82 I Love Lucy Trivia Questions (And Answers): Can You Get Them All?

We have put together a great list of interesting trivia facts about 'I Love Lucy', a TV show that many have fallen in love with!

'I Love Lucy' dominated the American silver screen for decades, breaking records and stealing hearts beyond the borders of the country. Something about the show's lighthearted and good-natured comedy made it extremely relatable, and people became obsessed with its funny, pleasant characters and easy-to-follow storyline.

'I Love Lucy' is, in many ways, the ideal family show, the entire premise revolves around an eccentric household, set in the '50s, starring a beautiful woman who is talented in comedy and singing (although not as skilled at the latter as she is in the former), juggling her home life and career in performance with ease. The beautiful and hilarious relationship that Lucy, the title character, shares with her husband Rick Ricardo, was something Americans loved and tuned into with interest, every single time an episode aired. The couple's journey through the funny hurdles that the entertainment industry threw at them was an insightful glance for the common man into the workings of an industry that was swiftly becoming pivotal in shaping culture and media at that time. The fact that 'I Love Lucy' dared to broadcast moments on a television screen that few other shows had the guts to do, like the arrival of a baby, had a revolutionary effect on how stories were told on screen. At a time where pregnancy was considered taboo on a TV screen, 'I Love Lucy' depicted the arrival of Lucy's child into the world, delighting fans.

If you are a huge fan of 'I Love Lucy', you will definitely enjoy our 'I Love Lucy' trivia with answers and if you do enjoy this funny 'I Love Lucy' trivia game, you might enjoy our other trivia articles like this American trivia quiz and this 'The Andy Griffith show' trivia quiz.

There is no need to be confused about the wide popularity that 'I Love Lucy' enjoys to this day, and how it is a comfort show for many people. What people loved about the show was its good-natured humor and its casting of a heroine who was relatable to a majority of the American population, especially women. The actress who played Lucy, Lucille Ball, was also willing to and talented at performing physical stunts and humorous scenes, which made her very endearing and down to earth. The average American woman felt like she could relate to Lucy, which was part of the reason why the show was a great success, to say the least.

1. Question: What genre of television does 'I Love Lucy' come under?

Answer: 'I Love Lucy' is a sitcom (also known as a situational comedy).

2. Question: On what broadcasting network was 'I Love Lucy' telecast in the United States?

Answer: It was broadcast on CBS.

3. Question: During which years were the 'I Love Lucy' episodes telecast on CBS?

Answer: 1951-1957.

4. Question: When was the first season of 'I Love Lucy' telecast?

Answer: 15 October 1951.

5. Question: How long was the average 'I Love Lucy' episode?

Answer: Usually, an 'I Love Lucy' episode lasted for half an hour.

6. Question: For how many seasons did 'I Love Lucy' run?

Answer: Six seasons, from 1951 to 1957.

7. Question: Who played the lead character of Lucy in the show?

Answer: Lucille Ball played the role of Lucy in 'I Love Lucy'.

8. Question: What was Lucy's married name?

Answer: Lucy's full name was Lucy Ricardo after marriage.

9. Question: How old was Lucille Ball when she started playing the role of Lucy?

Answer: 40 years old.

10. Question: What was the last episode of 'I Love Lucy' called?

Answer: The final episode was named 'The Ricardos Dedicate A Statue'.

11. Question: What was the name of Lucy's husband in the show?

Answer: Ricky Ricardo.

12. Question: Who played Ricky Ricardo in 'I Love Lucy'?

Answer: Desi Arnaz played Ricky Ricardo.

13. Question: How were Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz related?

Answer: Desi Arnaz was Lucille Ball's real life husband.

14. Question: What was controversial about Lucille Ball's and Desi Arnaz's relationship?

Answer: The couple had an age difference of six years, which was considered to be quite a lot during that time.

15. Question: Who were Lucy's best friends in 'I Love Lucy'?

Answer: Lucy's best friends were Fred and Ethel Mertz.

16. Question: Where did Lucy and Ricky live?

Answer: Lucy and Ricky lived where the show was based, in New York City.

17. Question: Who played the roles of Fred Mertz and Ethel Mertz in 'I Love Lucy'?

Answer: Vivian Vance and William Frawley.

