Q.  Dear Lucie Arnaz:

I was so pleased to read your interview in July 2001's A&U America's AIDS Magazine.  I had no idea how personally you'd been touched by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.  There are no adequate words to ease the pain of losing dear and beloved friends -- I know, having lost nearly all of my friends to HIV/AIDS over the past 15 years.  Somehow, the loss becomes incorporated into our essence, and we go on.

Learning of your generous contributions to AIDS causes really made me feel really good.  You see, I am now struggling to live with the virus that causes AIDS, having been diagnosed on September 1st, 1998.  Luckily, my diagnosis came after the discovery of potent anti-viral meds that keep the virus at bay, and my health from slipping any further.

In any event, I hope to have the opportunity to see you in a live performance someday.  My partner and I will be moving to upstate New York, so keep touring and working.  Rochester is a great theatre town!

Thanks again for your support.

Christopher E. Cantino

L:  Dear Christopher:

Several of my dearest friends in the world are living with HIV right now, and doing just great.  One has been in the medical history books for the length of time he has lived with it, and for the dozens of potentially lethal illnesses he has survived.  You can, too.  His humour and his optimism keep him healthy, and everyone I know who is now living with HIV without sacrificing quality of life has the same vital, cheerful, wacky, tenacious attitude.  Thanks for sharing your story with me and everyone who will be inspired by it here on my site.  God bless.

Q.  Hello Lucie,

I just wanted to take this time to thank you.  I read your interview in A&U Magazine ( Americas AIDS Magazine).  I actually had tears in my eyes as I read the article.  How wonderful it is to see and know that someone in your position would be such a dedicated advocate for the cause of AIDS.  It just goes to show that there are still GOOD people out there.

You see Lucie, it ESPECIALLY touches my heart because I have been living with AIDS for the past 16 years.  I say living, because I WILL NOT let this disease control my life.

I too have had many many friends who have gone on to a better place, and I miss them terribly.  But, I know , as you stated, that they are still watching over and guiding me.  What a wonderful feeling.  My take on this comes from a little different angle.  I have never been to a MEDIUM, but I am a Funeral Director.  This makes me keenly aware of the presence of spirits around me.

Lucie,  I also was thrilled to read that you have educated your children about AIDS and that it is a regular topic of discussion in your family.  I have been a Prevention speaker to schools for many years, and wish that more parents had the foresight that you obviously possess.  It is so important to our society today that we keep an open channel of communication about this disease.

I know that you may never receive this Email, but I just felt a need to say thank you and give KUDOS where they are deserved.  Your mother made the world a better place through humor and you are obviously making it a better place through your caring and loving nature.

Maybe one day I will be able to give you a hug and say thanks for helping us FIND THE CURE!

Sincerely,

Brett Penn

L:  My Darlin' Brett:

Everything I just wrote to Christopher I say to you as well.  And thank you so much for your comment about what my work may do to help make the world better.  That's such food for my soul.  I just follow my heart.  And I know there will be a cure for this plague, but there were others before, and after we have cured AIDS there will, inevitably, be something else that challenges our spirits.  The trick is to find out how to continue learning, growing and loving each other through them all.  Today you have helped me.  Thank you.

Q.  Dear Lucie

I just have to say not only are you an amazing person for all the work you do for people with aids and HIV, but you bring I believe true honor to your mother and father's memory. I have been an I Love Lucy fan it seems for ever and at 29 I am a Lucy triva buff. But more than that as a person with Hiv I can say after your July, 2001 interview with AU I have found a whole new respect for you. Thanks for everything you do.

Sincerely: Juan Rosales

L:  Juan: 

Muchas gracias y todo mi amor.  Wouldn't it be great if you, Chris, Brett and I could all meet for lunch somewhere now?  Be happy and stay well.  Y via con Dios.

Q.  Greetings.

I just wanted to send a quick note. I'm 19 and I'm in London. I saw the Witches of Eastwick over 5 times but sadly toward the end of the run!

Lucie had such wonderful comic timing. The way she could say a word, such a simple line, and with her facial expressions and fantastic irony - she had everything it takes to be a great comedienne!

I always sat in the front row, and I noticed that each night, it was different. The girls had so much fun, and they did something fresh. Some nights Lucie would get the olive in her martini and splash it in Joanna's eye!

She is such a gifted performer. I especially loved the way she sang 'Another Night at Darryl's' - she made us laugh while she sang - it was more than a song.

