10/20/2026
Few artifacts bring us closer to the origins of "I Love Lucy" than the original costume Lucille Ball wore in a pivotal performance that helped launch the series.
In 1950, facing skeptical television executives who doubted their appeal as a husband-and-wife comedy team, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz took their act on a nationwide tour, drawing on the expertise of renowned vaudeville clown Pepito Pérez.
In one memorable routine, Lucille Ball donned an oversized suit and hat to play the Professor, an eccentric musician determined to join Desi Arnaz’s orchestra. Her extraordinary talent for physical comedy was on full display as she wrestled with a trick cello featuring a trapdoor in the back and an unlikely assortment of props, including an oil can, folding stool, and plunger. The act was a hit and became part of the original "I Love Lucy" pilot episode before reappearing in the classic first-season episode “The Audition.”
Today, the original Professor costume, cello, and props are part of the Lucy Desi Museum’s permanent collection, on view in Ball’s hometown of Jamestown, New York. In 2024, the ensemble was recognized as an American Treasure, a prestigious federal distinction recognizing culturally significant artifacts and supporting their conservation for future generations.
Follow along as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of "I Love Lucy through" 75 artifacts from our collections.