18. Question: What did Ricky Ricardo do for a living?

Answer: Ricky owned a nightclub and was involved in show business.

19. Question: What was the age gap between William Frawley and Vivian Vance in real life?

Answer: William Frawley was 64, and Vivian Vance was 42, making the age difference 22 years, the biggest age gap of any married TV couple at the time.

20. Question: Who was the executive producer of 'I Love Lucy'?

Answer: Desi Arnaz.

People are often surprised to find that when they go through 'I Love Lucy' trivia cards, that that they know less than they might first think about this iconic TV show. For example, few people know that Vivian Vance was not the first choice to play Lucy's sidekick Ethel Mertz. The original choice was Lucille's costar in 'My Favourite Husband', Bea Benaderet. Mary Wickes and Barbara Pepper were both also considered for the role, especially since both of them were very close to Lucille.

21. Question: For how many seasons was 'I Love Lucy' the most watched show in the United States?

Answer: In four of its six seasons, 'I Love Lucy' was the most watched show in the United States.

22. Question: Which was the first show to finish its run at the top of the Nielsen ratings?

Answer: 'I Love Lucy'.

23. Question: Which are the only other two shows who beat 'I Love Lucy' in the Nielsen ratings?

Answer: 'The Andy Griffith Show' in 1968 and 'Seinfeld' in 1998.

24. Question: What was the theme of the first 'I Love Lucy' episode to be colorized?

Answer: It was a Christmas episode.

25. Question: How many viewers did CBS get for the colorized Christmas episode?

Answer: Eight million.

26. Question: Which was the first scripted television program to be shot on 35mm film in front of a studio audience?

Answer: 'I Love Lucy'.

27. Question: Who was the cinematographer for 'I Love Lucy'?

Answer: Karl Freund.

28. Question: How many Emmy awards has 'I Love Lucy' won?

Answer: 'I Love Lucy' has won five Emmy Awards.

29. Question: What was special about the 'I Love Lucy' cast?

Answer: 'I Love Lucy' was the first show to feature an ensemble cast.

While the show was an instant hit with viewers across America, viewers from our time today have criticised it for telling problematic jokes. Even though it can be problematic to critics today, by showing a strong female lead who was very capable of juggling a household and her performance career, it was regarded as progressive for its time and inspired many young women to take up a career in showbiz. Here are a few more trivia questions on the iconic show.

30. Question: In which year was 'I Love Lucy' voted to be the best TV show of all time?

Answer: 2012.

31. Question: Who declared 'I Love Lucy' to be the best TV show of all time?

Answer: ABC News and People Magazine.

32. Question: What did Lucy and Ricky call their son?

Answer: Lucy and Ricky named their son Ricky Ricardo Jr.

33. Question: What was Ricky Ricardo Jr.'s nickname?

Answer: Little Ricky.

34. Question: Little Ricky's birth on the show coincided with which real life event?

Answer: Little Ricky's birth on the show was timed to match with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's real life son's delivery, Desi Arnaz Jr.

35. Question: When is 'I Love Lucy' set?

Answer: 'I Love Lucy' is set in the '50s.

36. Question: What did the original 'I Love Lucy' show transition to?

Answer: The show transitioned to 'The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show'.

37. Question: How long did 'The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show' run for?

Answer: The special show ran for three years.

38. Question: Which child actor played the role of Little Ricky in 'I Love Lucy'?

Answer: Little Ricky was played by a number of actors, including James John Ganzer, Richard, and Ronald Lee Simmons, Michael, and Joseph Mayer, Keith Thibodeaux.

39. Question: What happens in the last episode of 'I Love Lucy'?

Answer: The couple install statues in the last episode.

40. Question: Where was Lucille Ball's real life husband born?

Answer: Desi Arnaz was born in Cuba.

41. Question: Which characters were former vaudevillians in 'I Love Lucy'?

Answer: Fred and Ethel were vaudevillians in the show.

42. Question: Who plays a Minneapolis banker whose housewife was scheming and frustrated in 'I Love Lucy'?

Answer: Richard Denning.

43. Question: Which show was the forerunner of television's 'I Love Lucy'?

Answer: 'My Favorite Husband', starring Richard Denning.

