What Lucille Ball's Co-Stars Have Said About Her

Few comedy legends left as big of a mark as Lucille Ball did. Whether on the silver screen, on television, on stage, or in person, she captivated audiences and peers alike with her signature red curls, bright lipstick, arched eyebrows, and raspy voice. The truth about Ball is that many industry names disliked her or were intimidated by her. Others loved and supported her. Few were able to ignore her. What was she really like, though? We already know that Ball's life was marked by tragic moments and that she was hailed as the first lady to own a Hollywood studio, Desilu Productions. Thankfully, those who acted alongside her painted a clear picture of her character. So, let's round up some of these quotes, be they lukewarm or overwhelmingly positive.

Ball's commanding presence, fierce determination, and undeniable talent landed her roles with various studios, including United Artists, RKO Radio Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Columbia Pictures. Born in 1911, she moved to Manhattan to study acting and was first cast as the face of a cigarette brand. Her complete filmography is too long to list, but we'll mostly remember her for the sitcoms "I Love Lucy" and "The Lucy Show," as well as movies like "The Long, Long Trailer" and "Yours, Mine and Ours." She also earned 24 awards, including five Emmys. Ball's net worth when she died in 1989 was a whopping $60 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. It's only fitting, then, to reflect on the most memorable statements about the iconic Lucille Ball.

Although we may not know everything about Lucille Ball and "I Love Lucy," at least her marriage to Desi Arnaz, the other half of Desilu Productions, was widely publicized. Beyond the adorable photos of Ball and Desi with their two children, Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr., this Hollywood celebrity couple had a tumultuous relationship and a messy divorce. The pair wed in 1940 and separated in 1960, so they were part of each other's lives for two decades and beyond. As such, they co-starred in several movies and TV shows, notably the musical "Too Many Girls" (1940), the romantic comedy film "The Long, Long Trailer" (1954), the hit CBS sitcom "I Love Lucy" (1951–1957), and the monthly specials "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour" (1957–1960).

Despite their highs and lows, Ball and Desi held a profound respect for one other, especially on a professional level. Before his death in 1986, Desi wrote a moving tribute to Ball, penning, "'I Love Lucy' had just one mission: to make people laugh. Lucy gave it a rare quality. She can perform the wildest, even the messiest physical comedy without losing her feminine appeal ... Lucy was the show. Viv [Vivian Vance], Fred [William Frawley], and I were just props" (via People).

The stunning comedy star Carol Burnett was among Lucille Ball's nearest and dearest friends. The dynamic duo also filmed joint scenes for several episodes of "The Lucy Show" and "The Carol Burnett Show" (1967–1978). Ball often offered to boost Burnett's career and affectionately nicknamed her "Kid," Ball told Interview Magazine. For her part, Burnett was most grateful for her support and admired her effortless talent. "The woman who influenced me probably the most was Lucille Ball," she stated on the Shout TV! special "The Carol Burnett Show: Mother of all Marathons" (via People).

Perhaps unlike others, the "Annie" actor embraced Ball's infamous habit of holding nothing back. As Burnett once explained about her friend (via Television Academy), "She never censored herself from here [brain] to here [mouth] ... She was never picking on anybody; she was just the way she was, and they [the crew] would lay their lives down for her." Sadly, Ball passed away on April 26, 1989, which coincided with Burnett's birthday. Since Ball always sent the latter flowers on that special occasion, Burnett received the bouquet posthumously that day, which left her in shambles. "This one morning I got up, turned on the television set — it was my birthday — and she had died that morning, on my birthday," she recalled (via People). "And that afternoon, I got the flowers that said, 'Happy birthday, Kid.'"

Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance's relationship had its ups and downs, but those two were undeniably close and experienced many key moments together, both on and off screen. Vance, who played Ethel Mertz on "I Love Lucy" and Vivian Bagley on "The Lucy Show," was yet another admirer of Ball's professionalism and dedication. "She's a talented, driving lady," Vance once told Ridder News Service of Ball (via MeTV). "I think one of the reasons Lucille and I remain such close friends is that one balances the other. Lucille had more ambition than I had and made me work harder than I ever wanted to work. She pulled me along and taught me a lot of things I was too lazy to do."

Despite their differences, they were there for each other and held many fun makeover and gossip sessions, according to Vance. "You always have to watch us cry a little when we see each other. We've been through a lot together: two husbands, two divorces," Vance shared on "The Dinah Shore Show" in 1975.

Born in 1906, Gale Gordon enjoyed a long and prolific career as a character actor, earning five Primetime Emmy nominations. He passed away in 1995. You might remember him from the beloved sitcom "Our Miss Brooks" or the comedy film "The 'Burbs," opposite Tom Hanks and Carrie Fisher. Lucille Ball quite enjoyed working with him, and the feeling was mutual. They starred together in multiple productions, including the radio comedy show "My Favorite Husband" (1948–1951), as well as Ball's sitcoms, "I Love Lucy" and "The Lucy Show" (1963–1968).

Ball always made Gordon feel comfortable, and they had great chemistry. As he shared on "Good Morning America" in 1986, "Whenever we do a scene together, I'm never nervous, and I'm always nervous with everybody else. We almost anticipate when the other one is going to stop saying something or start to say something. And it's a great feeling of joy and security to work with someone like that."

Two household names who often encouraged and supported Lucille Ball (especially at the beginning of her career) were Ginger Rogers and her theatrical producer mother, Lela Rogers. In fact, Ball and Ginger were distant cousins. Plus, Lela was Ball's mentor and coached her at her RKO Pictures workshop. As such, Lela and her famous daughter were among the first to spot and nurture the "I Love Lucy" star's talent.