She was so captivating. I would love to know how she kept it so fresh! 

She was so friendly too. She signed my program - I only wish I had the confidence to have asked her my many questions!

I saw it with the new cast, and it was so sad, what they did to it. It'd lost all its chemistry, becoming a complete send up, and poor Joanna Riding looked so lost and left out! Josefina Gabrielle is gifted, but she performed as if she was Lucie's understudy. 

Lucie, you were a one in a million, and if it comes to Broadway (please dear God!!) you are the ONLY Alexandra Spofford!!!!!!

All the best and take care,

Chris

L:  Chris:

What compliments!  You have made my day, no week, no year -- forget it -- you made "Witches" worth it.  I'll keep your words in my heart forever.  P.S.  What were your questions??

Q.  Dear Lucie,
                   Thank you very much for the letter you sent me, in reply, while you were in The Witches of Eastwick. I enjoyed both performances I went to very much!

I am a musician and, in professional terms, it is always interesting to learn more about the theatre. I suppose the Eastwick music has quite a range, vocally. What is your vocal range? Do they still call people sopranos, altos etc. etc. in musical theatre?

Was 'I Wish I May' the first time you had flown in a musical before? How did you get to be in Eastwick? At which point did you know flying would be part of the role of Alex?

If Eastwick moves onto Broadway, do you think you will return as Alex again? 

Wishing you all the very, very best with your career,

         James Church, (sweet) 16

L:  James:

I think I'm a mezzo.  But I never studied with teachers who talked about that.  I only know that WITCHES was a hell of a vocal workout (no pun intended) and doing it for fifteen months stretched and strengthened my range a good half an octave.  I had learned how to sing properly before taking it on so that I wouldn't miss half the shows, as some singers in long runs do.

And yes, this was my virgin flight, and what a thrill -- magical.  After meeting with Cameron Mackintosh and our director Eric Shaeffer, and hearing the music, I sang a few songs for David Caddick, the musical supervisor, and composer Dana Rowe, and our lyricist and book writer Jonathan Dempsey here in NYC.  I read a scene or two with them and they liked my Alex.  I was the first person cast.

We knew the play would be much like the film, in which the actors flew, and Mr. Mackintosh is well known for his spectacular productions (Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, CATS, etc.), and that he'd want the same effect on stage.  So, we were primed, and agreed to fly right from the start.  Personally, I was totally jazzed and not the least bit frightened.  And we were well taken care of by the best, computerized flying system made.  We spent about a week learning how to do it safely.  What fun!

As far as my being in any Broadway production of WITCHES -- A)  There isn't one yet, only talk of a U.S. touring company, and B) I have no idea what form the show will take.  It's seen a few incarnations.  I would certainly entertain the idea under the right circumstances, but for now, I'm just moving forward with other interests like writing and producing documentaries as well as being an actress.  Thanks for your interest!

Q.  Hi Lucie!

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing you in the Witches and meeting you afterwards. You were so nice posing for countless photographs and signing everything.

Are you thinking of making another album and would you like to do some more work in the West End?

Also, what was your favourite part of the Witches?

Thanks for answering these questions

Rachel Taylor

L:  Dear Rachel:

My favourite parts of WITCHES were the songs the girls all sang together.  I loved the way our voices blended.  Those gals (Maria and Johanna) can really sing, so it was the biggest accomplishment, and the most work, each night. The second best thing had to be lifting up 30 feet over the heads of the people sitting in the first row, and floating out into the balcony of the legendary Theatre Royal Drury Lane.  I never got bored of that.  Not once.  It's stuff like that that dreams are made of.

Q.  Dear Lucie,
      Thanks so much for taking time to answer these queries. I think that those who want to know the true Arnaz Family should consult your 'Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie' and your parents' autobios '- for they show how marvellously, complexly *human* your parents were.
      Anyway, I know you said that you and your brother didn't learn Spanish as well as your father would have liked, but I wonder whether your mother in real life could actually speak your father's mother tongue, or was that inability to speak Spanish one trait she *did* have in common with her fictional alter ego Lucy Ricardo?  Also, did your father ever get the chance to show you and Desi his hometown in Cuba before Castro permanently took over? Did he get to give your mother a grand tour of his homeland before (or after) you and Desi came along? Have either you, Desi and/or your progenies been able to visit?
     If the answer to all the above queries about Cuban travel is 'no', then I hope you one day will be able to see this area, quite a moving and exhilarating experience.

