Desi
Desidario Alberto Arnaz ye de Acha the Third was born in Santiago, Cuba
on March 2, 1917. His father was the mayor fo Santiago. The 1933 Batista
revolution had landed his father in jail and as well stripped Desi's
family of wealth, property and power. His father was released mostly
because the U.S. officials believed him to be neutral during the revolt.
The family fled to Miami, Florida. One of Desi's first jobs in America
consisted of cleaning canary cages. However, after forming his own small
band of musicians, he was hired by Xavier Cugat the "king of Latin
music. Desi soon left Cugat, and formed his own Latin band and literally
launched the conga craze in America. Desi was cast in the Broadway play
"Too Many Girls, " which as well brought Desi to Hollywood to make the
film version of the play. It was on the set of "Too Many Girls" that
Desi and Lucille Ball met. They soon married and approximately ten years
later they formed Desilu Productions and soon began the "I Love Lucy"
(1951) shows. Desi and Lucille had two children, Lucie Arnaz and Desi
Arnaz Jr. At the end of the "I Love Lucy" (1951) run (including the
"Lucy and Desi Comedy Hour") the two divorced. Desi later wrote an
autobiography entitled "A Book." In 1986, Desi was diagnosed with lung
cancer, and died on December 2, 1986.
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