The Big Bang Theory: A CBS TV SHOW OR Edgar Allan Poe's Brilliant Idea?

The Big Bang Theory is a show on CBS, correct?

Well, not exactly, it goes far further back than you might realize and it has a surprising founding father, Edgar Allan Poe!

“The willing into being the primordial particle, has completed the act, or more properly the conception, of Creation. We now proceed to the ultimate purpose for which we are to suppose the Particle created – that is to say, the ultimate purpose so far as our considerations yet enable us to see it – the constitution of the Universe from it, the Particle."

"This constitution has been effected by forcing the originally and therefore normally One into the abnormal condition of Many…. From the one Particle, as a centre, let us suppose to be irradiated spherically – in all directions – to immeasurable but still to definite distances in the previously vacant space – a certain inexpressibly great yet limited number of unimaginably yet not infinitely minute atoms.”

Edgar Allan Poe in "Eureka!" (1848) 

Author T.S. Eliot wrote a criticism of Poe's Eureka. " makes no deep impression, because we are aware of Poe's lack of qualification in philosophy, theology or natural science."

ONLY PROBLEM, T.S., Edgar Allen Poe was RIGHT and a GENIUS! And you were 100% WRONG! 

Poe's mind was by no means commonplace. In the last year of his life, 1848, he wrote a prose poem, Eureka, which would have established this fact beyond doubt—if it had not been so full of intuitive insight that neither his contemporaries nor subsequent generations, at least until the late twentieth century, could make any sense of it. Its very brilliance made it an object of ridicule, an instance of affectation and delusion, and so it is regarded to this day among readers and critics who are not at all abreast of contemporary physics. Eureka describes the origins of the universe in a single particle, from which "radiated" the atoms of which all matter is made. Minute dissimilarities of size and distribution among these atoms meant that the effects of gravity caused them to accumulate as matter, forming the physical universe. The New York Times Book Review

Poe's own estimation, he had written something that was more than a daydream. In a letter he penned in 1848, he said of Eureka, "What I have propounded will in good time revolutionize the world of Physical and Metaphysical Science, I say this calmly - but I say it."

 

Books about Space use this photo of the Andromeda Galaxy as a primary illustration because it is a near perfect example of our near neighbor. 

The Big Bang

In 1922, Russian mathematician Alexander Friedmann proposed on theoretical grounds that the universe is expanding, which was derived independently and observationally confirmed soon afterwards by Belgian astronomer and Catholic priest Georges Lemaître in 1927.  Lemaître also proposed what became known as the "Big Bang theory" of the creation of the universe, originally calling it the "hypothesis of the primeval atom," in his paper Annales de la Société Scientifique de Bruxelles (Annals of the Scientific Society of Brussels) under the title "Un Univers homogène de masse constante et de rayon croissant rendant compte de la vitesse radiale des nébuleuses extragalactiques" ("A homogeneous Universe of constant mass and growing radius accounting for the radial velocity of extragalactic nebulae"), he presented his new idea that the universe is expanding and provided the first observational estimation of what is known as the Hubble constant. What later will be known as the "Big Bang theory" of the origin of the universe, he called his "hypothesis of the primeval atom" or the "Cosmic Egg". 

American astronomer Edwin Hubble observed that the distances to faraway galaxies were strongly correlated with their redshifts. This was interpreted to mean that all distant galaxies and clusters are receding away from our vantage point with an apparent velocity proportional to their distance: that is, the farther they are, the faster they move away from us, regardless of direction. 

In 1964, two AT&T scientists, Arno Penzias(R) and Robert Wilson(L), were studying radio waves using a shoehorn radio wave detector aimed into deep space, when they noticed an anomaly, back ground radiation, with no discernible cause, radiating in all directions. It was at that moment that "The Big Bang Theory" was proven, because that is exactly what scientist had predicted would happen if the theory were true. 

All of Sheldon's research into String Theory and Dark Matter is derived from Edgar Allan Poe's Eureka Moment!

The Raven

Did you know that originally Poe intended his poem to be called The Parrot but felt, quite rightly,  that choice betrayed the solemnity of his poem. Then he happily learned that Raven could mimic human speech too. 

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—

    While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—

            Only this and nothing more.”

    Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.

    Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow

    From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—

For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—

            Nameless here for evermore.

    And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain

Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;

    So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating

    “’Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door—

Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;—

            This it is and nothing more.”

    Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,

“Sir,” said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;

    But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,

    And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,

That I scarce was sure I heard you”—here I opened wide the door;—

            Darkness there and nothing more.

    Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;

    But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,

    And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, “Lenore?”

This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, “Lenore!”—

            Merely this and nothing more.

    Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,

Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.

    “Surely,” said I, “surely that is something at my window lattice;

      Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore—

Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—

            ’Tis the wind and nothing more!”

    Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,

In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;

    Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;

    But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door—

Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—

            Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,

By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,

“Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven,

Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore—

Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!”

            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

    Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,

Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore;

    For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being

    Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door—

Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,

            With such name as “Nevermore.”

    But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only

That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.

    Nothing farther then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered—

    Till I scarcely more than muttered “Other friends have flown before—

On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before.”

            Then the bird said “Nevermore.”

    Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,

“Doubtless,” said I, “what it utters is its only stock and store

    Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster

    Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore—

Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore

            Of ‘Never—nevermore’.”

    But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,

Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;

    Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking

    Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore—

What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore

            Meant in croaking “Nevermore.”

    This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing

To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom’s core;

    This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining

    On the cushion’s velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o’er,

But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o’er,

            She shall press, ah, nevermore!

    Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer

Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.

    “Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee

    Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore;

Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!”

            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

    “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!—

Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,

    Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted—

    On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore—

Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!”

            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

    “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!

By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore—

    Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,

    It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore—

Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.”

            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

    “Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting—

“Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore!

    Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!

    Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door!

Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!”

            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

    And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

    And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,

    And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor

            Shall be lifted—nevermore!

But that is nothing compared to this story by Edgar Allan Poe, Rod Serling would say Wow.

The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket by Edgar Allan Poe (1838)

Before we proceed, this is the "grave" of 17-year-old Richard Parker. He was part of the crew of a small yacht, the Mignonette, which sailed from England to Sydney Australia in 1884. The boat was far too small for such a long journey. A storm hit and the yacht sank, a 1000 miles off the coast of Argentina, the four man crew included Dudley the Captain, Stephens the 1st Mate, Brooks a Sailor and Richard Parker the Cabin Boy made it to the lifeboat, with hardly any provisions. One can of Turnips lasted only hours, a turtle the caught a few days. After 8 days of starving, the men realized they were in danger of starving to death. They had no fresh water. Parker, the youngest of the crew became delirious with thirst and tried to drink seawater, the salt from which only made matters worse. At this point the men, were pushed far beyond human endurance. They made the decision that on man would have to sacrifice himself for his other crew mates. Since Richard Parker was in by far the worst shape, delirious and irrational, the men decided he would have to sacrifice himself as their only source of food, so they could live. 

The remaining men were rescued on the 24th day after the sinking, but were arrested and put on trial. Charged with murder, Dudley and Stephens, they were in command and were found guilty of murder and sentenced to hang, on appeal this was effectively changed the sentence to manslaughter and the men were given 6 months sentences. 

Townspeople paid for this cenotaph for the young boy "lost at sea".  

In 1838, Edgar Allan Poe published his only full length novel, "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket." A ship called Grampus is sinking, they have lost all provisions, no food or water. They four man crew manage to catch a tortoise and strip off its shell which provides sustenance lasting a few days. But they reach the point where the crew must draw lots to figure out which of them will be sacrificed to provide food for the rest. The death straw goes to a young ship hand named Richard Parker, who is promptly killed, sustaining them all, barely, until they are rescued. 

The Cenotaph of Richard Parker (1867-1884) a victim of cannibalism at sea, echoing the Edgar Allan Poe story The Narrative of Gordon Pym written in 1838, which included the story of shipwrecked sailors surviving on a dinghy, forced to eat one of their fellow crewman, their youngest companion, teenager Richard Parker. 

SS Titanic on her maiden voyage

The photo up top was taken by the chief steward of the German ocean liner SS Prinz Adalbert on April 15, 1912. The Prinz Adalbert was sailing off the coast of Newfoundland near the last reported position of the Titanic before she sank on April 14th. What drew the steward's attention to this iceberg was its base, just above sea level, which had a long deep red streak on its side at the water line. This was before he knew anything about the Titanic sinking. 

 In 1898, author Morgan Robertson wrote a book titled "Futility" 

Both of the ships were triple screw (propeller) ships.

