Desi Arnaz
View on IMDb ↗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.
Known for
I Love Lucy Christmas Special
Salsa
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
The Funny World of Lucy, Volume 1
Judy Garland: By Myself
Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie
E! True Hollywood Story
A Star Is Born World Premiere
I Love Lucy
The Emmy AwardsFilmography (62)
- 2025
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL MusicSelf (archive footage) - 2025A Grammy Celebration of Latin MusicSelf/Ricky Ricardo (archive footage)
- 2022
Lucy and DesiSelf (archive footage) - 2020
My Darling VivianSelf (archive footage) - 2016
I Love Lucy Christmas SpecialRicky - 2011
Classic TV Bloopers UncensoredRicky Ricardo (archive footage) - 2005
Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony AwardsManuelito (segment "Too Many Girls") (archive footage) - 2004
Judy Garland: By MyselfSelf (archive footage) - 2004
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years(archive footage) - 2000Lucille Ball: Finding LucySelf (archive footage)
- 1999Television: The First Fifty YearsRicky Ricardo (archive footage)
- 1997
The Funny World of Lucy, Volume 1 - 1996
E! True Hollywood Story - 1993
Lucy and Desi: A Home MovieSelf - 1983
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare FootageSelf (archive footage) (uncredited) - 1982
The Escape ArtistMayor Leon Quiñones - 1976
SalsaSelf (archive footage) - 1976
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 YearsSelf - 1976
AliceRuth - 1976
Donny & MarieSelf - 1976
JoysSelf - 1975
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Host & Musical Guest - 1975Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television(archive footage)
- 1968Land's EndGuest Waiting to Cash Check
- 1968
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InSelf (uncredited) - 1967
IronsideDr. Juan Domingo - 1967
The Mothers-in-LawRaphael Delgado - 1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf - 1962
The VirginianEl Jefe - 1961
The Mike Douglas ShowSelf - 1960The Man in the Funny SuitSelf - Host
- 1959NBC Sunday ShowcaseRicky Ricardo
- 1958
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse - 1957
The Lucy–Desi Comedy HourRicky Ricardo - 1956
Forever, DarlingLorenzo Xavier 'Larry' Vega - 1956
Lucy's Really Lost MomentsRicky Ricardo - 1956
The Bob Hope Chevy ShowFred Mertz - 1956
Tony AwardsSelf - Performer - 1955
MGM ParadeSelf - 1954
A Star Is Born World PremiereSelf - 1954
The Long, Long TrailerNicky Collini - 1954
December BrideSelf - 1953
I Love Lucy: The MovieRicky Ricardo / Self - 1951
I Love LucyRicky Ricardo - 1951
The Red Skelton ShowSelf - 1950
What's My Line?Self - 1950
The Bob Hope ShowSelf - 1949
The Emmy AwardsSelf - 1949The Ed Wynn ShowSelf
- 1949
Holiday in HavanaCarlos Estrada - 1948
The Ed Sullivan ShowSelf - 1946
Cuban PeteDesi Arnaz - 1946
Desi Arnaz and His OrchestraSelf - 1943
BataanFelix Ramirez - 1942
Four Jacks and a JillSteve Sarto / King Stephan VIII of Aregal - 1942
The Navy Comes ThroughPat Tarriba - 1941
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 2 - 1941
Father Takes a WifeCarlos Bardez - 1940
Too Many GirlsManuelito - —
The Lucy-Desi Milton Berle Special - —
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse Bernadette EpisodeHost (himself) - —
The Time ElementHost
Crew (16)
- 1966The Carol Channing ShowDirector
- 1965Star Trek: The CageExecutive Producer
- 1963Surf SceneExecutive Producer
- 1962The Lucy ShowProducer
- 1961Alcatraz ExpressExecutive Producer
- 1961Dragon by the TailExecutive Producer
- 1960Guestward, Ho!Director
- 1960The Gun of ZangaraExecutive Producer
- 1958Colgate TheatreExecutive Producer
- 1958The Ann Sothern ShowProducer
- 1958The Fountain of YouthExecutive Producer
- 1958The TexanProducer
- 1958Strange WitnessProducer
- 1957The Walter Winchell FileProducer
- 1956U.S. MarshallProducer's Assistant
- 1952Cavalcade of AmericaExecutive Producer