Photo/courtesy of Billy Van Zandt
Everyone loves Lucy … well, a lot of people do — like this editor who shares the same birthday!
Yes, today is Lucille Ball’s birthday. She would have been 104!
And there’s one area guy, who got a jump start on his long successful writing, producing, directing and acting career at Rumson’s Barn Theater, among other very familiar classic community and professional spots in the area.
That guy is Billy Van Zandt. And the great comedic love and inspiration of his live, besides his lovely wife, actress Adrienne Barbeau, is Lucille Ball.
To know Billy or to have heard him tell tales of his life is to know that he doesn’t just love Lucy, but he adores her.
The writer (along with partner Jane Milmore) of and actor in many a successful stage farce and TV sitcom (movies and more) has always credited Lucy as his top comedic inspiration.
And, lucky and talented as Billy is, he had the honor of not only meeting Lucy, but producing a TV special all about Lucy entitled Lucy: The Very First Show for which he was nominated for an Emmy. He also had his dream come true when he acted alongside his comedic heroine in her final TV series.
Billy will tell you that he was scared to death to meet her for fear that his comedic goddess-like vision of who she was might be shattered. The opposite happened. He felt they were kindred comedic spirits and he was awestruck with her personality, professionalism and, well, comedic genius. He loved Lucy, to say the least, and remained friendly with her until the time of her death.
He said, though, the comedy queen did rule with a worthy, spiky scepter and was “tough, scary tough. She liked to rehearse a lot, work with her props a lot … and if you didn’t do things the way she wanted them done, it got ugly.”
He has joked about how Lucy even chided Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, working them to death. He has told the story of how Burton asked, “Who does she think she is?” and Taylor replied something like, “She’s the queen of comedy, dear … do it again.”
And we know Billy would! So would I, for that matter!
Bravo, Billy! Happy Birthday, Lucy! And, well, Happy Birthday to me, who also loves Lucy and wants to grow up to be just like her, too! Whaaaaaa!
Thanks to Billy Van Zandt for sharing this classic photo with us!
Oh, and, yes, Billy is the brother of rocker Stevie Van Zandt.
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