Desi Arnaz Jr. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Desi Arnaz Jr.
Arnaz Jr. during filming of The Streets of San Francisco in 1976
Born	Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV (1953-01-19) January 19, 1953 (age 72) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor musician
Years active	1957–2012, 2021
Spouse(s)	Linda Purl ​ ​ (m. 1979; div. 1980)​ Amy Laura Bargiel ​ ​ (m. 1987; died 2015)​
Children	2
Parent(s)	Desi Arnaz Lucille Ball
Relatives	Lucie Arnaz (sister) Fred Ball (maternal uncle) Desiderio Alberto Arnaz II (paternal grandfather)

Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV (born January 19, 1953), known as Desi Arnaz Jr., is an American actor and musician. He is the son of famous stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.

Early Life and Family

Desi Arnaz Jr. was born on January 19, 1953. His birthplace was the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles. His older sister is actress Lucie Arnaz, born in 1951.

A Famous Birth

His birth was a very big event in television history. His parents, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, starred in the TV show I Love Lucy. Lucille Ball's real-life pregnancy was written into the show. This was a very bold idea for television in 1952.

On the same day Desi Jr. was born, his TV mom, Lucy Ricardo, also gave birth to "Little Ricky" on the show. People were very interested in Lucy's TV baby. Desi Jr. even appeared on the first cover of TV Guide magazine. The headline called him "Lucy's $50,000,000 baby." This was because of all the money expected from products related to the show.

An actor named Richard Keith played "Little Ricky" on the TV series. Keith spent a lot of time with Desi Jr. and his sister Lucie. He became good friends with the family. Keith even taught Desi Jr. how to play the drums. Desi Jr. went to University High School in West Los Angeles.

Desi Arnaz Jr.'s Career

Desi Arnaz Jr. started his career at a young age. He became known as both a musician and an actor.

Music Career

When he was 12, Desi Arnaz Jr. was a drummer in a band. The band was called Dino, Desi & Billy. The other members were Dean Paul Martin and Billy Hinsche. Dean Paul Martin was the son of famous singer Dean Martin.

The band had two hit songs in 1965. These songs were "I'm a Fool" and "Not the Lovin' Kind." Billy Hinsche passed away in 2021. This means Desi Arnaz Jr. is the only living member of the original trio.

Acting Roles

From 1968 to 1974, Desi Arnaz Jr. acted with his mother and sister. They starred in the TV show Here's Lucy. He played his mother's son, Craig Carter.

In 1968, he was a guest star on The Mothers-in-Law. He played a drum-playing friend named Tommy. His father was the executive producer and director of this show. In 1970, he appeared on The Brady Bunch as himself.

He starred in the movie Red Sky at Morning in 1971. He acted alongside Richard Thomas. In 1973, he played the main character in the musical film Marco. This movie was about the life of the adventurer Marco Polo. However, the film did not do well at the box office.

In 1974, Arnaz played the main role in the Western movie Billy Two Hats. He acted with Gregory Peck. In 1976, he appeared in two episodes of The Streets of San Francisco.

Arnaz also appeared on Saturday Night Live (SNL) in 1976. Both he and his father hosted the show. Desi Jr. played Ricky Ricardo in funny skits. These skits made fun of imagined failed TV shows for I Love Lucy.

Arnaz; his mother, Lucille Ball; and his sister, Lucie, in Here's Lucy, 1968.

In 1977, he was the lead in the film Joyride. He acted with other children of famous actors. These included Melanie Griffith and Robert Carradine.

Arnaz continued acting into the late 1980s. He had various TV appearances. He also had a main role in the TV series Automan. This show ran for 12 episodes from 1983 to 1984.

Desi Arnaz and Arnaz on the television special California, My Way, 1974.

In 1992, he played his father in the movie The Mambo Kings. This film was based on a book that won an award. Desi Jr. felt the movie showed his father with respect. The film even had a scene where Desi Jr., playing his father, acted with his mother, playing Lucy Ricardo. They used clips from the old TV series in this scene.

Later Career and Projects

From 1998 to 2010, Desi Arnaz Jr. toured with a new band. It was called Ricci, Desi & Billy. This group included Arnaz, Billy Hinsche, and Ricci Martin. Ricci Martin was the youngest son of Dean Martin. They played their old songs and new music.

From about 2002 to 2007, he was a vice-president. He served on the board of directors for the Lucille Ball–Desi Arnaz Center. This center is in Jamestown, New York. He later left the board due to a disagreement.

In 2007, Arnaz appeared at the 5th Annual TV Land Awards. He and his sister Lucie accepted an award for their mother. It was called the Legacy of Laughter award.

Arnaz has also performed in a show called Babalu. This show celebrates the music of Desi Arnaz and his Orchestra. He performed with Lucie Arnaz and other talented artists.

On October 15, 2011, Arnaz performed Babalu at the Library of Congress. This performance was part of the Library's Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Collection. In 2021, Arnaz and his sister Lucie were executive producers for the film Being the Ricardos.

Personal Life

Desi Arnaz Jr. has a daughter named Julia Arnaz. She was born in 1968. A test in 1991 showed that he was her father.

Arnaz dated actress Patty Duke when he was 17. His mother did not approve of this relationship. It became public news. Arnaz later developed a close relationship with Sean Astin, Patty Duke's son.

Arnaz was also involved with entertainer Liza Minnelli. His mother did not approve of this relationship either. She thought Minnelli was too old for him. In May 1972, Arnaz announced his engagement to Minnelli. He went with her to the Academy Awards in March 1973. Minnelli won an award for Best Actress that night.

Arnaz married actress Linda Purl in 1979. They divorced later that year. On October 8, 1987, Arnaz married Amy Laura Bargiel. They lived in Boulder City, Nevada, with their daughter, Haley.

In 1997, Arnaz bought the Boulder Theatre in town. He helped restore it when it was in bad shape. After being fixed up, the cinema became home to the Boulder City Ballet Company.

Boulder Theatre

Desi's wife, Amy, passed away from cancer in 2015. She was 63 years old. Desi Arnaz Jr. still lives in Boulder City, Nevada.

Film and TV Appearances