Desi Arnaz Quotes

Powerful Desi Arnaz for Daily Growth

About Desi Arnaz

Desiderio Alberto Arnáz y de Acha III, better known as Desi Arnaz, was born on March 2, 1917, in Santiago, Cuba. He was the son of Desiderio Alberto Arnáz Sánchez and Elena Quirino de Acha. The family moved to Miami, Florida, when he was a child. Arnaz developed an early interest in music and show business, learning to play the drums at age five. At 17, Arnaz formed a band called the Desi Arnaz Orchestra, which toured Cuba and then the United States. He gained attention from bandleader Xavier Cugat, who hired him for his orchestra in 1939. It was during this time that he met Lucille Ball, a young actress on one of Cugat's television shows. They fell in love and were married in 1940. The couple went on to create the groundbreaking sitcom "I Love Lucy," which premiered in 1951. The show was revolutionary for its use of multiple cameras, which allowed for more realistic, fluid action, and for Arnaz's innovative business model, which made him one of the first stars to own a significant portion of his television program. Arnaz continued to act and produce throughout his career, including producing the hit series "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Gilligan's Island." He was also a pioneer in the field of television technology, founding Desilu Productions, which produced many successful shows and is now part of CBS Television City. Arnaz passed away on December 2, 1986, leaving behind a lasting legacy in both music and television. His contributions to the entertainment industry continue to be celebrated and his quotes, such as "To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe," remain inspiring.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The secret of a good acting is sincerity. If you can fake that, you've got it made."

Desi Arnaz's quote emphasizes the importance of authenticity in acting. He suggests that the key to good acting lies in demonstrating sincere emotions, with the implication that if one can convincingly portray genuine feelings, they have mastered the art of acting. This quote underscores the idea that believable performances arise from an actor's ability to tap into and convey honest emotions to the audience, thus creating a connection between the stage/screen and the viewers.


"Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it."

This quote by Desi Arnaz encourages individuality and self-expression. It suggests that each person should embrace their unique identity rather than attempting to emulate or imitate others who have achieved success. The message is to trust oneself, express one's own personality, and believe in the power of personal growth and authenticity as keys to finding personal fulfillment and achieving success. In other words, be original, be true to yourself, and let your individuality shine!


"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."

Desi Arnaz's quote underscores the idea that inner fulfillment and joy (happiness) should be the primary motivator for pursuing success, rather than treating it as an end goal in itself. He suggests that if one genuinely enjoys their work or endeavor, they are more likely to achieve long-term success, because happiness provides a strong foundation for personal growth, resilience, and motivation. In essence, Arnaz encourages readers to prioritize their passions and wellbeing over external validation, ultimately leading to a fulfilling life marked by both happiness and success.


"I believe in the rule of three: When a man's had it, he's had it."

Desi Arnaz's quote "I believe in the rule of three: When a man's had it, he's had it" suggests that success or advantage, when achieved to a significant degree, is not easily gained again if lost. The implication is that after someone has reached the pinnacle of their potential or acquired maximum success in a given area, further efforts will likely yield diminishing returns. This idea can be interpreted as a commentary on the nature of human endeavor and the difficulty in recapturing past glories.


"The harder I work, the luckier I get."

This quote emphasizes the connection between hard work and success. Desi Arnaz suggests that the more effort one puts into their endeavors, the more opportunities and positive outcomes (or "luck") they attract. In other words, by consistently working diligently, an individual increases their chances of achieving their goals and finding favorable circumstances in life.


Failure is the most terrible thing in our business. When we fail, the whole world knows about it.

- Desi Arnaz

Business, About, Whole, Terrible Thing

When we got married, nobody gave it more than two weeks. There were bets all over the country, with astronomical odds against us.

- Desi Arnaz

Country, Over, Weeks, Two Weeks

Good things do not come easy. The road is lined with pitfalls.

- Desi Arnaz

Good, Road, Pitfalls, Lined

Motion-picture studio floors used to be all wooden and not smooth at all. This was difficult when moving a camera around on a dolly.

- Desi Arnaz

Difficult, Used, Studio, Wooden

A single prop that does not look real to an audience can louse you up. The same is true of the smallest flaw in setting up the motivation in a story line.

- Desi Arnaz

Audience, Line, Smallest, Prop

Drinking intensifies all your pressures and your needs.

- Desi Arnaz

Needs, Drinking, Your, Pressures

I learned a lot in those first years in Miami, while struggling just for survival, by observing my father's fortitude.

- Desi Arnaz

Father, Survival, Learned, Observing

One of my biggest problems with comedy was that I did not understand some of the jokes.

- Desi Arnaz

Comedy, Some, Biggest, Jokes

An audience is so important. I would never have had the guts to dub in that big a laugh.

- Desi Arnaz

Important, Never, Big, Dub

Everyone seemed to be doing well except me and my career. And my accent was no helping me any.

- Desi Arnaz

Career, Doing, Everyone, Accent

My Latin temper blows up pretty fast, but it goes down just as fast. Maybe that's why you seldom hear of ulcers in Latin America.

- Desi Arnaz

Goes, Pretty, Maybe, Latin America

Nobody bats 500. We all make mistakes.

- Desi Arnaz

Mistakes, Nobody, Make, Bats

At times we were criticized for doing too much slapstick. I don't believe in mild comedy, and neither does Lucy.

- Desi Arnaz

Doing, Comedy, Mild, Criticized

I went to high school with Al Capone.

- Desi Arnaz

School, High, Al, None

I had started calling her Lucy shortly after we met; I didn't like the name Lucille. That's how our television show was called I Love Lucy, not Lucille.

- Desi Arnaz

Love, Like, I Love Lucy, Lucy

The success of I Love Lucy is something that happens only once in a lifetime, if you are fortunate enough to have it happen at all.

- Desi Arnaz

Love, Happen, I Love Lucy, Lucy

Lucy and I would love furiously and fight furiously.

- Desi Arnaz

Love, Fight, Would, Lucy

Lucy is such a perfectionist.

- Desi Arnaz

Perfectionist, Lucy

Al Jolson was one of the greatest entertainers who ever lived.

- Desi Arnaz

Lived, Entertainers, Ever, Al

An actor who is good at comedy can also be very good at drama, but not necessarily vice versa.

- Desi Arnaz

Drama, Actor, Very, Vice Versa

American people have the ability to laugh at themselves. It is one of the things that makes this country the great country that it is.

- Desi Arnaz

Country, One Of The Things, American People

Joe McCarthy and his Senate hearings were like witch-hunts.

- Desi Arnaz

Joe, McCarthy, His, Senate

The way the Army does things is sometimes a little strange.

- Desi Arnaz

Sometimes, Things, Does, Army

The thing I remember about New York was how little I felt. I arrived with one small bag and $15.

- Desi Arnaz

Small, New, I Remember, Bag

I don't think anyone can tell you what it is that makes you a star.

- Desi Arnaz

Think, Star, Tell, Anyone

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