44. Question: Which is considered to be the most famous episode of the show?

Answer: 'Lucy Does A TV Commercial'.

45. Question: What was the radio program 'My Favorite Husband' based on?

Answer: The novels 'Mr. And Mrs. Cugat'.

46. Question: Who sponsored the show's pilot?

Answer: Philip Morris sponsored 'I Love Lucy'.

47. Question: What problem did Philip Morris have with the original location of the show?

Answer: He wanted 'I Love Lucy' to be made in New York, not Hollywood.

48. Question: Where did the 'I Love Lucy: A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Sitcom' movie have its world premiere?

Answer: Los Angeles.

49. Question: Who were the supporting cast members on the popular radio program 'My Favorite Husband?'

Answer: Bea Benaderet and Gale Gordon.

It has been over 65 years since the last episode of 'I Love Lucy' came out, and almost all the original cast members have passed away. The only actor who is still alive is the man who played the youngest role in the show, that of Little Ricky. Keith Thibodeaux, who played Little Ricky, is sixty-four years old now and recalls in a recent interview that he misses his TV parents, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz who died in 1989 and 1986 respectively.

50. Question: What is the name of the character portrayed by Bea Benaderet in 'I Love Lucy'?

Answer: Iris Atterbury, who was married to a man called Rudolph Atterbury.

51. Question: Which actor personally called Lucille Ball to see if there was an opening in the show?

Answer: William Frawley.

52. Question: Why was Lucy's first pregnancy not shown in the first season?

Answer: An advertising agency, as well as CBS, disapproved of any talk of Lucy and Ricky having a child in the show, which is why they never portrayed Lucy showing any signs of pregnancy.

53. Question: Where did the stage play 'I Love Lucy Live On Stage' premiere and sell out?

Answer: The Greenway Court Theatre, Los Angeles.

54. Question: Who expressed the desire to air the show in color for the first time?

Answer: Desi Arnaz, who plays Lucy's husband in the show, wanted to air the show in color.

55. Question: In which episode of the 2020 NBC show, 'Will And Grace', do Ethel and Fred Mertz appear in dreams based on the original show?

Answer: 'We Love Lucy'.

56. Question: Who had a cameo in 'Will And Grace: We Love Lucy' from the original show?

Answer: Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's real life daughter Lucie Arnaz had a cameo in 'Will And Grace' in 2020.

57. Question: Which episode of 'The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show' features Lucy and Ricky's background story, especially how their romance evolved.

Answer: The 1957 episode from 'The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show' called 'Lucy Takes A Cruise To Havana' features the story of how they both came to the United States.

58. Question: Where did Lucy and her husband meet for the first time?

Answer: Havana.

59. Question: What is Ethel Mertz's previous profession, before she meets Lucy and becomes her sidekick?

Answer: Ethel was originally a model from New Mexico, based in Albuquerque.

Desi Arnaz famously said "'I Love Lucy' was never just a title", referring to the fond memories he shared with his wife on the show, both on off-screen and on-screen. It was Desi's business-savvy attitude that made the show what it is behind screens. To know more obscure facts about the show, check out our last few questions.

60. Question: What is vitameatavegamin?

Answer: Vitameatavegamin is a fake vitamin health tonic invented specifically for the show, for the episode 'Lucy Does A TV Commercial'. It consists of vitamins, meat, veggies and minerals, as the name suggests, and was supposed to invigorate people.

61. Question: Which actor went on to star in the TV show 'Three Sons' and faced gripping controversies?

Answer: William Frawley went on to star in 'My Three Sons', but faced a lot of controversies. To begin with, he had an issue with his former co-star Vivian Vance, who was filming the show 'The Lucy Show' at a neighboring soundstage. Allegedly, Frawley would pay people to toss things into the set of 'The Lucy Show' when Vance was filming an important scene.

62. Question: What skill does Lucy struggle with that she really wants to excel in?

Answer: Lucy desperately wants to be a performer, specifically, a singer. But unfortunately, she can barely hold a tune sometimes, although she is shown to be competent sometimes, in certain songs. She makes up for this shortcoming by excelling in acting and is frequently offered stints by television or film companies. In the episode 'The Audition', Lucy actually lands the role of a clown because the original actor is injured. In another episode called 'Lucy And The Dummy', she dances with a rubber dummy version of Dummy, showcasing her talents.

