Ricky Ricardo

Enrique Alberto Fernando Ricardo y de Acha, III (a.k.a. Ricky Ricardo)
Lucy and Ricky in the Alps, 1956.
Portrayed by	Desi Arnaz
Information
Nickname(s)	The Second Valentino, Cousin Ricky, Micky
Gender	Male
Occupation	Nightclub Entertainer/Manager/Owner, Bandleader, Musician, Singer, Father, Chicken Farmer
Family	5 brothers: Pedro, Pablo, Chucho, Josinte, José
Spouse(s)	Lucy Ricardo (wife)
Significant other(s)	Fred Mertz (best friend/landlord/chicken farm partner/Ricky's European tour band manager), Ethel Mertz (best friend/landlady/chicken farm partner), Jerry (agent), Mrs. Trumbull (neighbor) Ralph & Betty Ramsey (neighbors), Mr. Littlefield (boss) 1952, Mr. Chambers (boss) 1952 to 1956 (when Ricky renamed the Tropicana club Babalu) Ernie Ford (friend)
Children	Little Ricky Ricardo (son)
Relatives	Mrs. McGillicuddy (mother-in-law) Uncle Alberto (uncle)
Nationality	Cuban American

Enrique Alberto Fernando Ricardo y de Acha, III, a.k.a. Ricky Ricardo is a main character in the television show I Love Lucy, played by Desi Arnaz. He is the husband of Lucy Ricardo (played by Lucille Ball) and the father of their son Little Ricky (played by Michael & Joseph Mayer, Keith Thibodeaux) He is a band leader and his trademark song is "Babalu." As he was born in Cuba, he often speaks Spanish, usually when he gets excited or angry. He is known for his accented English and his rapid-fire Spanish.

On the show, Ricky met Lucy on a blind date, although in the first episode of The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour it is retconned so that Lucy and Ricky met in Cuba while Lucy was there on vacation. That was also where they met Fred and Ethel.

The character, and the actor who portrayed him (Desi Arnaz), are memorialized in the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center in Jamestown, New York.

Arnaz was the real-life husband of Lucille Ball.

In the first season episode The Young Fans, Ricky's age was revealed to be 35, making his birth-year 1917. (However, he was portrayed as only being 36 when they moved to Connecticut 5 years later).

In 1955's fourth season episode (#23) Hollywood Anniversary, Ricky gives his name (while calling Western Union to send a telegram to the head of the License Bureau in Greenwich, CT for the correct date of their marriage [which he has forgotten]) as: Ricardo Alberto Fernando Ricardo y Acha. It is not until the 1957's sixth season episode (#26) Lucy Raises Tulips that Lucy refers to him as: Enrique Alberto Ricardo y de Acha, III. Desi Arnaz' full name is: Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha, III.

Relations With Others

Ricardo is fairly unique for someone in his position and era. Although for an artist he is at ease like Xavier Cugat or Louis Armstrong and other exotic band leaders to cross social classes and international or ethnic limitations with his suave cosmopolitanism. He is Cuban and married to a Scots-Irish woman, is in show business in a position of some authority and later as a business owner. He lives in the regular middle class world and fits in rather well. Ricardo seems to have no friends other than Fred Mertz, his landlord and husband of Lucy's best friend, (Ethel Mertz), although he seems to be on good terms with many Hollywood stars and others in show business. All seem to know him and deal with him as sort of an old friend. Only the Duffs (Ida Lupino and her husband Howard Duff) seem not know him during their joint stay in a cabin in 'Lucy Takes A Vacation' on the Comedy Hour program. Even John Wayne knows of him.

Ricardo is fairly easy going but can be excitable at times, especially reacting to his wife's antics. He often goes on at length in Spanish which no one seems to understand. One thing Lucy never managed to do was to try and learn Spanish.

As a husband, Ricardo is largely from the old school. In that role, he often treats Lucy like a child. He expects her to behave and to follow his orders. He controls the money and decides how she spends it. Lucy, at least to his face, often defers to his judgement, many times showing this by saluting Ricardo and saying 'yes sir', 'no sir' to him. Ricardo never seems to figure out that most of his wife's antics result from her efforts to 'get around' something he 'demanded' she do. That sets up the conflict and script theme of nearly every show. Even when Ricardo catches on, his wife finds some way to get what she wants from him by the end of each episode.

During the entire run of the programs Ricardo is never identified with any religion and his family is never shown attending church. Ricardo is believed to be a Roman Catholic, but, again, never gives the viewer any indication he is (such as signing with the Cross, etc). Politics are never mentioned as well, so the viewer is not let in on his personal beliefs that may make up his character.