                     Walk Proud and Far,
                             Leon

L:  Mi amigo Leon:

The unfortunate answer to all of your questions is NO.  NO.  NO.  And what a shame, eh?  It was much easier to go back when my parents were married, but, or one reason or another they never made the trip.  Personally, I think what happened to my father's family during the 1933 revolution was so painful to him that to go back there would only dredge it up all over again.  He never talked about why he didn't visit, and never suggested it to us as kids.  Believe me, I will go.  I have a Cuban cousin living near me here in New York who left when he was about 13, and he still remembers my grandparents homes and Santiago.  He never wanted to go back either.  But he and I have vowed to make the trip together.  (I'm trying to improve my Spanish first!!)

Q.  Hello!

           My name is Anzej Dezan and I come from Slovenia. I know that a lot of people write to you just because of the I love Lucy show and about your mother. Well, I'm not an exception. Three weeks ago I saw the first episode of I love Lucy (I'm only 14, what can I do?). I just can't believe, that the show is perfect. I read somewhere, that they don't make shows like this anymore. And I agree. I am writing a play about the I Love Lucy show.  I just wanted to say hi. So, hi!

Best wishes to you and your family,
Sr. Anzej Dezan

L:  Sr. Dezan:

Welcome to our country.  If it weren't for wonderful immigrants like you coming to America my brother, Desi, and I wouldn't be here!  I'm happy you found I Love Lucy.  I don't know if it's perfect, but it certainly provides a lot of great laughter, and can help make life a little easier, especially these days.  Good luck with your play!

Q.  Hi Lucie!!!!

Oh my gosh I can't believe that I'm actually writing to you!!!!  First I must say that I'm one of the biggest Lucy (and Lucie!) fans out there!  I LOVED "Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie"!!!!

Anyway, what are you most proud of your parents for?  What do you think as their greatest accomplishment(s)?

Thank you for taking the time to answer everyone's questions--that's so nice of you!

~Emily

L:  Emily:

Thank you.  I LOVE that you enjoyed my film, Lucy & Desi: A Home Movie.  It's something I am very proud of.

It's incredibly hard to pick one thing out of my parents' extensive accomplishments to say I am the most proud of.  But, here's what I feel I have to choose:  The fact that they had such an amicable divorce.  It's hard enough to be the kids watching your parents not getting along, but for some it's even worse after the parents split up, because visitation is often used as a means of punishing the other parent.  My folks always made sure that Desi and I saw them for equal amounts of time, and did not EVER bad mouth the other parent.  That's really an accomplishment in my book.

Q.  Hi Lucie,
  I just want to say you're a tremendous role model for young women, and I love you. I have one question. Did you like doing interviews and tv shows about your parents right after their deaths? Was it hard for You? I think you are a very strong very person to do that. I hope you answer that 'cause I would really like to know.
Love Always,
    ASHLEY

L:  Dear Ashley:

You're very perceptive.  It was hard to talk about Mom and Dad immediately after their deaths.  I guess it was because people always seemed to ask such inane questions.  Like, "How does it feel?"  Duh.  No surprising answers to that one.

It's still hard to be interviewed today, because they have been gone for so many years and it's like they are still here.  The media will always be interested in the who, what, where, when, why and how of my parents.  I have to conscientiously not spend my interview time answering those "parent-type" questions these days, especially if I am on a show trying to promote something I have done which has nothing to do with my parents.  It can be difficult, and truthfully, there are times it does irritate me to be asked the same questions over and over, but I also know it comes with the territory of my life.  Which, on the whole, is rather fantastic, so I'm not complaining.  (But you asked.....!)

Q.  Hey, Lucie.  This is Mark Easley in Texas.  What is your favorite season of the year, and why?  Also, what have you done with all of your mom's scrapbooks that she left to you?  I remember hearing about how big they were.

L:  Hey Mark:

Great to hear from you again!  Easy question -- fall.  I live on the East Coast mainly due to my love of the change of seasons.  We never experienced that in Los Angeles.  But to me, fall is the most magnificent of nature's performances.  The colours here in New York can actually take your breath away some years.  I have pulled my car over and stopped to appreciate one particular tree in full rainbow array.  And I guess the "why" is that this brilliant time of year is so short, but the trees are telling us that maturity is where it's at, and not to be afraid of the aging process.  With the autumn of our years can come great knowledge and wisdom, we should value our "old maturity leaves"  -- listen to what they have to tell us, and know that even though they turn brown and fade to dust, there is spring which brings brand new life, and the cycle goes on and on.  Yes, definitely the fall, Mark.

