I Love Lucy: Lucy vs. Red Scare
One of television’s most dramatic moments didn’t happen on screen. In 1953, I Love Lucy star Lucille Ball the House Un-American Committee (HUAC) interrogated Ball about her Communist activities. This could end even the most beloved star. Ball admitted registering as a Communist in 1936, she denied holding a Communist political belief. Registering was a favor for her grandfather, who aligned with the party. She denied being active in the party. During her testimony, she declared, “I am not a Communist now. I never have been. I never wanted to be.” HUAC dismissed the charges against Ball, but the newspapers had a field day, screaming her Communist affiliation across the headlines. Desi Arnaz stood up for his wife, introducing her as “my favorite redhead – in fact, that’s the only thing red about her, and even that’s not legitimate.”