Lucille Ball, one of the most influential figures in American television history, had a fascinating family life both on and off the screen. Born in Jamestown, New York, in 1911, Lucille grew up in a modest household shaped by tragedy after her father’s early death, which left her mother, Desiree “DeDe” Ball, to raise the family. Lucille’s close bond with her younger brother, Fred Ball, remained throughout her life. In 1940, while working on the RKO musical "Too Many Girls," she met Cuban bandlea