Let’s talk about Lucille Ball, one of the most iconic figures in television history. Everyone knows her legendary connection with Desi Arnaz, both on-screen and off. But here’s a twist: Lucille found her true happiness with her second husband, the hilarious comedian Gary Morton. In a heartfelt letter to a friend in 1983, Lucy revealed, “Boy, did I pick a winner!” after being married to Gary for 22 blissful years. She admitted that after her 19-year marriage to Desi Arnaz, she never expected to find love again. Yet, she couldn’t be happier that she did!
A newly discovered collection of love letters between Lucy and Gary shines a brighter light on their enduring bond. In one heartfelt note from the late '60s, Lucy wrote, “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.” Lucy explained in her memoir, Love, Lucy (published posthumously in 1996), “I’ve always wanted to share with someone the good and the bad. Especially when things are good, you need someone. [And] Gary was good for Lucy.” However, Lucy’s romantic journey wasn’t always this joyful.
Lucy and Gary in 1984. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
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Lucy and Desi: The Love That Fizzled
Lucy fell head over heels for Desi Arnaz when she first saw him in the 1940 movie Too Many Girls. She was a budding actress, and he was a dashing big band leader. Their romance was intense, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Together, they created the megahit I Love Lucy and the production company Desilu Productions, which brought us other classics like The Untouchables. But behind the scenes, Desi’s love for alcohol and his wandering eye left Lucy feeling humiliated and heartbroken.
“People wonder why they got divorced, but I wonder how they stopped from killing each other!” longtime friend Carole Cook exclusively told Closer Weekly. “Desi had it together when they were building the empire, but once they attained it, it just wasn’t exciting anymore, and things fell apart.” By 1960, three years after I Love Lucy went off the air, Lucy had had enough and finally divorced Desi. Approaching 50, she didn’t think she’d date again, but her friend, comedian Jack Carter, had other plans. He wanted to introduce her to Gary Morton, a nightclub comic who was 13 years her junior.
(Photo Credit: Closer Weekly)
The Spark That Lit Up Lucy’s Life
Their first meeting happened at midnight over pizza in NYC, where Lucy was performing in the Broadway musical Wildcat. Gary said what struck him first about Lucy was her confident walk. “Light me a cigarette,” Lucy said casually to the tall, tanned six-footer. She tossed a cigarette in his direction. Gary picked it up and tossed it back. “Here,” he said. “Light it yourself.” That was the moment the spark ignited. Surprisingly, Gary claimed he hadn’t heard of Lucy. As a road comic, he’d always been working Monday nights and never caught I Love Lucy. But they were kindred spirits.
“When that first evening ended and Gary took me home, I felt more like myself than I had in months,” Lucy said. She had doubts about the age difference and income gap, but she realized Gary had the natural humor of someone who loved to laugh and wanted everyone to laugh with him. “That made two of us,” she wrote. Gary asked Lucy if he could call her every night and even asked, “Will you be my girl?” Lucy said she’d think it over but didn’t date anyone else. After courting for 11 months and returning to LA, Gary proposed to Lucy on a plane to NYC.
