executed, but an insider's account of the broadcasting industry's development from the early days of radio and television's golden age. Hollywood aficionados should enjoy his entertaining stories of stars such as Douglas Fairbanks, Edgar Bergen, Fred Astaire, and, of course, Lucille Ball. It contains two previously unpublished scripts, dozens of previously unreleased photos and a compact disc full of rare "Lucy" performances.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #362227 in Books
• Published on: 1999-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 290 pages

Amazon.com Review
Laughs indeed as Jess Oppenheimer charts his rise from radio station gofer to inventor of the sitcom, as he winds up writing--then producing--Lucille Ball's show, first on radio, then on television. Luck, too, as the author recounts the good fortune that has him, within minutes of arrival in Hollywood, sitting down at a lunch counter and getting a tip that secures a job within days and a career for life. Ironic, too, that this inveterate TV writer had to be cajoled for years to set down these Hollywood heyday memoirs. He never finished, and it was left to son Gregg to complete the book. All this, plus a reproduced Lucy script, and a CD-ROM filled with famous sketches!

From The New Yorker
If you love Lucy, you'll love this book (and CD).

From Booklist
This old-fashioned showbiz memoir, completed by son George after father Jess' death, is comfortable in tone and never wallows in scandal. Jess Oppenheimer knew Lucy, the TV character, from the beginning, and his star is chained to hers, not least because of the forgettable shows he created after Lucy. He started with Lucille Ball in 1948 as producer, director, and head writer for My Favorite Husband, her radio series and the forerunner of her TV show, I Love Lucy, the sitcom from which all subsequent sitcoms seem to flow and naturally the focus here. To his credit, Oppenheimer lays out the obligatory inside tidbits without laying them on. Yes, Vivian Vance disliked William Frawley, a matter Oppenheimer places in context, just as he does Desi Arnaz's battle for more creative freedom and a larger role on the show. And he gives us the inside scoop on Gale Gordon, too! Oppenheimer's fond reminiscence is an important addition to the burgeoning collection concerned with TV's early years and subsequent effects on popular culture. Mike Tribby

Customer Reviews

Behind the Scenes of the Best TV Show Ever
I'd like to start with a clarification: this book is not a biography of Lucy, it is the creator's (Jess Oppenheimer) memoir. As such, there are many parts of the book that have nothing to do with Lucy, including episodes from Oppenheimer's childhood and young adult life.

However, this is still a GREAT book! It is well-written and full of entertaining annecdotes. "Laughs, Luck, and Lucy" follows Oppenheimer's slow rise to the top in the Hollywood radio industry. He describes Lucille Ball's program, "My Favorite Husband," which became the basis for "I Love Lucy." The book also includes some behind the scenes information about the making of "I Love Lucy."

The included audio cd is fun because it has clips from both "I Love Lucy" and "My Favorite Husband."

If you are only interested in information specifically about Lucille Ball, this might not be the book for you (try her autobiography, "Love, Lucy"). However, if you (like me) are fascinated with everything surrounding "I Love Lucy" and the Hollywood entertainment industry of the 1940s and 1950s, this is a great read!

the best book on the best television show
I've read many books about Lucille Ball, I Love Lucy, and other members of the cast. I have to say, they've all bored me except for this one, and I'm a diehard "I Love Lucy" fan. It starts off as an autobiography of Jess Openheimer, but ends up explaining in great detail the wonderful show he produced. You'll learn a lot about Lucille Ball, other cast members, and the making of the series. It's a great book for real I Love Lucy fans.

A gripping read
The best "Lucy" book yet. Aside from providing amazing insight into the "I Love Lucy" show and behind the scenes, this book also makes the reader feel as if he has been right along side Jess Oppenheimer throughout all of his fascinating experiences in San Francisco and early Hollywood. By the time I finished the book, I felt like I was saying good-bye to an old friend. Laugh out loud funny and impossible to put down, the book is brilliantly written and feels like a hilarious conversation with a genious.