America's National Comedy Center digitises the collection

Lucille Ball’s entire archive is to be digitised by America’s National Comedy Center – a museum in her hometown of Jamestown, New York.

Hundreds of documents, photographs and recordings are to be put on to disc in a bid to preserve the material and make it accessible to comedy fans from around the world. 

These archives include behind-the-scenes production papers, rare family and studio photographs, handwritten notes, letters and telegrams from notable figures to Ball and husband Desi Arnaz.

A section of in the National Comedy Center already explores the legacy of the couple and the impact they had on comedy and popular culture. 

By 1962, their company Desilu Productions  was the largest independent television production company in the United States, making series including I Love Lucy, Star Trek, Mission Impossible and The Untouchables -  while comedy shows including  The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Andy Griffith Show and The Jack Benny Program were shot in their studios.

A selection of rare photos and artefacts from the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum archives can be found here.

The announcement that the archives will be digitised comes on the 30th anniversary of Ball’s death.

National Comedy Center executive director Journey Gunderson said: ‘Lucille Ball was a true pioneer, an innovator, and an immense talent.

‘Now, on this milestone anniversary, we look forward to digitally preserving our Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz archives in a way that makes their story forever-accessible and engaging for generations to come.’

Published: 28 Apr 2019