Here's something you don't see every day: color footage of "I Love Lucy"

Today would have marked Lucille Ball’s 100th birthday, so here’s something altogether different, shot by an audience member on October 12, 1951, and interspersed with final footage from the actual episode.

The YouTube clip notes: The episode filmed that night was 6th Episode of the First Season, “The Audition”.(It was a remake of “I Love Lucy” pilot episode, which was presumed lost until 1990.)

Although there were many people who tried to capture the scene of filming, Jess Oppenheimer, the producer and writer of “I Love Lucy”, prohibited it, because of the possibilities of leaking. This footage is the only surviving material of “Behind-the-Scenes” of this legendary sitcom. (It is said that Desi Arnaz filmed some filming scenes using his super-8mm movie camera, but it is not proven.)

Enjoy.  And Happy Birthday, Lucy!

Catholic footnote: While Lucy was born and raised Protestant, her husband Desi Arnaz was Catholic; after marrying civilly, they had a Catholic wedding, and she considered converting, but never did.  After her death in 1989, her daughter arranged for a memorial mass to be celebrated at St. Monica’s Catholic Church in Santa Monica, California.