Ricardo Moves to Fairfield County, Connecticut

Ricardo moved his family to Westport, Connecticut during the show's sixth season. The move was his attempt to please his wife, who had become taken with the 'country' (it would be good for 'Little Ricky') during a weekend trip to Fairfield County. Ricardo then surprises Lucy and purchases a house in 'the country'. He almost instantly has severe second thoughts and doubts (heebee jeebees) about the move. One night, prior to their move, Ricardo is unable to sleep worrying about the move to Connecticut; in particular, the expense. 'Why, it costs a lot to live out in that territory' he states. Lucy talks him down, and, after a round of smokes, Ricardo settles down and accepts his fate: a new life in the expensive, but clean, quiet and safe, suburbs. They move, and are soon joined (three episodes later) by Fred Mertz and Ethel Mertz, who end up raising chickens and residing in the Ricardos' guest house.

The I Love Lucy show takes a critical turn in moving to Connecticut. Their move coincides with the release of the very popular movie and Sloan Wilson novel The Man In The Gray Flannel Suit in the public domain. In it the life of businessman Tom Rath, a commuter into New York from Westport (Southport), Connecticut is portrayed. The movie was very popular at the time (1956) and may have influenced the writers to move the Ricardos to the 'suburbs'. Prior to Lucy getting the urge in 'Lucy Wants to Move to the Country' none of the episodes suggests a move out of town. It just pops up in 'Lucy Wants To Move To The Country' and, 2 episodes later, they move. The move gives Ricardo a chance to commute into town, Lucy to become more involved in social clubs and activities and offers a new set of neighbors (The Ramseys) and others in 'the country'. It was also believed the move was designed to tap into the 1950s current of city residents moving to suburbs 'in the country', which was a term used often instead of 'suburbs'. As such, Ricardo and family and friends end up joining the masses and relocate to 'a better life'.

As the show morphed into The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour (1957–1960) Ricardo and the cast remained together. Little Ricky jumped a couple of years and is more part of episodes, although still only in subplots (sent off to yet another babysitter or neighbor). Ricardo, since the start of the 6th season of I Love Lucy ("Lucy Meets Bob Hope") owns his own nightclub in New York (The 'Babalu'). Although still a 'struggling' performer, he is doing better and, according to the writers 'making about $20,000 (not bad for 1957 when the average wage was $3671) a year' — (adjusted for inflation, Ricky's yearly earnings would be roughly $160,000 in 2010). Given those figures, one begins to wonder if Ricardo is really cheap as his wife contends-next to Fred he seems like a free wheeler. The family is clearly well off. In spite of Ricardo's less than glorified position, he nevertheless manages to rub elbows with some major era stars such as Ernie Kovacs, Fred MacMurray, Harry James and Betty Grable and Red Skelton, to name a few. Most or all of them are on board to 'do a show' of some kind with Ricardo but wind up in antics with Lucy Ricardo. Their neighbors, the Ramseys, get a lesson in post I Love Lucy reality and are never seen again. They are mentioned as part of the 'never ending stream of babysitters for Little Ricky (tv's first latch-key kid) in the "Lucy Wants a Career" episode. The same is true for Comedy Hour neighbor Tallulah Bankhead, et al. One oft mentioned drawback of Comedy Hour was continuity as each episode 'stands alone', similar to Made For TV movies of the 1970s. None of the Ricardos' New York City friends, except for the Mertzes, appear on the show after the move to Connecticut. Nor is there any continuity in characters from one show to the next. Only Lucy's mother appears in the Comedy Hour from the old show, filling in as Little Ricky's babysitter in "The Ricardos Go To Japan", the next to last Comedy Hour episode in 1959. Many in the broadcasting business were perplexed at the time and wondered why the show seemed to give up on old and tried formats to adopt the Comedy Hour style. Ratings, at first very high, dropped off later in the Comedy Hour run. Experts at the time noted that the lack of continuity, fewer programs and hard to follow show plots may have led to its demise. This also affected Ricardo's presence on the program as it is fairly clear that he is assuming the same part over and over again. While Lucy begins to create space between the two during LDCH, it is Ricky who takes the hit and gets less screen time.

