Lucille Ball’s Daughter To Headline Celebration
Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill To Attend Lucy-Desi DaysBy Kristen Johnson, kajohnson@post-journal.com
Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill, the daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, will return to Jamestown next month to perform during the Lucy-Desi Days celebration.
''It's always nice to come back to Jamestown, especially in the spring when the dogwoods and the lilacs are in bloom,'' she said. ''I'm very excited to come back (this) month.''
Mrs. Luckinbill will perform an hour-long show at the Reg Lenna Civic Center on Saturday, May 23 at 8 p.m. as part of a fundraising event aimed at helping the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center overcome some of the financial challenges it has faced due to the rough economy. All tickets will be $25 and may be ordered by calling 484-0800 ext. 203. The performance will be followed by a separate fundraising gala reception for those who would like to meet Mrs. Luckinbill in person. Cost is $100 per ticket.
Libby Nord, the center's creative director, called Mrs. Luckinbill an ''accomplished performer with a wry sense of humor and a talent for putting the right emotion into every song she sings.''
''As we celebrate the legacy of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, the presence of their daughter makes the weekend even more special,'' Nord said.
Mrs. Luckinbill has performed during the Lucy-Desi Days celebration in years past. She said recently she is ''really looking forward'' to performing in Jamestown again.
''I love singing - it's such a charge to sing with the big band,'' she said. ''Last time I performed, we did a Latin show as a tribute to my father. But this time, it's not a tribute to anyone - it's just great music and some songs I've fallen in love with. I'm so happy to come back and sing to help the center out.''
Mrs. Luckinbill said she fully supports the center's new board of directors as they work to overcome what board chairman Mike LaTone has called a ''fragile financial time.''
''They've got some great people on the board right now and I think they're really going in great directions,'' she said. ''As far as Desi and I are concerned, things are the same as they ever were. We've got very high hopes for the center and the direction its going in.''
Other special guests at the festival will include Keith Thibodeaux, who played Little Ricky; Dan Cahn, film editor for the "I Love Lucy" show; Wanda Clark, Lucille Ball's personal secretary; and Tom Watson, founder and president of the "I Love Lucy" fan club.
The festival will run from May 22 to May 24. Among other things, it will include a two-hour video enhanced bus tour of Lucille Ball's hometown, screenings of rarely seen episodes from her final television series, outdoor screenings of ''I Love Lucy'' episodes, a fan reunion cruise aboard Summer Wind on Chautauqua Lake and a screening of a 1978 interview with Lucille Ball.
For more information about the festival, call 484-0800. A full schedule of events is available online at www.lucy-desi.com.
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YeddaQueen
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05-19-09 8:06 PM
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Nevertheless, I do hope that the May festival is a huge success given the tremendous tribulations that the Center has experienced in the last nine months. From the outside looking in, I pray there was enough time to make it a most memorable experience and not just some half hosted thing thrown together at the last minute. Remember…the mindset is to have the people to want to keep coming back for more. With the spirit of laughter in mind I wish everyone the best and wonderful festival weather!
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YeddaQueen
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05-19-09 8:04 PM
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If I was in Jamestown for the May festival I would MOST CERTAINLY pay for my entire family to meet Lucie to raise money for the Center. I will have to save my meeting her for another time and another place. Ms. Chata the fundraising fee is not astronomical at all. It’s a fundraiser and for a good cause. I pray that Lucie has a full house! NYNana, I would verify where you get your information. I understand the seriousness of the financial status of the Center. The downward financial spiral is not something that anyone likes to boast about, which is my guess as to why it’s not public information. No one likes to talk about outcomes of poor decision making until there’s a success story. Just know that the success story is coming. Further, I don’t believe that neither Lucie nor Desi Jr. would accept a cent knowing the financial challenges the Center is currently experiencing. This is about their parents, their parent’s legacy. There is no price that can be placed on that!
