Let's not forget, too, that from the 1930s through the 1950s, you were just as likely to spot an ad in a magazine for one of Lucy's many movies, or one of the many products she endorsed during her career. So when it comes to collecting Lucy's magazine appearances, we're not just limited to editorial coverage. Then there are the infinite numbers of television guides and newspaper television supplements whose pages she graced throughout the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Not to mention TV Guide, on whose cover Lucy appeared more than any other star (34 times and counting), plus dozens if not hundreds of inside stories when she wasn't on the cover. Lucy was also, of course, on the cover of the first national edition of TV Guide, with her bouncing baby boy, Desi Jr. A good copy commands hundreds of dollars in the market. But you need not spend hundreds or even tens of dollars to capture Lucy in one of her many magazine appearances. I've had the good fortune to buy Lucy or Lucy-related items in print many times for less than $10. All it requires is a good eye at a flea market, or a bit of luck with an online auction. A recent search on eBay for "lucille ball magazines" brought up 114 items. That's a good place to start. Don't dismiss your corner newsstand, either. Talk magazine, Palm Springs Life, and Modern Maturity all did lengthy pieces on Lucy within the past few years, and as Lucy's legendary status has increased over the years since her death, there's bound to be continued media coverage. (As an example, Palm Springs Life celebrated its 50th Anniversary in April 2008, and among the lengthy stories were various tidbits — and several pictures — about Lucy and Desi.)
Scanning the Internet for Lucy news since 1996
On the Cover (and Inside, Too!)
It's impossible to guess how many magazine covers Lucille Ball has graced. In the 1930s, when Lucy worked her way up to "starlet" at RKO, the heyday of the movie magazine was in flower, with such staples as Photoplay, Movie Stars, Movie Life, and Modern Screen abounding. All had one thing in common, though: Lucy on their covers and inside. As she became more popular in the 1940s and blasted off toward legend status in the 1950s, you could see more of her, on the front and inside of magazines from Song Hits to Time and Newsweek, from Popular Mechanics to LIFE.
Ask the Lucy Collector!
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