WESTINGHOUSE DESILU PLAYHOUSE





Appliance and electronic goods maker Westinghouse had just pulled the plug on its long-running and award-winning live dramatic anthology Studio One in early 1958, a victim of falling ratings and the growing trend toward filmed series. Around the same time, Desilu-the studio owned by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz--had just completed the first season of the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz shows for Ford Motor Company. The hour-long format, which featured the Ricardos and Mertzes in new adventures with big-name guest stars, proved to be virtually as popular as the half-hour I Love Lucy shows that ended production in 1957. But with an economic recession and the failure of its new Edsel car, Ford decided to stop its sponsorship of the Ball-Arnaz specials.

In another development during the 1957-58 season, Desilu purchased the old RKO movie studios, giving it one of the largest production facilities in Hollywood. With more sound stages and employees than ever, Desi Arnaz had no choice but to expand. Fortunately, when Arnaz pitched the idea for a revolving anthology show, CBS snapped it up without a sponsor in place.

When he heard that Studio One was going off the air, Arnaz sold Westinghouse chief Mark Cresap on sponsoring the Desilu Playhouse (with new and previously aired Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz specials in the mix). Arnaz brashly promised Cresap the show would help move slow-selling Westinghouse refrigerators, washers and ranges. Cresap, an I Love Lucy fan, agreed to put up $12 million in production costs.









The Untouchables two-parter was a hit, and there was talk of a series to air in the fall of 1959. In a move that surprised the television industry, Desilu sold the show not to longtime home CBS, but to ABC, the weakest of the three broadcast networks-a decision that caused a strain in the relationship between Arnaz and CBS Chairman Bill Paley. (The Untouchables would prove to be a major hit for ABC, running for four seasons.)









The next day, Lucy filed for divorce; Arnaz did not contest the move. Soon after, the Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse was cancelled, ending both the Arnaz marriage and the nine-year saga of Lucy and Ricky Ricardo.