How Lucille Ball And Desilu Productions Saved Star Trek

At first glance, it might seem like Star Trek and I Love Lucy have nothing in common, but there's an intriguing, hidden connection between these iconic shows. Back in 1950, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were preparing to launch their groundbreaking sitcom. They decided to form Desilu Productions, a move that revolutionized television. Desi took charge of the business side, introducing innovative concepts that changed the TV industry forever. Most notably, he pioneered the use of three-camera setups and filming in front of live studio audiences, setting a new standard for TV production. Meanwhile, Lucy focused on the creative side, carefully selecting shows she believed would resonate with audiences and endure the test of time. Among her picks were Our Miss Brooks, The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, The Untouchables, The Lucy Show, Mission: Impossible, Mannix, and, yes, Star Trek.

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Let's get something straight, Trekkies — without Desilu Productions and Lucille Ball, there would be no Star Trek. That's a fact. And that's a story worth telling.

Desilu's Groundbreaking Legacy

Author Marc Cushman, a renowned expert on Star Trek with non-fiction books like the These Are the Voyages series, as well as Long Distance Voyagers: The Story of the Moody Blues, offers some historical context. "Desilu came into existence because Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz owned I Love Lucy. They were the first to own the rerun rights to a show. Back then, this was revolutionary. For those rights, they agreed to cover the cost of filming on film, and CBS accepted. The idea of reruns didn't exist back then, but they had the foresight to see its potential."