▁pay roll , ▁and ▁R izo ▁arranged ▁and ▁orch estr ated ▁the ▁music ▁for ▁I ▁Love ▁Lucy . ▁On ▁October ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁Arn az ▁co - star red ▁in ▁the ▁premi ere ▁of ▁I ▁Love ▁Lucy , ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁played ▁a ▁fict ional ized ▁version ▁of ▁himself , ▁Cub an ▁or chestra ▁leader ▁En rique ▁" R icky " ▁Ric ardo . ▁His ▁co - star ▁was ▁his ▁real - life ▁wife , ▁Luc ille ▁Ball , ▁who ▁played ▁R icky ' s ▁wife , ▁Lucy . ▁Television ▁execut ives ▁had ▁been ▁purs uing ▁Ball ▁to ▁adapt ▁her ▁very ▁popular ▁radio ▁series ▁My ▁F avor ite ▁Hus band ▁for ▁television . ▁Ball ▁ins isted ▁on ▁Arn az ▁playing ▁her ▁on - air ▁sp ouse ▁so ▁the ▁two ▁would ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁spend ▁more ▁time ▁together . ▁CBS ▁wanted ▁Ball ' s ▁Hus band ▁co - star ▁Richard ▁Den ning . ▁ ▁The ▁original ▁prem ise ▁was ▁for ▁the ▁couple ▁to ▁port ray ▁Lucy ▁and ▁Larry ▁L ope z , ▁a ▁successful ▁show ▁business ▁couple ▁whose ▁gl am orous ▁care ers ▁inter fer ed ▁with ▁their ▁efforts ▁to ▁maintain ▁a ▁normal ▁marriage . ▁Market ▁research ▁indicated , ▁however , ▁that ▁this ▁scenario ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁popular , ▁so ▁Jess ▁O ppen heimer ▁changed ▁it ▁to ▁make ▁R icky ▁Ric ardo ▁a ▁struggling ▁young ▁or chestra ▁leader ▁and ▁Lucy ▁an ▁ordinary ▁house w ife ▁who ▁had ▁show ▁business ▁fant as ies ▁but ▁no ▁talent . ▁The