Both the Titan and the Titanic were described as being "unsinkable" The Titan was the largest craft afloat and the greatest ship ever built to date, having 800 feet, displacing 75,000 tons, up from 45,000 in the 1898 edition...

Both the fictional ship the Titan and the Titanic had a shortage of lifeboats

        - The Titanic carried 16 lifeboats, plus 4 Engelhardt folding lifeboats, which was less than the required for the crew and passenger capacity of 3000.

        - According to the book, the Titan carried "as few as the law allowed", 24 lifeboats, which could carry less than half of her total complement of 3000.

Both ships struck an iceberg

        - The titanic struck the iceberg moving at 22½ knots on the starboard side on the night of April 14, 1912, in the North Atlantic, 400 nautical miles (740 km; 460 mi) away from Newfoundland.

        - The titan also struck an iceberg moving at 25 knots, curiously also on the starboard side on an April night in the North Atlantic, 400 nautical miles (740 km; 460 mi) from Newfoundland.

Both ships sank, even though they were described as unsinkable.

        - The Titanic sank, and more than half of her 2200 passengers and crew died.

        - The Titan also sank, and more than half of her 2500 passengers drowned.

The Titan and the Titanic were both 400 miles from Newfoundland!  Robertson did have a talent of predicting the future as he also predicted another real-life event. Robertson is also credited with predicting the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in World War II in his novel 1914 "Beyond the spectrum."

Morgan Robertson wrote another short story in 1914, in a volume that also contained a new version of Futility, Robertson included a short story called "Beyond the Spectrum", which described a future war between the United States and the Empire of Japan. Japan does not declare war but instead launches sneak attacks on United States ships en route to the Philippines and Hawaii; an invasion fleet about to launch a surprise attack on San Francisco is stopped by the hero using the weapon from a captured Japanese vessel. The title refers to an ultraviolet searchlight used by the Japanese, but invented by the Americans, to blind American crews.

On December 7th 1941, the Japanese launched a surprise attack on the United States without declaring war at Pearl Harbor. Much like they did against Russia at Port Arthur in 1905, starting the Russo-Japanese War which Japan won. 

Battleship Row, Pearl Harbor, photo taken by a Japanese pilot on a bombing run December 7th, 1941, a date which will live in INFAMY.

Hard to tell if Morgan Robertson was a 2nd Nostradamus or simply paying attention.

Just read about Jim Fowler just passed away. Our generation was blessed with Jacques Cousteau in our oceans, Jane Goodall in our jungles, Carl Sagan in space, Rod Serling in our imagination, Marlin Perkins and Jim Fowler leading us into the outback. We were a lucky generation. Less so now... Jane Goodall take care of yourself. 

1962 Jane Goodall with her best friends

1992, Jane Goodall still with her best friends.

The Rockford Files and The Munsters

Remembering James Garner, whose one rule, repeated by many who knew him, don’t make up your mind up about friendship with anyone based on how they treat you, they may have an Angle, decide based on how they treat the people who can do nothing for you/them. Jim would watch how you treated waitresses, waiters, car and bell hops, even the paper boy, before deciding if he wanted to be your friend. Jim was incredibly popular in Hollywood. His Cherokee Productions kept the same employees for the 25 years Rockford was on the air. When he auditioned Joe “Santos” Minieri for the role of Sergeant Dennis Becker, Jim liked Joe Immediately, the job was his.Jim had worked with Stuart Margolin on his previous show Nichols in 1970. 

I have a History Degree and love researching things. I was watching The Rockford Files/Queen of
Peru, which had dialogue which I thought was quintessentially Jim. I went to IMDb to cut and paste it, but they didn't have it, so I transcribed it myself. Then I stumbled across one of those stories which seem to come out of nowhere. In the episode young actor Michael Morgan played Sean Wronko. I recognized him from other shows on TV, but I didn't know his real story.




Well, I did some digging and surprised to discover the fact that Michael Morgan was the son of Yvonne "Lily Munster" De Carlo and was born on October 29, 1959. I remembered seeing him on episodes of Little House on the Prairie, CHIPS, etc.  Michael was a soft spoken, gentle, intelligent young actor. Watching Rockford's Queen of Peru prompted me to find out what happened to him. Horrifically, I was shocked to find out Michael was murdered, suffering a beating which caused a cerebral hemorrhage, on February 15, 1999.A case, which Larry Wilcox of CHIPS indicates remains unsolved. As if that wasn't enough, his brother Bruce, worked in the Twin Towers and was killed on 9/11. There is a footnote to this story. Apparently, the 9/11 story may have been attributed to Michael Murphy's family.

