When most people think of Lucille Ball, they picture her alongside Desi Arnaz in the iconic series I Love Lucy. But what many don’t know is that Lucille found her greatest happiness not with Desi but with her second husband, comedian Gary Morton. In a heartfelt letter to a close friend in 1983, after 22 years of marriage to Gary, Lucy wrote, “Boy, did I pick a winner!” She admitted that after 19 years with Desi, whom she simply referred to as “that Latin lover,” she never imagined she’d marry again. Yet, she couldn’t be happier she did.
A recently discovered collection of love letters between Lucy and Gary sheds light on the deep bond they shared. In one heartfelt note from the late '60s, Lucy penned, “I’m just sitting here thinking how much I love you. You are a real special ‘guy,’ Gary, and ‘my guy.’ Bless you. Your missus.” In her posthumously published memoir, Love, Lucy, she expressed her desire to share life’s ups and downs with someone special. Gary was that someone for her. But before finding this joy, Lucy’s love life had its share of challenges.
Lucy and Gary in 1984. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
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From Screen Love to Real-Life Challenges
Lucy’s heart was captured by Desi Arnaz when she first saw him in the 1940 movie Too Many Girls. At that time, she was an aspiring actress and he was a big band leader. Their relationship was intense, but together they created the legendary I Love Lucy and Desilu Productions, which birthed hits like The Untouchables. However, Desi’s penchant for alcohol and infidelity left Lucy humiliated and frustrated. As longtime friend Carole Cook revealed to Closer Weekly, “People wonder why they got divorced, but I wonder how they stopped from killing each other!” Once they achieved success, the excitement faded, and their marriage crumbled. By 1960, Lucy had had enough and finalized her divorce from Desi.
Meeting Gary Morton
Pushing 50 and with no interest in dating, Lucy was introduced to Gary Morton by her friend, comedian Jack Carter. Gary, a nightclub comic 13 years younger than Lucy, seemed an unlikely match. Their first meeting happened at a midnight supper at a pizza place in NYC, where Lucy was performing in the short-lived Broadway musical Wildcat. Gary made a striking impression on Lucy, noting her confident walk and asking her to light a cigarette. When Lucy tossed him a cigarette, expecting him to light it for her, Gary tossed it back, saying, “Light it yourself.” Sparks flew, and despite their age and income differences, they connected deeply. Gary admitted he hadn’t heard of Lucy, as he’d always been working on Monday nights and never caught I Love Lucy. Still, they found common ground and quickly became inseparable.
(Photo Credit: Closer Weekly)
A Match Made in Comedy
As Lucy spent more time with Gary, she felt more like herself than she had in months. Despite her initial doubts about the age and income gap, she realized Gary shared her love for laughter. Gary asked if he could call her every night and if she’d be his girl. After 11 months of courting, Gary proposed to Lucy on a plane to NYC. When Lucy hesitated, asking if he was ready for the potential backlash, Gary confidently replied, “Who are they?” Lucy agreed to marry him under one condition: Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, author of The Power of Positive Thinking, would officiate. Miraculously, the doctor was available, and the couple tied the knot in an intimate ceremony at his Marble Collegiate Church in NYC on November 19, 1961. With only 40 guests in attendance, the ceremony lasted just 15 minutes, but the couple was greeted by a thousand cheering fans outside the church.
