Desi Arnaz

The Man Who Invented Television

De: Todd S Purdum

Narrado por: Todd S Purdum

An illuminating biography of Desi Arnaz, the visionary, trailblazing Cuban American who revolutionized television and brought laughter to millions as Lucille Ball’s beloved husband on I Love Lucy, leaving a remarkable legacy that continues to influence American culture today.

Desi Arnaz is a name that resonates with fans of classic television, but few understand the depth of his contributions to the entertainment industry. In Desi Arnaz, Todd S. Purdum offers a captivating biography that dives into the groundbreaking Latino artist and businessman known to millions as Ricky Ricardo from I Love Lucy. Beyond his iconic role, Arnaz was a pioneering entrepreneur who fundamentally transformed the television landscape.

His journey from Cuban aristocracy to world-class entertainer is remarkable. After losing everything during the 1933 Cuban revolution, Arnaz reinvented himself in pre-World War II Miami, tapping into the rising demand for Latin music. By twenty, he had formed his own band and sparked the conga dance craze in America. Behind the scenes, he revolutionized television production by filming I Love Lucy before a live studio audience with synchronized cameras, a model that remains a sitcom gold standard today.

Despite being underestimated due to his accent and origins, Arnaz’s legacy is monumental. Purdum’s biography, enriched with unpublished materials and interviews, reveals the man behind the legend and highlights his enduring contributions to pop culture and television. This book is a must-hear biography about innovation, resilience, and the relentless drive of a man who changed TV forever.

©2025 Todd S Purdum (P)2025 Simon & Schuster Audio

Thorough, interesting and a good listen.

I enjoyed this book because it contained a lot of information that I didn’t know about Desi Arnaz. He was so smart considering he came to the US with basically nothing.

I Still Love Them

Ive loved Lucy and Desi since I was a kid. I Love Lucy ended the year I was born but I started watching reruns when I was probably 5 yrs old and have never stopped 60 years later. This book is full of information about Desi that a lot of people don't know.

Loved! Kept coming back

Such an interesting man I never knew much about! Highly recommend this. It moves well; elements of love, business, history, entertainment. Only took me a few days to listen to because I kept coming back in free moments.

Excellent Biography of a Television Pioneer

Todd S. Purdum delivers a thoroughly researched and engaging biography that captures both Desi Arnaz’s personal journey and his revolutionary impact on television. Having followed Purdum’s work from his New York Times political reporting through his explorations of Broadway and entertainment, I’ve come to appreciate his ability to make complex subjects accessible and compelling.

As expected with any serious Arnaz biography, readers get substantial insight into Lucille Ball’s life as well, making this really a dual portrait of one of entertainment’s most famous couples. Purdum skillfully weaves together early 20th century Cuban history, the development of the television sitcom, and Arnaz’s pioneering work in creating the modern TV studio system through Desilu Productions. His journalist’s eye for context serves him well.

A real plus: Purdum, a true storyteller, narrates the audiobook himself with a clear, easy-to-follow delivery that makes for comfortable listening.

Whether you’re interested in classic television history, the early days of the entertainment industry, or simply want a well-told story about two remarkable people, this biography hits the mark.

Recommended for anyone who enjoys quality biographical writing.

Fantastic read

What an incredible and honest tribute to a pioneer in the entertainment industry. Well researched, beautifully written, and thoughtfully conveyed.

Poignant, thoughtful, honest, very well researched.

The story was engaging, well written, honest and respectful. An excellent story of an interesting man without attempts to explain or excuse his flaws or mistakes. An extraordinary listen!

How smart he was

There should’ve been pictures for the audible
Book and I cannot find the PDF. I’m gonna keep looking usually there’s pictures.

Desi would love this

Todd, thank you for writing this. It’s balanced and accurate, but with respect and affection for who he was. It’s sad that whatever it was that drove him to self destructive habits, weren’t something he could figure out years earlier. I know when I watched that interview years ago, Lucille Ball and Barbara Walters, her anger was rooted in hurt. They clearly really loved each other and it was just too dysfunctional to continue. I have those few people that died yet during the news made me really sad and both Desi and Lucy were in that group. I can tell that you wrote this with the intention of making sure he got credit where it was due and he was so brilliant. Most people don’t know that things they consume today were started by Desi Arnaz.

A great listen through and through

After listening to “A book” by Desi a few months ago I was happy to see this release. The audiobook is well researched and well narrated, I’m glad to live in Los Angeles so I can visit the old haunts and studios as described in the book. As a Cuban American myself it makes me proud to know that Desi had a small part in the creation of modern day television and its evolution.

Great Story! Great Narration!

Very interesting and most unusual story. Todd Purdum is such a great story teller, The story of Desi Arnaz is such an amazing success story! He truly was a force of nature. And there is so much history about the evolution of the entertainment industry to learn from listing to this. So many amazing stories wrapped up in this story. It was a magical time with magical people, the very best professionals, causing an evolution in the entertainment industry. I've heard Dezi Arnaz described as having "flaws". Those do not in any way reduce my admiration and respect for him. A wise person once said, "Great men have great flaws". It can often be true. It's just contrast. You will get lost in this book. Don't deny yourself the pleasure.