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YeddaQueen
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05-19-09 8:02 PM
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There is hope there is always hope. This is America, and in the true style of Desi Arnaz Sr. anything can happen here! The Center has its financial challenges just as most businesses do in today’s marketplace and our dire economy speaks loudly of that. However, in my opinion the fact that Lucie has become knowledgeable about the necessary change for the Center and its best interest she’s returning to perform at the festival on her own time. This is something that regardless of anyone’s personal feelings about Lucie should appreciate her attempts to bring business back to Jamestown. It’s a start. If I lived in Jamestown, I would be thankful for that extra traveler coming in to fill up on a tank of gas or that hungry family stopping off at a corner restaurant to have dinner or that family who has just booked their weekend at the hotel where the kids can play, smile and have fun during the evenings when mom and dad get a chance to relax. (OK PART 3 and that's it) lol
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YeddaQueen
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05-19-09 8:01 PM
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I have to agree with Mary. Learning what I have learned in such a short time about the Center I have come to only one conclusion. I have said this time and time again and I will continue to do so. Lucie and Desi Jr. both should not be held fully accountable for situations they clearly had NO idea that were going on behind the scenes of the legacy they were monitoring. There were paid persons in place to handle the day to day business and board members who were active in the cumulative decision-making processes. Unfortunately, the persons handling the day to day were not as honest and forthright in their business dealings and clearly kept the children (who were board members also) and other board members completely in the dark. It is my understanding that the paid persons in charge made VERY BAD DECISIONS that were not in the best interest of the Center. The Center is suffering from those past decisions and is trying very hard to start over on a new front. PART 2 of 2 Next
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extravisionist
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05-18-09 12:20 AM
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Miss Chaut has a valid point. It's hard to believe that in a slow economy, people would pay $100 for a photo op that has been offered countless times before (and for less money). Especially when the VIPs are readily available throughout the weekend and everybody always free snapshots anyway.
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extravisionist
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05-18-09 12:16 AM
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Am I the only one who finds it strange that so many people are so opinionated about something which they apparently know nothing about?
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wjrapaport
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05-12-09 8:34 PM
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Mary Rapaport here. I do not believe that Lucie or Desi Jr. would accept a penny. That is just stupid. They support the Center because it honors their parents. And Hallie: It is not Lucie's fault for all the problems. I guess the board did not give you the truth. It is because of Ric and Pat that the Center is in the position it is in. The dummies are the very people you called boss! Get the fact from the board or come and see me. It is about time you got the truth, don't you think! Lucie was in a very difficult position. Put your blame where it belongs.
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AmyArnaz
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05-09-09 11:40 AM
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Oops! Fixing typo in my previous post: Let's support the Legacy of Lucille Ball and Desi ARNAZ !
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AmyArnaz
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05-09-09 11:32 AM
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With all due respect to the post saying Lucie & Desi Jr's involvement with the Lucy-Desi Center has "cost the center much" -- I wonder if the author would feel that way if Lucy & Desi were their parents? Should Lucie & Desi Jr. sit back and let the world do whatever it wants to do with their parent's legacy and opt out of any kind of involvement? Without knowing all the facts and the attempted misuse of the images of Lucy & Desi that have been thwarted by Lucie & Desi Jrs monitoring of their parent's legacy worldwide -- how can a blanket statement about their actions be valid? To clarify, Lucie did not accept $25,000 to appear at the May Festival, nor would my husband, Desi Jr. We love and support the Lucy-Desi Center. The May Festival will be a wonderful celebration. Lucie & Desi Jr love their parents and are dedicated to doing what is Right, Good & Honest. Please, let's spread Love. Let's support the Legacy of Lucille Ball & Desi Arn
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Jameswemo
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05-04-09 4:08 PM
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you took the artical off just because i worte that? fine , how do i remove it...then will my trust leavel go back up to exellent because i didnt mean no harm by what i said. thanks lindsey.
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Jameswemo
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05-04-09 3:11 PM
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I wonder why mrs.Luckinbill didnt meanchin Julia Arnaz Cook, Desi JR's daughter was also coming to town to visit Luci fest?
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NYNana
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05-04-09 2:36 PM
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I loved the center and the Lucy Fest days long before her kids attached their name to it. It was FUN then. They might have been able to hire a true headliner, as they have in the past, if Mrs. Luckinbill didn't demand a $25,000 payment to herself to have her name attached to OUR Lucy/Desi gift shop <which is hardly ever open now> and the museum. I wonder if they have to pay her brother the same amount. If so, no wonder the center is suffering financially. That and the conflict of interest that has been there for the last year or better. She would have to pay me a lot more money to come see her than I would pay to see her, on my own. This center started here because JAMESTOWN loves Lucy, it started without her or her brother. Their involvement has cost the center much, in my opinion.
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hallieann
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05-04-09 9:54 AM
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How nice of her to support the center now after past sabotage of the place when I was an employee.
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DanNYC
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05-04-09 9:42 AM
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That'd why they call it a fund raiser. The idea is to support an important community resource. Getting to meet Lucy is just one of the "perks". The condition of the economy means we just have to think a little harder about every espenditure.
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MISSCHAUT
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05-04-09 8:10 AM
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dont you think with the economy the way it is that $100 to meet Lucys daughter is a little much.
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