lay a model in a fashion show sequence for the Fred Astair/Ginger Rogers picture. Even though she only had to walk down an isle wearing ostrich feathers, it was an honor to her to appear in one of their pictures. Emerging at the same time was Lucys RKO rival, Betty Grable, who was more talented than her. To compete with her Lucy dyed her hair red. Not knowing what she was doing on March 19, 1936, Lucy registered with the Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters to affiliate with the Communist Party. From this decision, years later during the McCarthy era she was put into the threat of professional ruin and public exposure. She always said that decision was only to please her grandfather. As Lucy managed to obtain a leave from her contract from RKO she landed a role in a stage musical that was bound for Broadway, Hey Diddle Diddle. After the opening on January 21, 1937 of Hey Diddle Diddle at the McCarter Theater in Princeton, New Jersey she received remarks from the Variety saying: Miss Ball fattens a fat part and almost walks off with the play. She outlines a consistent character and continuously gives it logical substance. Has a sense of timing and, with a few exceptions, keeps her comedy under control. (Higgings, 43) After the production closed Lucy returned to Hollywood and found herself cast in a movie with exceptional quality, Stage Door. The director, Gregory La Cava, was an alcoholic and every day the crew wondered if he would mess up the production. It wasnt until she played in 47 films that she met Desi Arnaz on the set of Dance, Girl, Dance in 1940. Desi and Lucy didnt hit it off at first, but soon they fell in love with each other and were married in Greenich, Connecticut. From 1940 on she continued to play in movies and films. Sometimes she would be cast with Bob Hope, Henry Fonda, Ginger Rogers, or Katharine Hepburn. Her more successful films include: The Big Street, Du Barry Was a Lady, Best Foot Forward, Ziegfeld Follies, ...