Michael Morgan, who played Alex in today's CHiPs episode on MeTV (The Best of Families) is the son of Yvonne DeCarlo, beloved for her role as Lily Munster. Sadly, he was murdered in 1999 at at age of 39. Police have yet to solve the case. Just as sad, his on screen brother in the episode, Timothy Patrick Murphy, died of AIDs in 1988 at the age of 29. His brother, Patrick Sean was killed a few years later in the 9/11 attacks. He worked in the World Trade Center---Sue   https://www.facebook.com/Wilcox7M3/posts/10152664299518450


 As if that wasn't enough, her husband stuntman Bob Morgan, was seriously injured while filming How The West Was Won(1962). Bob lost a leg and sight in one eye. Yvonne took the role of Lily Munster to help pay Bob's medical bills.
If you are near someone you love, more so if you are not, give them a call or hug, you could lose them in a heartbeat.



Yvonne De Carlo with Al Lewis who played Grandpa, Butch Patrick as son Eddie and Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster. After filming "My Cousin Vinny,"  Fred Gwynne worked in his Maryland garden, when his little girl heard Fred chasing a mole away using rather colorful language. A few months later, he was talking at dinner with his wife and daughter, saying he was getting a mole on his nose, one look at his daughter gave birth to a writer of children's books. 

Michael in one of his first acting jobs, with Howard Cosell in an episode of Jack Klugman/Tony Randall's "The Odd Couple"(1972)

Margaret Yvonne Middleton was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, September 1, 1922 – January 8, 2007 dying of a stroke; Yvonne and Bob Morgan were married from November 21, 1955 until 1974. 



Requiescat in pacem, pal. Michael Morgan 1959-1999

Princess Diana said she had a debt as a child who was bullied when she was young to help other kids. Diana was shy and gentle, her parents had a vicious divorce which only made things worse. At boarding school, she was the number one target of school bullies. Diana said it taught her what her mission in life should be, she became a school teacher. There weren't and aren't many millionaire school teachers, but Diana was one of them. Diana said that bullies most often target the gentlest among us. She said it is our duty when we see a kid like Michael Morgan, to mentor them so that they will have a long, meaningful, happy life. If you choose to follow her path, do it in memory of Diana and Michael.

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and their roundez-vous with Destiny

Two of the Greatest Shows in TV History owe everything to Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and I am not referring to "I Love Lucy". Lucy was the driving force behind Mission Impossible and STAR TREK. 

 

Lucille Ball was a very popular second banana in Hollywood during the 1930's and early 1940's, but she was getting older, by 1940 though she was still beautiful, but she was also 30 years old. Hollywood was never known to allow women to age gracefully, most older actresses quickly found themselves on the unemployment line. Lucy chose to dye her brownish blonde hair red with henna hair dye, hoping it would make her stand out. It worked, helped mightily by Lucy's can-do attitude, Lucy was willing to do anything for a laugh, even willing to make a total fool of herself. Where other actresses would worry about their dignity and reputation, Lucy only cared about laughs, being a comedian was a role which was a natural fit for her. Studios began turning to her for comedies because of her cooperative, low maintenance persona and reasonable salary demands. Lucy cared more about having a job that finagling a huge salary or the perks that many other stars demanded. She wanted to work and was always willing to meet the studio half-way. Directors loved her  because she would do anything they asked no matter how demeaning or dangerous it was.

Lucy's life story began with a horrible accident at age 14. 

