About the Center

Mission

The mission of the Lucy Desi Center for Comedy is to preserve and celebrate the legacy of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and to enrich the world through the healing powers of love and laughter through its commitment to the development of the comedic arts.

History

The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center was incorporated as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation in March, 2002.  The Center assumed management of the Lucy-Desi Museum and the Lucy-Desi Gift Shop that April.  The Museum, originally a project of the Arts Council for Chautauqua County, opened its doors on May 25, 1996.  On August 5, 2005, the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center opened its second museum, the Desilu Playhouse, devoted to the “I Love Lucy” show.

Facilities / Attractions

The Lucy-Desi Museum (10 W. Third St.) is a tribute to the First Couple of Comedy.  The Museum celebrates Jamestown’s most famous daughter, Lucille Ball, and her husband and co-star, Desi Arnaz. Larger-than-life wall panels describing The First Couple of Comedy, interactive displays, and video screenings offer an intimate look at these passionate, talented people.  Costumes, gowns, photographs, letters, scripts, and awards are among the memorabilia on display.

The Desilu Playhouse (2 W. 3rd Street) displays exact replicas of the “I Love Lucy” television studio sound stages, including the Ricardos’ New York City apartment living room and kitchen and the Hollywood hotel suite where Lucy pantomimed with Harpo Marx and set her nose on fire with William Holden.  Also featured are a life-sized wall mural of the original studio audience, a “Vitameatavegamin” opportunity, “I Love Lucy” memorabilia from the 1950s, original costumes and props from the most popular show ever on television, and more!

Visit our Lucy-Desi Center Gift Shops located at each of the Museums and featuring many Lucy-Desi and "I Love Lucy" licensed products, from magnets to music boxes, dolls to DVDs, collector plates to checkbook covers, teddy bears to t-shirts! Through the Lucy-Desi Center mail order department, these items are shipped around the world!

Programming / Special Events

The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center puts on a major festival of comedy in Lucille Ball's hometown of Jamestown, NY every August to celebrate her birthday of August 6.  Comedic entertainment and Lucy-Desi-themed activities are offered during each festival, including top-notch headliner stand-up comedians, a showcase of up-and-coming talent, ever-popular Lucytown Tours, film fests, trivia contests, celebrities and luminaries in the lives and careers of Lucy and Desi, outdoor movies/events, memorabilia auctions, vintage collectibles, book signings, food, music, and more.  The comedy festival began in the early 1990's featuring then up-and-comers Ray Romano, Ellen DeGeneres, Louis Black, and more.

In addition to the August comedy festival, the Center is currently putting in place a calendar of year-round comedic entertainment and educational programming as part of its mission to support and develop the comedic arts.  The Lucy-Desi Center for Comedy will offer educational and performance opportunities to youth and adults.

Membership

See Membership.

Acquisitions Society:  In July, 2005, the Center created the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center Acquisitions Society to generate funds for the addition of significant Lucy-Desi artifacts to the Center’s collection and for their preservation.  Membership is by a one-time donation of $2,500.  Through the generosity of the Founding Members of the Acquisitions Society, the Lucy-Desi Center now owns the famous prop cello that Lucy used in the vaudeville act she and Desi created to convince CBS that the American public would accept Desi as her television husband.  This cello was also a prop in the pilot for “I Love Lucy” and again in episode #6, “The Audition.”  It is now on exhibit in the Desilu Playhouse, Jamestown’s “I Love Lucy” museum.

Scholarship

While the hope is to one-day additionally offer a national scholarship in the spirit of Lucille Ball's talent, drive and determination, currently the Lucille Ball Scholarship is to assist a Jamestown Community College student pursuing an Associate's Degree in Performing Arts (theater, music), Business or Communications.  Special consideration will be given to students who show exceptional drive and determination and/or who have overcome unusual challenges, as well as students who show a propensity for creativity in the areas of humor, entertainment, writing, film/television, and media.  If you would like to donate to the scholarship in support of the world's next Lucille Ball, please contact the Center at 716.484.0800 or the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation.  Applications may also be submitted at www.sunyjcc.edu.

Funding

The majority of operational funding is generated from museum admissions, gift shop sales and memberships.  Development funding is raised through grants and private donations.