Lucille Ball Was Once a Professor at California State University
Best known for her starring role in the classic sitcom I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball was an iconic comedian, actor, and producer. Many people don’t realize she was also a professor at California State University.
A pioneer in the television industry, the fiery redhead is credited for setting new standards, becoming the first female owner of a major independent television studio, Desilu Productions.
She had a broad range of characterization, expert timing, and a knack for physical comedy. The beloved actor shared her passion and knowledge of the industry with fortunate college students, eager to learn from the one-of-a-kind professional.
The queen of comedy
Born in 1911, Ball was destined to be in show business. At 15 years of age, she enrolled in drama school and started modeling using the name Diane Belmont. Catching the eye of a Hollywood studio executive in 1933, the young actor appeared in her first film Roman Sandals. As her career began to flourish, Ball took on more significant roles working alongside Henry Fonda, Bob Hope, and other well-known actors.
In 1950, Ball and Desi Arnaz, whom she married ten years prior, formed Desilu Productions, and together they produced the history-making comedy series I Love Lucy. The show transformed television, becoming the first sitcom to use 35mm film while recording in front of a live studio audience. Ball was also the first visibly pregnant woman to appear on television.
According to PBS, “Ball cultivated a personal image that corresponded to that of her television character and in doing so broke down a profound barrier between actor and audience.” They explained it as “a ‘parasocial’ relationship not unlike those flourishing today with TikTok and YouTube stars.” PBS claims, “For many Americans, tuning in every week to ‘I Love Lucy’ was like catching up with an old friend.”
The comedian taught a course at California State University
In 1979, long after the cameras stopped rolling on the set of I Love Lucy, the acclaimed actor taught a course at California State University, Northridge. Hired as an assistant professor, she instructed film students in a three-credit course, “Television and Film Aesthetics,” which analyzed film and television programming.
According to The Wrap, Ball said in an interview with the LA Times, “I try to teach them the art of taking care of themselves in every way so someone else doesn’t have to.” She continued, “All they hear about is rejection. I try not to talk about rejection. I teach how to do the best for you – don’t be a patsy, a pushover – and to take that step ahead every day.”
Ball was also a workshop instructor
Ball also taught a series of workshops in the 1950s at Ben-Ari’s Actors and Directors Workshop. According to The Lucypedia, Ball gave 18 lectures about the art of comedy. She instructed and inspired over 90 students in two nine-week semesters with people of varying ages and backgrounds.
The workshops were on a volunteer basis, and she did not receive any pay, with Ball saying at the time, “I do it because it’s fun and because it’s always a good thing when there are people who are willing to work hard and learn and improve themselves in this industry.”
The two-hour sessions included informal lectures and scenes performed by the students, to which Ball would offer honest critique. The beloved actor claimed, “I am not a teacher, but apparently, I do have something to say that is helpful.”