In her memoir, Love Lucy, Ball writes that on July 4, 1927, her grandfather, “in a holiday mood, came home from work on the trolley with a mysterious object wrapped in brown paper. It was a birthday present for Lucille Ball’s brother, Freddy, who was about to turn 12—a real .22-caliber rifle.” Despite Freddy’s excitement, Ball’s father told him he couldn’t shoot the gun until the next day, after he showed him how. True to his promise, Ball’s father “set up a tin-can target in our backyard and then in his usual meticulous, careful way explained all about the gun.”
Next door to the Balls lived an eight-year-old boy, Warner Erickson, who Ball writes had a habit of stopping by uninvited. He did so on this day. Freddy’s “little girlfriend” Johanna took a turn with the gun, and just as she was aiming at a tin can, Warner’s mother called out his name from their home. “The gun went off,” Ball writes, “and Warner fell spread-eagled to the ground, into the lilac bushes.” Ball continues: “The next few days were a kind of nightmare as we all hung on to bulletins from the hospital. Then we learned the awful news: a .22-caliber bullet is very small, but by fantastic bad luck, the bullet passed right through Warner’s spine, severing the cord.” While Ball’s grandfather “would have paid the Freddy’s medical bills,” the Erickson family opted for a lawsuit and won, effectively taking Ball’s grandfather’s life: “They took our house, the furnishings that Lucille Ball’s mother, DeDe, had bought so laboriously on time, week after week, the insurance—everything. My grandfather never worked again. The heart went out of him. It ruined Celoron for us; it destroyed our life together there.”  Huffington Post

In 1940 Lucy was a comedic success and much in demand. She was appearing in an RKO Studios movie, Too Many Girls(1940) with a young Cuban actor Desi Arnaz. Desi was most famous for being a drummer, guitarist, singer and protege of Band Leader Xavier Cugat. Eventually, Desi struck out on his own. He created his own orchestra and invented the Conga Line dance, which became a huge sensation in 1940, which led to his acting career. Though plagued by a thick Cuban accent, Desi had a great friendly personality and a lot of musical talent, which made his band one of the hottest in America.

Desi too faced troubled times. His father, Desi II, was a liberal reformer elected mayor of Cuba's vacation resort town of Santiago de Cuba while in his 30's. Desi II was very popular and won by a landslide. The family were descendants of the founder of the Bicardi Rum and quite well off. In 1932, Colonel Batista and his corrupt cronies began a military coup against the liberal Cuban government, deposing President Gerardo Machado in August 1933. Desi's Dad was arrested, while his family fled to Miami with only the clothes on their back. 15-year-old Desi was forced to work doing menial tasks, including cleaning out bird cages and manual labor. His father was eventually released and joined his family, eventually taking Pharmacist courses in Atlanta Georgia. As Desi said, you can only truly appreciate success and wealth when you either already lost it or rose from the depths of poverty, Desi did both. Desi with his Dad and son, Desi Arnaz IV 

Desi met Lucy while filming Too Many Girls, fell in love and got married. Lucy decided to branch out of movies as she got older, taking a starring role in a radio show, My Favorite Husband in 1948. The show was a lucrative success. At the same time Lucy and Desi's marriage was strained by their volatile personalities and the fact that Desi and his orchestra were on the road for over 40 weeks a year. With the birth of television, CBS decided to bring their show My Favorite Husband to TV. Lucy agreed, with only one condition, Desi be cast as her husband, replacing the radio show's original white Middle West Anglo Saxon Banker with Desi's Cuban Band Leader, Ricky Ricardo. At first, CBS was resistant, finally, the network gave in after Desi created a Vaudeville Act and took it on the road to show that America would accept a red headed comedian married to a Cuban Band Leader. It was a smash success and I Love Lucy was born.

Did you know that Desi Arnaz's father was a Doctor? Did you know that he was the Mayor of Santiago de Cuba and considered a possible future President of Cuba?

Little Desi with Mom

Little Lucy with Mom and Dad

Few people know today that Desi Arnaz is considered a brilliant businessman. It all started with his negotiations for the I Love Lucy Show. Instead of limiting himself to arguing over star salaries, Desi said he and Lucy would produce the show themselves. Next, he proposed filming the show on 35 mm film. No one appreciated the fact that Desi was about to invent the re-run, the live audience 3 Camera TV show with famed Cinematographer Karl Freund(DRACULA), Lucy always performed best when in front of a live audience and TV Syndication. This would make Lucy and Desi the richest performers on TV for years to come. The CBS Network and its executives and "bean counter accountants" balked at the cost, about $5,000 a week. Desi said he and Lucy would take a pay cut to offset the cost, if he and Lucy retained rights to the show after its initial broadcast on CBS. Many business schools teach Desi's strategy as among the most brilliant in business history. By 1957, Lucy and Desi were multi-millionaire and were able to buy RKO STUDIOS AND CREATE DESILU STUDIOS, making themselves Hollywood Moguls equal to Louis B. Mayer and Warner Brothers.

