Human Interest Real People Real People Married Life Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's Relationship in Photos Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz had a love story for the ages, from starring on I Love Lucy to co-parenting their two children, Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr. As the couple's relationship is in the spotlight again thanks to the films Being the Ricardos and Lucy And Desi, look back at their love story in pictures By Kelsie Gibson Kelsie Gibson Kelsie Gibson is the SEO Editor of PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2021. She was formerly at POPSUGAR, Bustle, Tiger Beat and Her Campus. People Editorial Guidelines Published on March 5, 2022 10:00AM EST Close 01 of 14 Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Elope getty Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz first met while filming the musical comedy Too Many Girls and hit it off right away. Only six months after meeting, they eloped on Nov. 30th, 1940. The newlyweds shared a passionate kiss in this snapshot captured that same month. The couple was married from 1940 to 1960, which included many ups and downs over the years. Most recently, their relationship has been documented through various productions, including the Oscar-nominated film Being the Ricardos starring Javier Bardem and Nicole Kidman and Amazon Prime Video's documentary Lucy and Desi directed by Amy Poehler. 02 of 14 Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Share a Kiss getty In the early 1940s, Arnaz was drafted into the Army, but he ended up being classified for limited service due to a knee injury. Ball clearly couldn't resist a man in uniform! 03 of 14 Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Renew Their Vows getty After eloping in 1940, the duo eventually renewed their vows in June 1949. They shared a romantic kiss on the big day. 04 of 14 Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Celebrate Their 10th Anniversary getty In June 1950, the couple celebrated their 10th anniversary by cutting a cake at the Roxy Theater. 05 of 14 Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Pose With Their Dogs getty In this photo from the 1950s, Ball and Arnaz shared a cute moment with their three Cocker Spaniels as they sat on the couch together. 06 of 14 Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Costar in I Love Lucy getty Wanting to spend more time together, the couple created and costarred in the hit sitcom I Love Lucy, where they played fictionalized versions of themselves. Their daughter Lucie explained to PEOPLE, "They did the show so they could be together because my dad was always on the road and they never saw each other. So my parents thought, 'Well, this is going to save our marriage, and we can have a family.' " The show ran from 1951 to 1957 and became the most-watched show in the United States at the time. 07 of 14 Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz With Their Daughter, Lucie Arnaz getty On July 17, 1951, the couple welcomed their first child together, a baby girl named Lucie Arnaz, a combination of both of their names. Though she never appeared on I Love Lucy, she did make several appearances on her mother's other shows, including Here's Lucy, which marked her acting debut, and The Lucy Show, on which she had several walk-on roles. 08 of 14 Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz With Their Son, Desi Arnaz Jr. getty On Jan. 19, 1953, the couple welcomed their second child, a baby boy named Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV, who was later known professionally as Desi Arnaz Jr. His birth was extrememly publicized as Ball's pregnancy was written into the storyline of I Love Lucy, which was groundbreaking on television at the time. Her character later gave birth to a baby boy named nicknamed "Little Ricky." Arnaz even appeared on the cover of the very first issue of TV Guide with the headline "Lucy's $50,000,000 baby." 09 of 14 Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Costar in The Long, Long Trailer getty In 1954, the couple shared the screen again for the comedy film The Long, Long Trailer, where they played newlyweds who travel around the U.S. while living in a trailer. 10 of 14 Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz at the Emmy Awards getty In March 1955, Arnaz and Ball attended the Emmy Awards together where I Love Lucy was up for several awards, including best actress starring in a regular series for Lucille Ball and best situation comedy series. Over the course of the series, I Love Lucy received five Emmy wins and was later inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1991. 11 of 14 Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Celebrating Their 15th Anniversary getty During rehearsals for I Love Lucy, crew members surprised Ball and Arnaz with a cake for their 15th wedding anniversary. The duo captured a playful photo together where they made suprised looks for the cameras. 12 of 14 Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in Forever, Darling getty Following the success of their film The Long, Long Trailer, the couple starred in the romantic comedy Forever, Darling. The 1956 film followed Ball as a neglected wife who tries to save her marriage with the help of a guardian angel. 13 of 14 Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Celebrate Their Wedding Anniversary getty In this photo from the 1950s, the two sported matching outfits as they celebrated their wedding anniversary with a fun party and cake that had a miniature version of them as a topper. 14 of 14 Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz With Their Kids getty Following a trip to Naples, the couple was spotted with their children, Lucie and Desi Jr., at London Airport in June 1959. The couple divorced the following year as a result of Arnaz's alcoholism, which put a strain on their marriage throughout the years. Despite moving on with other people later in life, the couple shared an "unconditional love for each other" that "never went away," their daughter Lucie recalled to PEOPLE. "They gave the country this wonderful creation, but they never got what they wanted — to stay together," she said. "... [But] they loved each other until the end."