6.9
TV
Acting
Desi Arnaz
- Born
- Died
- (aged 69)
- Birthplace
- Santiago, Cuba
- Credits
- 78 titles
Biography
Desi Arnaz (March 2, 1917 – December 2, 1986) was a Cuban-born American musician, actor and television producer.
While he gained international renown for leading a Latin music band, the Desi Arnaz Orchestra, he is best known for his role as Ricky Ricardo on I Love Lucy, starring with then-wife Lucille Ball.
Signature work
Known For
6.9
TV
7.9
TV
I Love Lucy
8.1
TV
E! True Hollywood Story
6.8
TV
Ironside
7.0
TV
Alice
7.0
Movie
The Long, Long Trailer
7.1
TV
The Lucy Show
6.4
Movie
Bataan
6.5
TV
The Virginian
6.2
Movie
The Escape Artist
6.2
Movie
The Fountain of Youth
8.6
TV
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
5.9
Movie
Too Many Girls
6.0
Movie
The Navy Comes Through
6.4
Movie
Star Trek: The Cage
6.9
Movie
Forever, Darling
7.7
Movie
I Love Lucy: The Movie
6.8
Movie
Father Takes a Wife
Acting credits 62
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| TBA | The Lucy-Desi Milton Berle Special Film | |
| TBA | Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse Bernadette Episode Film | Host (himself) |
| TBA | The Time Element Film | Host |
| 2025 | A Grammy Celebration of Latin Music Film | Self/Ricky Ricardo (archive footage) |
| 2025 | Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music Film | Self (archive footage) |
| 2022 | Lucy and Desi Film | Self (archive footage) |
| 2020 | My Darling Vivian Film | Self (archive footage) |
| 2016 | I Love Lucy Christmas Special Film | Ricky |
| 2011 | Classic TV Bloopers Uncensored Film | Ricky Ricardo (archive footage) |
| 2005 | Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards Film | Manuelito (segment "Too Many Girls") (archive footage) |
| 2004 | Judy Garland: By Myself Film | Self (archive footage) |
| 2004 | TV in Black: The First Fifty Years Film | (archive footage) |
| 2000 | Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy Film | Self (archive footage) |
| 1999 | Television: The First Fifty Years Film | Ricky Ricardo (archive footage) |
| 1997 | The Funny World of Lucy, Volume 1 Film | |
| 1996 | E! True Hollywood Story TV | (1 ep) |
| 1993 | Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie Film | Self |
| 1983 | Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage Film | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) |
| 1982 | The Escape Artist Film | Mayor Leon Quiñones |
| 1976 | CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years Film | Self |
| 1976 | Alice TV | Ruth (1 ep) |
| 1976 | Salsa Film | Self (archive footage) |
| 1976 | Joys Film | Self |
| 1976 | Donny & Marie TV | Self (1 ep) |
| 1975 | Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television Film | (archive footage) |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Live TV | Self - Host & Musical Guest (1 ep) |
| 1968 | Land's End TV | Guest Waiting to Cash Check (1 ep) |
| 1968 | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In TV | Self (uncredited) (1 ep) |
| 1967 | The Mothers-in-Law TV | Raphael Delgado (4 ep) |
| 1967 | Ironside TV | Dr. Juan Domingo (1 ep) |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson TV | Self (2 ep) |
| 1962 | The Virginian TV | El Jefe (1 ep) |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas Show TV | Self (1 ep) |
| 1960 | The Man in the Funny Suit Film | Self - Host |
| 1959 | NBC Sunday Showcase TV | Ricky Ricardo (1 ep) |
| 1958 | Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse TV | (7 ep) |
| 1957 | The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour TV | Ricky Ricardo (13 ep) |
| 1956 | The Bob Hope Chevy Show Film | Fred Mertz |
| 1956 | Tony Awards TV | Self - Performer (1 ep) |
| 1956 | Forever, Darling Film | Lorenzo Xavier Vega |
| 1956 | Lucy's Really Lost Moments Film | Ricky Ricardo |
| 1955 | MGM Parade TV | Self (1 ep) |
| 1954 | December Bride TV | Self (1 ep) |
| 1954 | A Star Is Born World Premiere Film | Self |
| 1954 | The Long, Long Trailer Film | Nicholas Collini |
| 1953 | I Love Lucy: The Movie Film | Ricky Ricardo / Self |
| 1951 | I Love Lucy TV | Ricky Ricardo (180 ep) |
| 1951 | The Red Skelton Show TV | Self (1 ep) |
| 1950 | The Bob Hope Show TV | Self (2 ep) |
| 1950 | What's My Line? TV | Self (3 ep) |
| 1949 | The Ed Wynn Show TV | Self (1 ep) |
| 1949 | Holiday in Havana Film | Carlos Estrada |
| 1949 | The Emmy Awards TV | Self (2 ep) |
| 1948 | The Ed Sullivan Show TV | Self (6 ep) |
| 1946 | Desi Arnaz and His Orchestra Film | Self |
| 1946 | Cuban Pete Film | Desi Arnaz |
| 1943 | Bataan Film | Felix Ramirez |
| 1942 | The Navy Comes Through Film | Pat Tarriba |
| 1942 | Four Jacks and a Jill Film | Steve Sarto / King Stephan VIII of Aregal |
| 1941 | Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 2 Film |
Crew credits 24
| Year | Title | Job |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Land's End TV | Writer, Director, Producer, Creator (1 ep) |
| 1967 | The Mothers-in-Law TV | Director, Executive Producer (24 ep) |
| 1966 | The Carol Channing Show TV | Producer, Director (1 ep) |
| 1965 | Star Trek: The Cage Film | Executive Producer |
| 1963 | Surf Scene Film | Executive Producer |
| 1962 | The Lucy Show TV | Director, Producer (1 ep) |
| 1961 | Dragon by the Tail Film | Executive Producer |
| 1961 | Alcatraz Express Film | Executive Producer |
| 1960 | Guestward, Ho! TV | Director (1 ep) |
| 1960 | The Man in the Funny Suit Film | Producer |
| 1960 | The Gun of Zangara Film | Executive Producer |
| 1959 | NBC Sunday Showcase TV | Director (1 ep) |
| 1958 | U.S. Marshall TV | Producer's Assistant, Executive Producer (1 ep) |
| 1958 | The Ann Sothern Show TV | Producer (93 ep) |
| 1958 | Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse TV | Executive In Charge Of Production, Creator (1 ep) |
| 1958 | The Texan TV | Producer (78 ep) |
| 1958 | The Fountain of Youth Film | Executive Producer |
| 1958 | Colgate Theatre TV | Executive Producer (8 ep) |
| 1958 | Strange Witness Film | Producer |
| 1957 | The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour TV | Director, Producer, Executive Producer (3 ep) |
| 1957 | The Walter Winchell File TV | Producer (38 ep) |
| 1956 | Lucy's Really Lost Moments Film | Producer, Director, Writer |
| 1952 | Cavalcade of America TV | Executive Producer (1 ep) |
| 1951 | I Love Lucy TV | Producer (180 ep) |