63. Question: What were the criticisms that were thrown at Lucy's character?

Answer: Lucy's character was often criticized for being a stereotype that most female comedians of that time were forced to adhere to. Lucy was shown to be materialistic, often purchasing new hats and dresses for no reason, even though she and her husband could barely afford them. She also lies to her friends claiming to be rich when it was far from the truth. She also lied about her age and hair color.

64. Question: Which university does Ricky frequently mention?

Answer: Ricky Ricardo, Lucy's husband, frequently mentions that he went to college at the University of Havana in Cuba.

65. Question: Where was Lucy's birthplace in the show?

Answer: Lucy was born in Jamestown, New York.

66. Question: Which character in 'I Love Lucy' is stingy with money and is irascible?

Answer: Fred Mertz, Ethel's husband, is extremely parsimonious and no-nonsense but can also be loving, especially towards children.

67. Question: What is the Ricardo's address in the show?

Answer: The Ricardos live in 623 East 68th Street, initially in flat number 4A, and later at apartment 3B. The street in real life terminates at East River.

68. Question: Who set Lucille and Desi up on their first date?

Answer: Lucy's friend and ex-roommate Marion Strong, set Desi and Lucy up for their very first date in real life.

69. Question: Who was the character of Fred Mertz named after?

Answer: Fred Mertz was named after Lucille Ball's brother and grandfather, who both shared the name, Fred.

70. Question: Which actress was considered for the role of Ethel Mertz but then was rejected?

Answer: The actress, Barbara Pepper from the show 'Green Acres', was considered to play the role of Ethel.

71. Question: Which actress from 'I Love Lucy' was once called Queen of the B's?

Answer: Lucille Ball, who played the title character, was nicknamed 'Queen of the B's' because she frequently starred in what was then known as B Pictures, or second-rate pictures.

72. Question: Why did Lucille Ball dye her hair red?

Answer: Lucille Ball, who is originally blonde, dyed her hair red to complement the colors of the technicolor theme that Metro Goldwyn Mayer was going for when she signed her contract.

73. Question: How old was William Frawley when he landed the role of Fred Mertz?

Answer: He was sixty-four years old with over a hundred films in his resume by the time he was cast.

74. Question: When did Desi and Lucy get a divorce in real life?

Answer: 1960. They were married for 20 years.

75. Question: The show initially had production issues because the star couple refused to move to New York. Why?

Answer: The couple wanted to be closer to their new baby daughter at their home in Los Angeles and refused to move to New York, from where most TV shows were broadcasted at that time.

76. Question: What was the name of the production company that Lucille and Desi co-owned?

Answer: Desilu Productions, from their names Desi and Lucy.

77. Question: What motivated Lucille to take up the role of Lucy Ricardo?

Answer: Lucille Ball once confessed that she had a dream where a deceased friend of hers, Carole Lombard, talked to her in her sleep and asked her to take up the role.

78. Question: What common television term today is originally traced back to 'I Love Lucy'?

Answer: Rerun. Reruns were introduced after fans of 'I Love Lucy' wanted to catch the same episodes that they so loved from the show again. It also allowed the cast to take a break in filming.

79. Question:  True or False? There is not a single unscripted line in the entirety of 'I Love Lucy's runtime.

Answer: True. Every joke and dialogue from the show was carefully scripted out.

80. Question: Which character famously said, "I can't help it, eating is my hobby"?

Answer: In the episode 'The Diet' Ethel famously says this dialogue to Lucy.

81. Question: Why does Lucy faint after her performance on Ricky's show towards the end of the episode 'The Diet'?

Answer: She had starved herself for nearly five days before the performance.

82. Question: To whom does Ethel say the iconic line, "You mean to tell us that we have equal rights, but you certainly don't give us a chance to act like it"?

Answer: Ethel says this to her husband, Fred.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly trivia for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 75 'I Love Lucy' trivia questions (and answers) for super fans of the iconic TV sitcom full of interesting facts about 'I Love Lucy', then why not test your TV knowledge even further? You can have a go at our 'Golden Girls' trivia or 'Cheers' trivia for more TV trivia fun!