Desilu Studios, is the permanent home of the “I Love Lucy” 50th Anniversary Tour Sets that traveled the country in 2001-2002 to celebrate the hit series. After the tour, the entire exhibit was stored in Texas but eventually moved to Lucille Ball’s hometown, where it was named Desilu “Playhouse” after the studio used in Hollywood to film the first few seasons of “I Love Lucy.”
Everything I Love Lucy, and More
Desilu Studios is devoted to the “I Love Lucy” TV series. It is home of original props, costumes, memorabilia and more. Inside, you’ll also find complete re-creations of Lucy and Ricky Ricardo’s New York City apartment and the Hollywood hotel suite where Lucy pantomimed with Harpo Marx and set her nose on fire with William Holden! You’ll also find an interactive set, a screening area, and showcases filled with vintage memorabilia as well as costumes that were worn on the show.
Artifacts
The artifacts exhibit displays costumes and props from “I Love Lucy” like the original cello, a professor costume from the show’s pilot episode and episode 6 and a 13 piece clown outfit paired with a lion tamer ensemble worn by Pepito in the “Lucy’s Show Biz Swan Song” episode.
My Favorite Husband Radio Studio Set
At this one of a kind exhibit, you can pick up headsets and listen to excerpts from Lucille Ball’s wildly popular radio station program, My Favorite Husband. Lucille was asked by CBS to bring the program to the new medium of television, but the offer was withdrawn when Lucille would only agree if her husband in real life would play her husband on the show. CBS did not believe the public would be accepting of her relationship with a heavy accented Latino man. Ultimately though, Lucille and Desi put together their own vaudeville show to perform on the road, and after tremendous live audience responses, CBS provided television audiences with the culturally influential hilarious series, “I Love Lucy.”
More Exhibits and Displays.
Complete re-creations of Lucy and Ricky Ricardo’s New York City apartment are featured, along with the Hollywood hotel suite, where Lucy set her nose on fire with William Holden. Also a part of the studio is an interactive Vitameatavegamin set, based on the famous “Lucy does a TV Commercial” episode, where guests can act, read dialogue in and see their own commercial. You will also find a 4x5’ enlarged image showing a live studio audience at a taping of “I Love Lucy,” the 3-Headed monster, which was a custom made editing machine that was used to edit the show and a Live Like Lucy! Bedroom Set.
- Facility is wheelchair accessible.
- A gift shop is located on-site.
- Non-flash photography is permitted.