The scrapbooks are still in my care, all 110 of them, but now they are in pieces (thanks to people who helped make our CD-ROM Lucy & Desi:  The Scrapbooks)  We had to dismantle many of them to photograph/scan the contents in order to preserve the images on CDs.  But when the project ended and we were unable to immediately fund another volume, the people left and the scrapbooks were left in their current condition.  OY!  However, we were able to use them for the 50th special, and we are currently in the process of publishing a book of some of the contents right now -- so it turned out to be a good thing in the end.  When we're done with the book though, I'm gonna have to figure out a way to (as they sang in Lil' Abner) "put 'em back, the way they were!

Q.  Hi Lucie!
Im a big Lucy fan and im only 16 years old. I'm going to be a comedian when I get older and have my own show hopefully and have physical comedy as your mother did. She is the best comedian. I love all her shows I Love Lucy, The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, Here's Lucy, The Lucy Show they are great. I want to see Life with Lucy but I cant find it anywhere.  Where you ever at a taping of it? I read about it and it sounded good to me.

Lucy Fan and Future Comedian
David Cole

L:  You know, David, I never was at a taping of Life With Lucy.  It began filming in mid 1985 I think, and I had just given birth to my third child in New York City, and had began rehearsals for the tour of My One and Only with Tommy Tune, which kept me on the road until Life was over.  I did see it on TV though, and I thought it was not up to the calibre of her earlier work.

Even so, I wrote a theme song for it with famed composer Cy Coleman (Sweet Charity, See Saw, Little Me, City of Angels, Wildcat, among others) that ABC optioned and then abruptly dropped.  They eventually used a song that a friend of Aaron Spelling (the producer) had written.  Too bad.  Our tune was adorable.  It was called, "She Keeps Gettin' Better All The Time."  I wrote a few clever lyrics (if I do say so myself) that I really felt captured my mother's antics through the years, and Cy gave it a terrific upbeat melody.  I ended up performing it during my show at the Feinstein's at Regency Nightclub in New York in 2000, just before I left for London to do Witches of Eastwick.  Maybe I'll record it with Cy someday.  Who knows?  Here's a bit of it:

Here she comes, the lady fair,
Stoppin' traffic everywhere.
On the ground.  In the air.
Bless her heart, I do declare.

She's a nut, she's a case,
But everybody wants to pay to see that face.
On the town or out in space,
She keeps gettin' better all the time.

(Chorus)
She's a lady, she's a clown,
A comic with a crown.
You'll love her when she's up
Or upside down.

Amazing grace, a lusty laugh,
A lotta guys would like to change her autograph
Weird and wise she's half and half
And keeps getting better
And once you've met her
You won't forget her
She keeps getting better all the time.

Q.  First off I think its a wonderful thing that you take the time to answer questions from all your fans, and I applaud you. I am a huge fan of the musical THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG. I saw you do it on Broadway with Tony Roberts, and it sparked my love of the theatre. I also had the great privilege of seeing your bravura performance in LOST IN YONKERS. My question is what interesting stories, such as re-writes, deleted scenes, songs, etc can you tell me about the creation of THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG. And is it possible that somewhere in this world there could be a video of your performance of Sonia Walk? I would love to see it. That show has such great memories for me. I even waited one day for you at the stage door, but they said you where resting between acts. It was interesting though because one of the people I waited outside the Imperial Theatre became Rosie O'Donnell.

Thanks again
Sincerely,
Michael Buscemi
Jamaica, New York

L:  Michael:  Well, this could be a very long answer as, of course, when you are creating a new show (musical or otherwise) there are always changes, rewrites, new concepts, that evolve in the rehearsal process, and Neil Simon is the king of the remarkable rewrite.  We would be having difficulty trying to stage one of the scenes in TPOS that we all thought was hysterically funny and brilliantly written, and Mr. Simon would be watching us from the side, chewing on his glasses as he always does when he is deep in his genius world  of thought, and then he would abruptly get up and leave the room and we all would think, "Oh God, he's gone to call my agent,  He sees how much trouble I'm having doing this, and I'm gonna be fired!"

Instead, he'd return a few hours later, hand over newly typed pages of the same scene with a few inspired changes, and say, "Here, try this!"  We'd do it and it practically staged itself.  Amazing.  Then Neil says, "Well if something is that hard to stage, it isn't written properly."  What a mensch!  (that means great guy!)

