“Life With Lucy” — 36 Years Later
Ball’s Final Sitcom Deserved Better
Thirty-six years before Nicole Kidman played out Lucille Ball’s life during the I Love Lucy era, on September 20th, 1986, the legendary Ball partnered with producers Aaron Spelling [Charlie’s Angels] and Douglas S. Cramer (Wonder Woman) and came back to the small-screen a sitcom that chronicled the updated adventures of hers originally-iconic Lucy persona.
This time, the actress played grandmother Lucille Barker, who resided in Pasadena, California, with her daughter, son-in-law, two grandchildren, and in-law grand-father/hardware-store-business-partner Curtis McGibbons, played by Gale Gordon.
As Lucy fans around the globe know so well, Gordon had appeared with Ball on each of the earlier Lucy incarnations in one capacity or the other. On I Love Lucy (CBS, 1951–57), in which Ball co-starred with husband Desi Arnaz, she had originally cast Gordon as neighbor Fred Mertz. But the actor was unavailable for the role that ultimately went to William Frawley (who later appeared on CBS’ My Three Sons with Fred McMurray). Gordon, however, did at least have the chance to guest-star on Love and its later expanded edition, The Lucy-Desi Comedy…