Lucille Ball is the reason we have 'Star Trek' — here's what happened Meryl Gottlieb Jul. 8, 2016, 3:58 PM Business Insider

The comedy icon's company, Desilu Productions, was responsible for Gene Roddenberry's original "Star Trek" series. Desilu was one of the largest independent production companies in Hollywood and of course was the driving force behind Ball's star-making vehicle "I Love Lucy," which ran from 1951 to 1957. But it was also responsible for "The Andy Griffith Show," "The Untouchables," "The Dick Van Dyke Show," and more. Ball and then-husband and eventual "I Love Lucy" costar Desi Arnaz formed Desilu in 1950. Ball made most of all of the creative choices while Arnaz handled the business. The two worked as partners for years until they divorced in 1960, and Ball purchased Arnaz's share of the company in 1962. Ball was the head of a major studio, and thus one of the most powerful women in Hollywood at the time. When the landmark "The Untouchables" ended its run in 1963, Desilu desperately needed another big hit. Herbert Solow, who was hired to find projects for the studio, brought Ball two proposals: one for Roddenberry's "Star Trek" and another for "Mission: Impossible." It was clear that the "Star Trek" pilot would be expensive to film, but Ball — who actually believed the series was about traveling USO performers — overruled her board of directors and got the pilot produced. The pilot, titled "The Cage," famously flopped. However, NBC pulled an unlikely move and ordered a second pilot, which came to be called "Where No Man Has Gone Before," only retained Leonard Nimoy's Mr. Spock from the first pilot, and became the show it is known as today. Ball agreed to finance this re-shoot, again over the preferences of her board of directors. So Ball is the one who let "Star Trek" live long and prosper. Thanks, Lucy.

Lucy bought Desi out when they got divorced in 1960, after 20 years of marriage.  Lucy showed she was as brilliant a business woman in her own right, when, against the advice of all of her executives and friends, she green-lighted to two shows no one thought could be made, much less had any chance of being successful, but former LAPD officer Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek knew the truth and openly admitted, Lucy was the mother of Star Trek, which he intended to be as a show about space which would address topical political and social issues. But Roddenberry disguised it as a "Wagon Train" in Space, after a currently popular Western. And she green-lighted a spy saga known as Mission Impossible. Which portrayed US Spies doing the impossible to defeat our enemies and save our friends. For TV it was never a better time and all thanks to Lucy and Desi. 

Future Law and Order DA Stephen Hill would be replaced after season one because of religious issues replaced by Peter "Graves" Aurness brother of Gunsmoke's James "Arness" Aurness, whose most famous role before the Western was as the Alien in "The Thing" (1950)

When I was 9-years-old I fell in love with a TV Show called Star Trek. I was an original Trekkie. Another Trekkie, Brian Sharples, and I went to East Valley Elementary School in Marietta, Georgia. Sometime later when we were transferred to Sedalia Park Elementary School. At some point we heard that NBC was thinking of canceling Star Trek, so we jumped into action. We created and carried petitions around school, using every tool at our disposal to get kids to sign, so we could keep our favorite show on the air. Brian Keith O'Hara

Here is a photo of a young William Frawley, Fred Mertz. 

William "Bill" Frawley, February 26, 1887 – March 3, 1966, was Irish Catholic and a New York Yankees fan. He began life working for the railroad and as a court reporter. In High School and after graduation he appeared in plays as an extra and later a featured player to make extra money. By the 1920's he was appearing in Vaudeville. By the 1930's and 1940's he gravitated to Hollywood where he became a steady character actor, gruff, hard drinking Irish American. By the late 1940's acting roles became scarce and Bill earned a reputation for drinking too much. He heard about I Love Lucy and the need for a gruff landlord, Fred Mertz. Bill went to meet Desi, who liked Bill immediately. Desi decided he would be perfect for the Ricardo's landlord. But Desi had heard the drinking stories about Bill too. He told Bill, if he got the role, he would be on the three strike plan. Be unable to perform once, a warning, twice, suspension and three times, you'll be fired. Bill never got the first warning, always keeping his drinking under control for the next 9 years when  I Love Lucy finally went off the air, including its later incarnation as the Lucy and Desi Comedy Hour. Though there are reports that in some episodes you will see Bill keep his hands in his coat pockets. He would get alcohol withdrawal shakes and hide them.