At other times we had scenes that we all thought would work, that the audience didn't really get, or that just dragged the show down in spots, so Neil did what he had to do and edited them out.  There is one that Bob Klein and I still talk about.  It took place on a cross country airplane flight when Sonia and Vernon run into each other with their new "significant others" -- Leon and some chick named Suzette Vousdrai (great Neil Simon name for a big busted Hollywood blonde).  But remember, this is a two character play, so Leon and Suzette were played by two mannequins with costumes and wigs, and we talked to each other, and to, and across, them.  Now that I describe it, maybe it should have been cut!  But, personally I thought it was a hilarious scene.

There were also several versions of Pat Birch's choreography before she settled on the ending for They're Playing My Song, in the disco.  She wouldn't give up until she found one that would stop the show, and she did.

I'm sorry to say that, no, there was never a video made of our performance.  They were indeed taping Broadway shows then, for inclusion in the Lincoln Center Theatre library, but somehow this particular show was forgotten. I just assumed it was being done, and was horrified to learn that it was never saved.  I would have paid for it myself if I had known.  What a crime!  The only footage of me as Sonia and Robert as Vernon that I know of is the number we performed on the 1979 Tony Awards show. 

And the little lady who waited outside the stage door with you was a frequent visitor to Song, wrote me many letters (which, thank God, I had the sense to answer!), and has turned into a good friend.  I loved her chutzpah then, and I love it now.

Q.  Dear Lucie, Mrs. Luckinbill, or Ms. Arnaz,


(I didn't know exactly what to call you to be polite so there's three to choose from.) I'm fourteen and am actually a HUGE fan of your father's. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE YOU TOO! (and who can't  love your mother.) Well since this question has nothing really to do with Desi Arnaz, I'll go on. Anywho, I don't know why I'm asking this and I don't know why you'd answer but here we go........(by the way there's 3)

  1) Do you enjoy answering questions about your parents or does it irritate you sometimes?

 2) What is your fondest memory of your mother and father? (I know your favorite memories of your father through email answers you were so kind to answer and I just wanted to know what was your favorite memory of your mother AND father.)

3) Last .....what color are your eyes? Sometimes they look brown and sometimes they appear green. I just want to set the record straight. HeHe!

             Your #1 fan (no matter what Laura may say)

                         Noel

"I love ya' till Niagara Falls!"

L:  Dear Noel: 

First of all, you can call me Lucie (but either of the other two would be very polite).  Second of all, your question, and the way you wrote it, made me laugh, so thanks for that.  Third of all (look, there's three!) to answer your first question, see my answer to Ashley above.

As for your question #2, I guess you mean a memory of the two of them together?  Well, that's kind of tough  There are a few if I really sit down to think about it.  Even if I stand up.  Certainly our times together by the beach in Del Mar, CA.  Making 4th of July bon fires, and barbecuing as a family.  Seeing my father reaching over and taking my mother's hand in his at my 1971 wedding (remember, they were both married to other people at the time) touched me deeply.  Or the last conversation they had on the phone the day before he died when I heard them tell each other how much they loved each other.  That made my hazel eyes very misty and red.

Q.  Dear Lucie,

I have a very wonderful story I have wanted to tell you for years, and through this medium, I hope I will finally get to do that.

My mother was a disc jockey for KMPC in Hollywood for many years. Early in 1951, mom went to a premiere at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood. I was only about 3 or 4 months old when mom attended. She took me everywhere with her in those days (she was a single parent at that time). She needed to use the ladies room soon after arriving, and decided to approach a very nice, pregnant, red-headed lady in the lounge, who was sitting with a female friend. She asked the woman if she would mind holding me while she used the rest room. It was your mother Lucille Ball. Lucy said she would be delighted, and for about 20 minutes, your mom held me and played with me. When my mom came back, she apologized for imposing me on her. She asked if she could hold me a bit longer... so mom was delighted, of course and chatted with her for about 10 minutes. She said she hoped her child would be as cute and happy as I was.... of course, that child was YOU!!  And it is obvious that Lucy got her wish!

I have wanted to tell that story to you for a long time, and delighted I am finally able!

R. Christian Anderson, PhD
Escondido, California

L:  What a happy memory for us all!  I know my parents tried for ten years to have a child, so I'm sure my mom meant every word she said to your mother.  Who knew that fully fifty years later we'd be conversing via the world wide web??!!

Lucie Arnaz