Ginger and Ball appeared together in several musicals. They also starred in the dramedy film "Stage Door," alongside Katharine Hepburn and Adolphe Menjou. So, it's safe to assume these two icons knew each other quite well. Not only were they close, but they also famously double-dated other celebrities, such as Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart. It was actually during one of their outings that Ball met her future husband, Desi Arnaz. To show her lifelong affection for Ball, Ginger kept it short and simple on the "Dean Martin's Celebrity Roast" in 1975. She famously said, "Lucy and I have been friends for many years, and although I know it's not very original, I must say, I love Lucy."

In her later years, Joan Rivers was essentially known for two things: her staggering amount of plastic surgery procedures and her razor-sharp tongue. Rivers rarely flattered others, but Lucille Ball was clearly one of the few exceptions. In fact, while introducing the "What Now, Catherine Curtis?" star on "The Tonight Show" in 1985, Rivers graciously called Ball "the Queen of Comedy" and described her as "wonderful," "terrific," and "glamorous." That's high praise coming from someone who publicly made fun of (and even insulted) widely successful celebrities like Whitney Houston, Jennifer Lawrence, Justin Bieber, Elizabeth Taylor, and Jennifer Aniston.

In 1973, Rivers and Ball starred together on a hilarious episode of "Here's Lucy" titled "Lucy and Joan Rivers Do Jury Duty." Back then, the actor, talk-show host, and author played a juror named Joan Reynolds. Ball starred as another juror, Lucy Carter, who kept antagonizing her peers.

In 1974, Lucille Ball starred as "Auntie Mame" Dennis Burnside in "Mame," a musical film helmed by Gene Saks. Her co-stars included Robert Preston, Bea Arthur, and Bruce Davison. And then there was Patrick Labyorteaux, who portrayed her adorable, free-spirited nephew, Peter Dennis. Labyorteaux recalls his interactions with Ball fondly, as he shared on his YouTube channel in 2026. While she intimidated others on set, she was exceptionally kind to him as a little boy. "It was a huge, wonderful experience for me," he said, before adding, "She was super protective. She always held my hand. We were in all the scenes together. I was always right next to her, and she just really took care of me."

As per his account, Ball was only gentle and motherly around him. He continued, "She was a sweetheart. Her voice was trash [from her excessive smoking], but she and I had a great relationship, but I could tell that the adults were afraid of her." And here's the cherry on top: When production wrapped, she gave him a Mickey Mouse watch, which he still treasures to this day.

You may not realize it, but "I Love Lucy" still has one last surviving main cast member in the 2020s: Keith Thibodeaux. Born in 1950, Thibodeaux is better known as Richard Keith, and he is an accomplished performer and drummer. Keith appeared on the sitcom as Little Ricky Ricardo for 25 episodes. He also reprised this role for 13 episodes on "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour." In short, as a little boy, the young actor spent a lot of time with Ball, both on and off screen. In fact, according to him, he was close friends with her children and often visited the Arnaz family at their various properties. So, in between treats and games, he frequently noticed the tension between the famous couple.

When asked about Ball, Keith seemed hesitant and was careful with his wording. He once described her as "very passionate, very complex, very energetic, and very tightly wound, and no-nonsense" (via the Archive of American Television). He then made sure to add, "She had a soft side to her, and very loving, very sweet."

Tony Randall, another Primetime Emmy award winner, also performed alongside Lucille Ball and publicly voiced his opinion about her. His most memorable roles include multiple characters on the sitcom "The Odd Couple," Jonathan Forbes in the romantic comedy film "Pillow Talk," and the voice of the Brain Gremlin in the fantasy sequel "Gremlins 2: The New Batch." In 1971, Randall guest-starred as Rudolph "Rudy" Springer III on an episode of "Here's Lucy" titled "Lucy and the Mountain Climber." Rudy challenged Ball's character, a widower named Lucy Carter, to a mountain-climbing competition in exchange for keeping her job at his company.

During that period, Randall had the privilege of observing the star up close, and he noticed that she micromanaged everything and everyone, all in the name of perfectionism. "Oh, she was dynamite!!! She was a lady-in-charge," he recalled in a 2000 interview for the Houston Theater. "While acting with you, she was directing the cameras, 'What's that camera doing there, for God's sake! Move it over there!' Then, she'd continue to do the scene."

Lucille Ball was deeply valued by her peers, family, friends, and fans alike, but one actor stood out for his unwavering awe and gratitude: William Frawley. His most notable roles include Sheriff McGee in "The Bride Came C.O.D." and Charlie Halloran in "Miracle on 34^th Street." Yet, he'll always be remembered as the grumpy, sarcastic, and endearing Fred Mertz on "I Love Lucy." And it was all thanks to the feisty star of the show, who wholeheartedly welcomed him aboard while his career was waning. Since Frawley was an aging performer at the time, securing dynamic TV or movie roles was quite challenging for him.

"As an old ham, I would have withered away and died if I had given up acting in 1951," Frawley once admitted to the Marshfield News-Herald (via Me TV). "I REALLY love Lucy. She not only gave me a job but she resurrected, rejuvenated, and rehabilitated me. Now, I can go on acting as long as I feel good and I'm healthy." Sadly, Frawley died from complications of a heart attack in 1966, at the age of 79, while Ball was still very much active in the industry.