The biggest problem Bill had was with Vivian Vance. Bill detected a coolness from co-star Vivian Vance. Then one day he heard her talking to Lucy about him, echoing many of her character's on screen character Ethel Mertz's description of Fred Mertz as an old goat. Vivian resented having to portray being married to a man who was 20 years older than she was. Bill's feelings were hurt and angry that she would say that to Lucy and put his job at risk. He never forgave her. But Desi grew to love Bill and his gruff, endearing manner. They became real friends and his job was NEVER in danger. 

Few people know that there was one strange clause in Bill's contract, at his insistence. Bill demanded time off any time his beloved New York Yankees made it to the World Series. Desi loved the NY Yankees too, but knew with the retirement of Yankee Hero Joe DiMaggio in 1951, the same year I Love Lucy went on the air, there was little chance of a hitch. The Yankees had appeared in the 1941, 1942, 1943, 1947, 1949 and 1950 with Joe DiMaggio. Everyone figured it would take a while to rebuild the team without him. WRONG! 

In 1951, the Yankees scouts had stumbled across a kid from Oklahoma named Mickey Mantle, who would turn out one of the best home run hitters of all time. He helped the Yankees make it to the World Series in 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958 and 1960. The NY Yankees won five World Series with Joe DiMaggio in the 1940's, they would win 5 World Series thanks to Mickey Mantle: 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956 and 1958. Desi laughed, hoisted on his own petard, but Bill only had to be written out of two of the series episodes. At that time, TV Shows made 39 episodes a year.  In 1960, New York acquired Roger Maris who promptly hit 61 home runs and the Yankees Murderers Row was back. 

Bill was unemployed again, with Desi and Lucy's divorce and ending their show. But Desi looked out for his friends. Desi heard about a show producer Don Fedderson was making:  My Three Sons. He suggested his pal Bill Frawley portray Uncle "Bub" another gruff curmudgeon, who looked out for Fred McMurray's three sons while Dad was at work. Even though Bill might have been a little to old to work as a regular in a series, he never let the show down. Desi is rumored to have come up with a strategy to keep Bill in line. He told Fedderson to have the kids go to lunch with Bill every day, sometimes with their parents/guardians, prompting Bill to be on his best behavior.  Chip, Stanley Livingston, told his real life younger brother, Ernie, Barry Livingston, that they were counted on to keep Bill sober. Bill would drink cocktails during lunch, but never too many with kids present. Bill did curse like a sailor and the boys loved it, was more than a little bawdy and offered unedited opinions about politics and politicians, which the boys found amusing and sometimes hilarious. Bill lasted from 1960 to 1965 in the role, replaced by a slightly younger William Demarest, who was more of a settled, serious actor

 

Bill's last appearance on TV in 1966, The Lucy Show, when Lucy visits a horse stable and a hand, Bill, speaks a couple of lines of dialogue. 

On March 3, 1966, William Frawley was strolling down Hollywood Boulevard after seeing a film when he suffered a major heart attack. His nurse dragged him inside the hotel where he died in the lobby. Contrary to popular belief, Frawley did not live in the hotel at the time. Although Frawley had spent nearly 30 years living in a suite upstairs, he had moved to the nearby El Royale Apartments a few months before. Wikipedia

When Bill Frawley passed away, Desi took out huge ads in all the local and trade papers saying Buenos Noches and Adios, Amigo

Desi was his real friend and Desi was always loyal to his friends. 

In the third season of I Love Lucy, Desi Arnaz III REFUSED to do a scene in which he takes a questionable, possibly dishonest, tax deduction on his IRS Tax Form.  Desi loved the US. After fleeing Cuba with his family, after VICIOUS, CORRUPT General Batista's 1933 Military Coup, the Arnazes arrived in Miami without any money. They had been forced to leave their father in prison. After several months, Desi's father joined them. Desi's father worked full time and went to college at night earning his doctor's degree. Teenager Desi worked cleaning bird cages after school and playing guitar at night with local bands. Desi was a very good guitarist and eventually was hired by Latin Band Leader Xavier Cugat, future husband of singer Charo.  Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz's families supported VICIOUS dictator Batista. Desi's father, Dr. Desi Arnaz II was the popular liberal mayor Santiago de Cuba, Cuba's 2nd largest city. Dr. Arnaz was the youngest mayor in Cuba's history.  Remember the Gold Phone Dictator Batista got in the Godfather II (1974)? Desi felt paying taxes was the price of FREEDOM and he was proud to pay his taxes HONESTLY.