Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter

Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter is a 1991 television movie from CBS about the lives of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. The movie begins when the two actors met in the 1930s and ends with their divorce in 1960. The movie covers how their careers developed, their often rocky marriage, and how they came to develop the I Love Lucy show. It recreates a number of scenes from classic I Love Lucy episodes, including "Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying to Murder Her" and "Lucy Does a TV Commercial". The television movie was directed by Charles Jarrott, written by William Luce, with screenplay by William Luce and Cynthia A. Cherbak.

Cast

 * Frances Fisher - Lucille Ball
 * Maurice Benard - Desi Arnaz
 * Robin Pearson Rose - Vivian Vance
 * John Wheeler - William Frawley
 * Edith Díaz - Dolores Arnaz
 * Liane Langland - Maureen O'Hara
 * Matthew Faison - Harry
 * Bette Ford - DeDe Ball
 * Patrick Cronin - Doc Bender
 * Jim Brochu - Max
 * Joyce Blair - Roxana
 * Rance Howard - Bernie
 * Larry Anderson - Percy
 * Howard Schechter - Jess Oppenheimer
 * Doug Franklin - Marc Daniels
 * Alan Oppenheimer - Arthur Lyons
 * Roger Rose - cousin Larry
 * Don Keefer - Grandpa Ball