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Keith Thibodeaux, who played Little Ricky on I Love Lucy and was credited as Richard Keith, remembered Lucille Ball as exacting about timing. “Lucy was very demanding of everybody being right on cue,” he said, describing the pressure of performing as a young child before a live audience. His recollection also included a warmer account of Desi Arnaz, who treated him well and taught him to fish, ride horses and swim.
What Keith Thibodeaux remembered about Lucille Ball
Thibodeaux’s comment was specifically about cue timing: he recalled Ball expecting everyone to be ready at the right moment. He was speaking about the demands of performing as a child on a show recorded before a live audience, not offering a complete assessment of Ball’s character. The recollection was reported by Entertainment Weekly in an article republished by AOL.
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His memory of Desi Arnaz was different
Thibodeaux said Arnaz treated him very well. He remembered Arnaz spending time with the children and teaching them practical activities, including fishing, riding horses and swimming. That positive account sits alongside—not in place of—his description of Ball’s focus on getting cues right.
The “Babalu” performance that felt like pressure
Thibodeaux discussed “The Ricardos Visit Cuba,” a season-six episode of I Love Lucy. He recalled performing “Babalu” with Arnaz on conga drums. Playing in front of the audience was pressure for a little kid, he said, and the conga playing hurt his hand because he was not used to it.
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How the child actor got the role
According to Thibodeaux’s recollection as reported in the interview, he started drumming on trash cans in his Lafayette, Louisiana, backyard when he was about two. At the audition, Ball reportedly remarked that he was cute and asked what he could do. His father said he was an excellent drummer; Thibodeaux played, Arnaz joined in, and Arnaz reportedly said, “I think we found our Little Ricky.” Thibodeaux was four when he began appearing on the series. The remembered exchange is his account of the audition, not independently verified dialogue.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where the recollection appeared
Thibodeaux shared the memories in the first episode of TV We Love, an eight-part CW retrospective that focused on I Love Lucy. The report does not establish where that special can currently be watched.
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