Desi Arnaz’s numerous extramarital affairs have been revealed in a new biography, “Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television.” Despite their seemingly perfect on-screen romance in “I Love Lucy,” Arnaz and Lucille Ball’s real-life relationship was fraught with challenges. When the couple started dating, both were involved with other people. Arnaz’s biographer, Todd S.
Purdum, noted that the Cuban superstar had several “sometimes girlfriends,” a fact that Ball was aware of. However, it was his relationship with iconic Hollywood actress and pin-up girl Betty Grable that infuriated Ball the most. According to Purdum, when Ball discovered Arnaz’s infidelity with Grable, she was livid.
“When she got wind of this,” Purdum wrote, “she drove to the house he now shared with his mother on Wilcox Avenue in Hollywood, barged past Lolita [Arnaz’s mom] at the front door, and excoriated Desi, who was still in bed, as a two-timing bastard — all with Lolita in earshot.”
The biography elaborates that “jealous outbursts and bitter arguments” were characteristic of their tumultuous relationship, which ultimately contributed to its end.
Affairs and turmoil backstage
Despite her public composure, Ball’s private feelings were evidently intense.
Purdum noted that when a reporter asked her about Arnaz’s alleged infidelity, she wittily responded, “I like to play games, too.”
The couple married in 1940, just one day after getting engaged. Their union was marked by highs and lows, including a dramatic episode where Ball filed for divorce but reconciled with Arnaz the night before they were due in court, only to embrace him again immediately after obtaining the decree. This action nullified the divorce under California law at the time, which required a one-year period banning cohabitation after a provisional decree.
Ultimately, the couple’s marriage, though passionate and filled with iconic moments, couldn’t withstand the strain of Arnaz’s affairs and their resulting conflicts. They divorced for good in 1960 after 20 years of marriage. The biography has provided fans with a deeper understanding of the complexities behind the scenes of one of Hollywood’s most iconic couples.
It sheds light on the sometimes overlooked contributions of Desi Arnaz, who was a pioneer in the use of multiple cameras for filming and played a pivotal role in shaping the television industry.
