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 retired actor and musician. He is the son of famous TV stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.

Early life

Desi Arnaz Jr. was born on January 19, 1953, in Los Angeles. His older sister is actress Lucie Arnaz, who was born in 1951.

His birth was a really big deal in television history! His parents were the stars of the popular TV show I Love Lucy. When his mom, Lucille Ball, became pregnant, they decided to make her character, Lucy Ricardo, pregnant on the show too. This was a very bold idea for TV back in 1952. On the very same day Desi Jr. was born, the TV character Lucy Ricardo also gave birth to "Little Ricky" on the show.

People were so interested in Lucy's TV baby that Desi Jr. appeared on the cover of the first issue of TV Guide. The headline called him "Lucy's $50,000,000 baby" because they expected a lot of money from products related to the show. Later, actor Richard Keith played "Little Ricky" on the TV series. Richard spent a lot of time with Desi Jr. and his sister Lucie, and they became good friends. Richard even taught Desi Jr. how to play the drums.

Desi Arnaz Jr. went to University High School in West Los Angeles.

Career

When he was 12 years old, Desi Arnaz Jr. was a drummer in a band called Dino, Desi & Billy. The other members were Dean Paul Martin (who was the son of another famous star, Dean Martin) and Billy Hinsche. The band had two hit songs in 1965: "I'm a Fool" and "Not the Lovin' Kind". Desi is now the only surviving member of the group.

Acting

From 1968 to 1974, Desi Arnaz Jr. and his sister Lucie acted alongside their mother in the TV show Here's Lucy. They played her children on the show. In 1968, he also appeared in an episode of The Mothers-in-Law, a show that his father produced and directed. In 1970, he was on The Brady Bunch in an episode called "The Possible Dream."

In 1971, he starred in the movie Red Sky at Morning. In 1973, he played the main character in the musical film Marco, which was about the life of the adventurer Marco Polo. However, this movie wasn't very popular at the box office.

In 1974, Arnaz played the main role in the Western movie Billy Two Hats with Gregory Peck. In 1976, he appeared on two episodes of the TV series The Streets of San Francisco. He also appeared on Saturday Night Live (SNL) in 1976, which was hosted by both him and his father. On SNL, the younger Arnaz played Ricky Ricardo in funny skits that made fun of I Love Lucy.

In 1977, he was the lead in the film Joyride with other actors whose parents were also famous.

Arnaz continued acting into the late 1980s. He had various TV appearances and a main role in the short-lived TV series Automan, which ran for 12 episodes from 1983 to 1984.

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

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

In 1992, he played his own father in the movie The Mambo Kings. This movie was based on a book that he felt showed his father in a good way. In the film, Desi Jr. played his father's character, Ricky Ricardo, and acted opposite his mother as Lucy Ricardo. Scenes from the original TV series were even mixed into the movie.

Later Career

Between 1998 and 2010, Desi Arnaz Jr. toured with a new version of his band, Dino, Desi & Billy. This new group was called Ricci, Desi & Billy. It included Arnaz, Billy Hinsche, and Ricci Martin (who was the youngest son of Dean Martin). The band performed their old songs and new music too.

From about 2002 to 2007, he was the vice-president of the board of directors for the Lucille Ball–Desi Arnaz Center in Jamestown, New York. This center celebrates the lives and careers of his parents.

In 2007, Arnaz appeared at the 5th Annual TV Land Awards with his sister Lucie. They accepted the Legacy of Laughter award, which was given to their mother after she had passed away.

Arnaz has also performed in a show called Babalu: A Celebration of the Music of Desi Arnaz and his Orchestra. He performed this show with his sister Lucie Arnaz and other talented artists.

On October 15, 2011, Arnaz performed Babalu at the Coolidge Auditorium of the Library of Congress. This performance was part of an event celebrating the Library's collection about Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. 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.

Arnaz dated entertainer Liza Minnelli. In May 1972, Arnaz announced that he and Minnelli were engaged. He went with her to the Academy Awards ceremony in March 1973, where she won an Academy Award for Best Actress. However, while they were in London, Minnelli ended their engagement in May 1973.

Arnaz married actress Linda Purl in 1979, but 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 and helped restore it. After it was fixed up, the theater became the home of the Boulder City Ballet Company.

Desi's wife Amy passed away in 2015. Desi's granddaughter, Desiree S. Anzalone, passed away on September 27, 2020.

Filmography

Images for kids

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  Boulder Theatre