Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz had a significant and publicized relationship both on and off-screen, as they were one of the most famous couples in Hollywood during their time. The lovers met on the set of Too Many Girls in 1940 and fell in love before getting married later that year. Although their real-life relationship looked perfect, however, behind the scenes, their marriage faced challenges as Arnaz’s infidelity and struggles with alcohol put a strain on their relationship.
In 1955, Confidential, a tabloid released a story titled “Does Desi Really Love Lucy?” alleging that Arnaz had been unfaithful to Ball. The publication revealed that on a particular occasion, an acquaintance of Arnaz’s allegedly made a phone call to arrange for the services of a popular escort agency, requesting two attractive women to be delivered to the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Lucille Ball says her parents thought ‘I Love Lucy’ would help save her marriage to Desi Arnaz
Shortly after their marriage, the union was marred by a lot of controversies, and Ball initiated divorce proceedings. Ultimately, the couple decided to reconcile, leading to the continuation of their marriage and the birth of their two children, Lucie Arnaz in 1951 and Desi Arnaz Jr. in 1953.
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The couple went on to create and star in the immensely popular television sitcom I Love Lucy, which aired from 1951 to 1957. However, Ball revealed in an interview with People that her parents were of the opinion that the TV series would help repair their failing relationship. “They did the show so they could be together because my dad was always on the road and they never saw each other,” she confessed to the news outlet. “So my parents thought, ‘Well, this is going to save our marriage, and we can have a family.'”
Scott Bowers claims Lucille Ball challenged him over his dealings with her husband
In his 2012 book, Full Service: My Adventures in Hollywood and the Secret Sex Lives of the Stars, which was the inspiration for the 2017 documentary Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood, Scott Bowers, who transitioned from working as a gas station attendant to becoming an escort and pimp, revealed that he serviced Hollywood stars and other celebrities.
In an interview with The Daily Beast, Bowers confessed that during the height of I Love Lucy’s fame, he arranged two or three women for Arnaz at least every week. “His type was any nice-looking girl who was a quick lay,” he admitted to the news outlet. He also recalled an incident where Ball directly approached him at a party to express annoyance over his dealings with her husband. “How dare you pimp for Desi!” Ball yelled.