Here's what Lucille Ball had to say about staying successful
There were more than a million reasons why Lucille Ball became so successful during her long career in acting. Besides being one of the funniest female comedians of her time, Ball was sitting on top of one of Hollywood's biggest gold mines with her production company.
Desilu Productions Inc. was worth around 25 million dollars by the time The Lucy Show premiered in 1962.
Between Desilu Productions, I Love Lucy, The Lucy Show, Here Comes Lucy, and many other starring roles, it seemed like there was no slowing Ball's success.
"I look and sound like a bold person, but I'm not," Ball said in a 1963 interview with The Sacramento Bee. "But I'm a happy person now. What makes you happy in this business is just being part of it. I have never fought over questions of billing or money. My biggest thrill is in being recognized as an accomplished performer."
For Ball, success and happiness were two different things. We saw her success being broadcasted on our TV screens for decades, but we didn't see her happiness.
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According to the interview, it took Hollywood a long time to realize Ball's potential, but it took an even longer time for Ball to become happy.
"I didn't mind the fact that success came so gradually," Ball said. "It never occurred to me that I was being used improperly. I thought I was doing fine. I was happy. I would have worked for nothing. That was the difference between me and some of the kids trying to break into the business today."
Ball said most young actors and performers come in expecting some roses, a red carpet to walk on, and the job. But she had to work for her career. She started as a young entertainer who would sometimes only be paid $50 per show.
"Some of them whine themselves out of a career before they really get started," Ball said.
According to the interview, Ball couldn't stand for two things during her time on The Lucy Show and in most of her career: Ingratitude and self-pity.
"There are so many things to be grateful for," Ball said. "It disturbs me to see people set out to destroy themselves. If they put the same energy into making themselves happy and enjoying their surroundings, think about how much better a world we'd have."
Ball said the success of all her shows— but particularly The Lucy Show— was created due to two things: Good communication and single-mindedness. Although those two things seem like they wouldn't work together - they were Lucille Ball's recipe for success.
"Life is so fleeting," Ball said. "It is so important to let people know how you feel before it's too late. The lack of communication between people - even between members of the same family - has always appalled me. The thing that held me back for years was being too willing to see the other guy's side before I did my own."
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