Desi Arnaz, Jr. Movies
The first person ever to appear on the cover of TV Guide, Desi Arnaz Jr. was not afforded this honor for his film or TV credits, but by virtue of his lineage. The son of television legends Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Desi Jr. was born by Cesarean section on January 19, 1953--the very same day that his fictional counterpart "Little Ricky" was born on the immensely popular TV show I Love Lucy. So momentous was this event (at least to those people who had TV sets at the time) that it squeezed out the news of Eisenhower's inauguration on the front pages of the nation. When he was old enough to decide that he wanted to earn his celebrity rather than merely enjoy it, Desi helped form the rock band Dino, Desi and Billy with two teen-aged friends, one of whom was the son of Dean Martin. Desi made his acting debut (in a manner of speaking) on I Love Lucy in 1957, learned the rudiments of his craft in small parts on his mother's subsequent The Lucy Show (1962-68), then graduated to "regular" status on Mom's Here's Lucy. His first film appearance was in Red Sky at Morning in 1970. Although most of his films were not first rate, Desi Arnaz Jr.'s best film showing was in 1992's The Mambo Kings, in which he offered an intimidatingly accurate portrayal of Desi Arnaz Sr. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
This colorful, lively musical employs a combination of live action and animation to chronicle the great journey of Marco Polo to the mysterious Orient. Much of the story centers on Polo's relationship with the powerful Kublai Khan. Songs include: "By Damn," "Walls," "A Family Man," and "Spaghetti." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Desi Arnaz Jr. and Michael Evans play the teenaged protagonists of The Voyage of the Yes. The boys take on the challenge of a 2,600-mile sailboat trip from California to Hawaii. While tackling the boundaries created by Mother Nature, Desi and Michael learn to combat their own inbred prejudices. As a bonus for fans of the stars, Arnaz and Evans perform a song "El Condor Pasa." Made for television, THe Voyage of the Yes was first telecast January 16, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
Veteran director King Vidor had long harbored hopes of directing a filmization of Ann Head's novel Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones, but couldn't get backing from a major studio. The book was finally filmed in 1971 but as a TV movie rather than a theatrical feature and with Robert Day in the director's chair. Desi Arnaz Jr. and Miss Christopher Norris play a couple of lovesick teenagers who are forced to get married when the girl becomes pregnant. Arnaz can't support his wife, Norris isn't really ready for motherhood, and the rest of the community nearly smothers the newlyweds in misguided advice. Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones was easy to take, but might have had a better chance of being truly memorable under the guiding hand of King Vidor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
- PG
In this drama, based on a novel by Richard Bradford, an adolescent boy and his mother are sent to live in New Mexico after his father goes off to fight WW II. The move is hard on both mother and son. The boy, one of the few whites in the area, must deal with making friends, the strange new land, and first love. Meanwhile, his mother becomes increasingly withdrawn. When they learn that his father has been killed, the son must fight with his mother's lover to become the real head of the household. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1964
The local Cub Scouts are prepared to head for a major camporee when one of the boys' fathers is forced to pull out of the festivities. Thus it is that den mothers Lucy (Lucille Ball) and Viv (Vivian Vance) sub for the absent father, as their Scout pack enters into a series of competitions for a swell first prize: an all-expense-paid trip to the New York World's Fair. Unfortunately, the girls are pretty clumsy campers, and before the episode is over they have managed to get themselves and Mr. Mooney (Gale Gordon) hopelessly lost in the woods. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gale Gordon, Desi Arnaz, Jr., (more)
- 1963
It's no secret that Lucy (Lucille Ball) and Viv (Vivian Vance) are the loudest and most demonstrative fans of the Little League team in which their respective sons are playing. Unforrtunately, the girls get a bit too loud and demonstrative while razzing the umpire, and are unceremoniously expelled from a ball game. Now Lucy and Viv must device a clever scheme to sneak back into the ballpark unnoticed. William Schallert (you remember him as Patty Duke's sitcom dad) appears as team manager Mr. Cressant. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Schallert, Herb Vigran, (more)
- 1963
Den mothers Lucy (Lucille Ball) and Viv (Vivian Vance) are slated to escort their Cub Scout pack on a trip to Washington. Inspired by the kids' sugar-cube replica of the White House, the girls get the bright idea to present this bit of patriotic kitsch to the President Himself. Alas, the replica is destroyed en route to the White House, forcing Lucy and Viv to do some quick improvising at a roadside diner. Elliott Reid, who appears on-screen as Ross Dowd, also supplies a certain very familiar Boston-baked voice in the final scene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elliott Reid, Frank Nelson, (more)
- 1962
With no one else available, Lucy (Lucille Ball) volunteers to referee a football game involving her son Jerry (Jimmy Garrett) and Viv's son Sherman (Ralph Hart). The game turns out to be anything but fair and balanced--not because Lucy doesn't understand the football signals, but because her maternal instincts have won out over common sense and she can't help but call the plays to her son's advantage. With both teams angry at her, Lucy tries to make amends with an act of uncommon generosity...but even this turns out disastrously. Watch for a very young Desi Arnaz Jr. as one of the kids. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dick Martin, Dennis Rush, (more)
- 1957
As Westport gears up to celebrate its annual "Yankee Doodle Day," the Ricardos and the Mertzes are swept up in the patriotic fervor. Despite his thick Cuban accent (or maybe because of it?), Ricky (Desi Arnaz) is selected to give the dedication speech at the unveiling of a new Revolutionary War monument, the centerpiece of which is a stone sculpture of a kneeling Yankee soldier. Alas, Lucy (Lucille Ball) accidentally breaks the statue, forcing her to take drastic action (and adopt yet another "clever" disguise) for the unveiling. This 180th and final half-hour I Love Lucy episode features Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz' four-year-old son, Desi Arnaz Jr., as an extra in the climactic sequence (but not Desi Jr.'s six-year-old sister, Lucie Arnaz, despite previously published reports). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Desi Arnaz, Jr.
