Lucy at the Movies

Before Lucille Ball became the first lady of television in 1951, she had made 75 motion pictures in 18 years. She traded her moniker of RKO's “Queen of the Bs” for TV's “Queen of Comedy.” Between 1954 and 1985, she made just eight more films. This overview of Ball's film career highlights each movie with its cast and credits; a lengthy synopsis; and behind-the-scenes notes about the production and its critical reception. Visually stunning and beautifully designed, this book is printed on thick, glossy paper and boasts large, crisp (and seldom seen) photos from each film. Some of De La Hoz's backstories are fascinating (Frank Sinatra originally wanted her to play his mother in The Manchurian Candidate before Angela Lansbury was cast; Ball outsmarted Columbia chief Harry Cohen by agreeing to star in 1951's The Magic Carpet : she kept her pregnancy a secret, pocketed $85,000 for one week's work and fulfilled her contract). While Ball excelled in comedies (The Facts of Life ; Fancy Pants ; The Long, Long Trailer ; Yours, Mine and Ours ), this book may point fans toward Ball's excellent but atypical work in such dramas as The Dark Corner ; Lured ; and Five Came Back . Photos. (Oct.)