Desi Arnaz

Acting • 1917-03-02 • Santiago, Cuba

Desi Arnaz (March 2, 1917 – December 2, 1986) was a Cuban-born American musician, actor and television producer. While he gained international renown for leading a Latin music band, the Desi Arnaz Orchestra, he is best known for his role as Ricky Ricardo on I Love Lucy, starring with then-wife Lucille Ball.

Known For

7.9

I Love Lucy

1951

7.0

The Long, Long Trailer

1954

8.6

The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour

1957

6.2

The Escape Artist

1982

6.3

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

1958

6.9

Forever, Darling

1956

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Filmography

2025
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL MusicFilm
Self (archive footage)
★ 7.6
2025
A Grammy Celebration of Latin MusicFilm
Self/Ricky Ricardo (archive footage)
★ 5.0
2022
Lucy and DesiFilm
Self (archive footage)
★ 7.1
2020
My Darling VivianFilm
Self (archive footage)
★ 7.1
2016
I Love Lucy Christmas SpecialFilm
Ricky
★ 10.0
2011
Classic TV Bloopers UncensoredFilm
Ricky Ricardo (archive footage)
★ 2.0
2005
Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony AwardsFilm
Manuelito (segment "Too Many Girls") (archive footage)
★ 7.2
2004
Judy Garland: By MyselfFilm
Self (archive footage)
★ 8.3
2004
TV in Black: The First Fifty YearsFilm
(archive footage)
★ 5.3
2000
Lucille Ball: Finding LucyFilm
Self (archive footage)
★ 7.0
1999
Television: The First Fifty YearsFilm
Ricky Ricardo (archive footage)
1997
The Funny World of Lucy, Volume 1Film
★ 8.5
1996
E! True Hollywood StoryTV
★ 8.1
1993
Lucy and Desi: A Home MovieFilm
Self
★ 8.2
1983
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare FootageFilm
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
★ 7.0
1982
The Escape ArtistFilm
Mayor Leon Quiñones
★ 6.2
1976
AliceTV
Ruth • 1 episodes
★ 7.0
1976
Donny & MarieTV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 6.7
1976
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 YearsFilm
Self
★ 7.2
1976
SalsaFilm
Self (archive footage)
★ 10.0
1976
JoysFilm
Self
★ 6.0
1975
Saturday Night LiveTV
Self - Host & Musical Guest • 1 episodes
★ 6.9
1975
Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on TelevisionFilm
(archive footage)
1968
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InTV
Self (uncredited) • 1 episodes
★ 6.8
1968
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InTV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 6.8
1968
Land's EndTV
Guest Waiting to Cash Check • 1 episodes
★ 10.0
1967
IronsideTV
Dr. Juan Domingo • 1 episodes
★ 6.8
1967
The Mothers-in-LawTV
Raphael Delgado • 4 episodes
★ 6.0
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonTV
Self • 2 episodes
★ 7.6
1962
The VirginianTV
El Jefe • 1 episodes
★ 6.5
1961
The Mike Douglas ShowTV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 5.8
1960
The Man in the Funny SuitFilm
Self - Host
1959
NBC Sunday ShowcaseTV
Ricky Ricardo • 1 episodes
★ 5.0
1958
Westinghouse Desilu PlayhouseTV
★ 6.3
1957
The Lucy–Desi Comedy HourTV
Ricky Ricardo • 13 episodes
★ 8.6
1956
Forever, DarlingFilm
Lorenzo Xavier Vega
★ 6.9
1956
Tony AwardsTV
Self - Performer • 1 episodes
1956
Lucy's Really Lost MomentsFilm
Ricky Ricardo
★ 6.5
1956
The Bob Hope Chevy ShowFilm
Fred Mertz
1955
MGM ParadeTV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 7.5
1954
The Long, Long TrailerFilm
Nicholas Collini
★ 7.0
1954
December BrideTV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 6.2
1954
A Star Is Born World PremiereFilm
Self
★ 8.0
1953
I Love Lucy: The MovieFilm
Ricky Ricardo / Self
★ 7.7
1951
I Love LucyTV
Ricky Ricardo • 180 episodes
★ 7.9
1951
The Red Skelton ShowTV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 7.4
1950
What's My Line?TV
Self • 3 episodes
★ 7.1
1950
The Bob Hope ShowTV
Self • 2 episodes
★ 7.0
1949
The Emmy AwardsTV
Self • 2 episodes
★ 7.9
1949
The Ed Wynn ShowTV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 7.7
1949
Holiday in HavanaFilm
Carlos Estrada
★ 5.6
1948
The Ed Sullivan ShowTV
Self • 6 episodes
★ 6.8
1946
Desi Arnaz and His OrchestraFilm
Self
★ 5.4
1946
Cuban PeteFilm
Desi Arnaz
★ 6.0
1943
BataanFilm
Felix Ramirez
★ 6.4
1942
The Navy Comes ThroughFilm
Pat Tarriba
★ 6.0
1942
Four Jacks and a JillFilm
Steve Sarto / King Stephan VIII of Aregal
★ 6.5
1941
Father Takes a WifeFilm
Carlos Bardez
★ 6.8
1941
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 2Film
★ 7.0
1940
Too Many GirlsFilm
Manuelito
★ 5.9