Ricardo in Connecticut seems to be losing his stride and is now less involved with Lucy's antics. For example, many of her antics don't directly involve him. Instead they center around some event ("The Ricardos Dedicate a Statue") or thing, such as the horse in "Lucy Wins a Race Horse" or the ultimate in 'Lucy Wants a Career'. In 'Career' nearly the entire show features Lucy, away from home and working, with Ricardo in a back-up role. Ironically, this format would set the basic boilerplate for Lucy's later shows sans Ricky. Fred and Ethel pick up some slack with more screen time during the 'Comedy Hour' or Connecticut shows. But it is Lucy who becomes the key player and, as a result, the program suffers. Ricardo is usually portrayed as an overlooked authority figure; a figure, as always, who is ignored by Lucy. Yet, the key to Ricardo is his heart. He is a kind-hearted guy who no matter what antic always makes up with his wife. His role especially on LDCH and the reduction of his influence on the plot contributed to its lack of zip and put more pressure on Lucy to carry it. Regardless, Ricky loves his wife and is looking forward to an eternity of love and happiness with and his family.

The End of Ricky Ricardo

That eternity was (perhaps) cut short as Ricardo disappears into television black space on April 1, 1960. At the end of the last episode of 'Comedy Hour', with a kiss and embrace of his wife, Ricardo was never to return to television. In fact, that show marked the end of the entire I Love Lucy 'franchise'. We never find out what happens to Ricardo, his wife, Little Ricky or Fred and Ethel. Not popular at the time on broadcast television, 'Comedy Hour' did not have a proper series finale. The third show of the 1959-1960 season, the Ernie Kovacs episode, ends up serving that role; the series was abruptly cut short once Ball and Arnaz filed for divorce in real life. Although the Lucy character (not in the same continuity as Lucy Ricardo) returns sans Ricky and cast in other programs, The Lucy Show (1962-1968), Here's Lucy (1968-1974) and Life With Lucy (1986), Ricky Ricardo speaks his last line of dialog in the Kovacs show. (In real life, Arnaz, despite eventually mending his friendship with Ball after their divorce never appeared onsreen with Ball again).

Although not formally, speculation does exist about what the future may have held for Ricardo. Given the trajectory of the show his life moved on from Band Leader to Club Owner, from apartment renter in New York City to spacious 2-acre country home owner in well to do Westport, Connecticut and to active parent and country squire ('Statue'). Assuming those constants hold one has to assume Ricardo et al remained there and in that vein. One can easily see him on the New Haven ala Tom Rath daily to work, lounging around the estate trying to assume the 'normal' life, out on the course playing some golf or hanging out with Fred. Ricardo does not seem to go after fame and fortune. Rather, he does what he has to do. His success, marginal at first, blossoms during LDCH to the point where he can afford the digs in Connecticut, world travel, costly furniture, cars and the likes. This stands out vis-a-vis the less prosperious Mertz's.

However, there is some merit to believe Ricardo could have ended up in Hollywood. Although his shots at stardom went bust (the California episodes, 1955-56) and again in the Comedy Hour offering Lucy Makes Room For Danny (1958). In the 'Danny' episode Ricardo's TDY west is cut off when his film is cancelled. No other mention of movie roles or California surface in the show. Ricardo may have been bucking the tide owning a nightclub and heading a large band. As the 1960's kicked in most similar clubs went out of business or, eventually, converted to youth oriented night spots such as Studio 54 in New York. It's probably a good guess that Ricardo may have changed the focus of his career by then. The final Comedy Hour episode deals with Ricardo's up and down affair with show business and may suggest his fate: moving to Cuba and starting a sugar cane plantation. That move, however, was impossible given the revolution there in 1959.

More than likely, Ricardo is always to remain as he was: a bandleader/club owner living with his wife, son and best friends in the suburbs. Anything else would be fodder for never-ending guess work. Unless he is brought back for a new show, or, perhaps a movie.

Popular culture

Ricky Ricardo is mentioned in the Jimmy Buffett song, Pencil Thin Mustache, as well as rapper Fabolous' song "Gangsta". The "Weird Al" Yankovic parody "Ricky" is based on him and is a tribute to I Love Lucy.

In the 1996 movie The Cable Guy, Jim Carrey's character jokes that his name is Ricky Ricardo. He is also referenced in Eddie Murphy's stand-up comedy Delirious. He is briefly named in Transformers (2007).

Hank Azaria based his voice for Dr. Nick Riviera from The Simpsons on Ricky Ricardo and in the film America's Sweethearts, Julia Roberts's character (Kathleen "Kiki" Harrison) likens Azaria's character (Hector Gorgonzolas) to Ricky Ricardo. He is as well mentioned in the popular television show, George Lopez in the episode, "George's House of Cards."

The Cuban rumba song "Cuban Pete", popularized by Desi Arnaz, was performed by Jim Carrey in the 1994 film The Mask.

In the Home Improvement episode "Roomie for Improvement", Tim asks Al on Tool Time ,"Al, do you suppose if Ricky Ricardo from the old "Lucy Show" had oil, he would have called it a babba-luuubricant?"