We all grew up watching sitcoms, but many who watched I Love Lucy will agree that few sitcoms even came close to the beloved show. During its run on television, from 1951 to 1957, it was the most-watched show for most of its seasons. And while Lucy herself, Lucille Ball, and her husband turned co-star, Desi Arnaz, were entertaining viewers at home, they had to continue their married life offscreen, too.
Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, 1951. Photo By Kobal/Shutterstock
On-screen, they were a hilarious couple. Off-screen, married life wasn’t so peachy. After 20 rocky years of marriage, Ball decided to call it quits on her marriage to her husband and collaborator. The couple, who owned the innovative Desilu Studios, broke up on March 4, 1960, marking one of the highest-profile divorces in American history at the time.