Palos Verdes Past - Memories at Marineland - Lucille Ball in Palos Verdes By: Greg Schreiner

Publicity photo of Lucille Ball from the television program The Lucy Show. This episode is "Lucy Visits Marineland. Press release is dated 6 May 1966. Image Courtesy Wikipedia Commons.

Where Terranea Resort stands today there once was a beautiful marine-themed park known as Marineland of the Pacific. Between 1954 and 1987 what was the world's largest oceanarium upon it's opening entertained countless guests that visited this ocean paradise. In 1965 Lucille Ball not only spent time at Marineland of the Pacific she actually filmed an episode of The Lucy Show. In this episode she tried to retrieve a ball from the tank. Of course as always things didn't go as planned and she found herself in another a predicament. In this case in the tank interacting with a dolphin and soaking wet. While far from glamorous in this particular episode she spent much of her early career as a beautiful movie star.

In 1965 Lucille Ball not only spent time at Marineland of the Pacific she actually filmed an episode of The Lucy Show. In that episode she tried to retrieve a ball from the tank. Of course as always things didn't go as planned and she found herself in another a predicament. In this case in the tank with the dolphin and soaking wet. While far from glamorous in this particular episode she spent much of her early career as a beautiful movie star.

Here is the story of one costume and a star connected to Palos Verdes.

In December of 1941, MGM Studios faced a crisis as both of their top costume designers, Adrian and Robert Kalloch had just resigned. The head of the studio, Louis B. Mayer, reached out to his wife for help and she suggested Irene who designed for Bullocks Wilshire and had designed many gowns for her personally. Irene left Bullock in July and her assignment at MGM was “Du Barry Was A Lady” starring Red Skelton, Gene Kelly and Lucille Ball. Irene was commissioned to create the costumes for Ms. Ball. One of the most spectacular gowns in this movie is the pink jersey rayon gown. It is cut on the bias and features stunning ombre’ bead work both stitched on and fringed. And it sparkles so brilliantly in this early 1943 Technicolor picture. MGM died Miss Ball’s hair red for the first time, perhaps it would show off so beautifully in Technicolor. And the contrast between her red hair and the pink gown is quite dazzling. The costume was also complemented with a pink flowing cope of the same jersey material and a match clutch as well. Unfortunately, I have been only able to acquire the gown itself and not the cape or clutch. Perhaps someday will become available as well. Interestingly, the dress also found its way to another red head, Greer Garson, to be worn for publicity purposes.

I own a huge collection of over 500 movie costumes worn by the great stars of Hollywood and have been asked to feature one of them. I also utilize my costumes in a show, Hollywood Revisited (www.hollywoodrevisited.com).

Please visit Hollywood Revisited - A Tribute in Costume and Song

I own a huge collection of over 500 movie costumes worn by the great stars of the golden age Hollywood and have been asked to feature something special befitting the month of September. I also utilize my costumes in a show, Hollywood Revisited (www.hollywoodrevisited.com).

Greg Schreiner is the pianist, narrator and producer of Hollywood Revisited. He has appeared on numerous television programs including AMC's Hollywood Fashion Machine, A&E's The Incurable Collector, Entertainment Tonight, Hard Copy and The Montel Williams Show. All have featured various movie costumes from his vast personal collection. Some of these costumes are on display at the new Hollywood Museum in Hollywood, California. Mr. Schreiner serves on the piano faculty at Cerritos College and Santa Monica College, has several recordings in release and was composer/performer for the educational television series Masters of the Silent Screen. Greg also is an active participant in the music community of Southern California as the accompanist for the Mansfield Chamber Singers of Beverly Hills. He is also the president of Marilyn Remembered, a club devoted to preserving the memory of Marilyn Monroe. Greg Schreiner is truly a renaissance man!

VisionariesPalos Verdes Pulse InfluencerApril 26, 2020