15 Fun Facts About ‘I Love Lucy’ You Never Heard Before

10. Vitameatavegamin for a healthier you

“With Vitameatavegamin, you can spoon your way to health.” Taken from the famous I Love Lucy episode “Lucy Does a TV Commercial” you might be surprised to know that the composed and talented Ball had a hell of a time with her lines. She was so nervous about messing up—particularly the word Vitameatavegamin—that she just couldn’t appreciate the humor in the episode and was really stressed about it before and during filming.

11. Diamonds are a girl’s best friend

The popular heart on satin image that all I Love Lucy fans know as the logo for the show’s opening credits, was modeled from an actual item. On her 29th birthday, Ball received her first gift from Desi—a diamond-encrusted heart-shaped lapel watch. Arnaz knocked it out of the park with this gift in more ways than one, as in a small way fans got to share this special moment each time the show aired, without even knowing it.

12. Lucy, You Got Some Smokin’ to Do

The Philip Morris tobacco company was the only sponsor for I Love Lucy when it premiered and as such, had great influence over the show’s creative content. Commercial breaks featured Ball and Arnaz in advertisements where they enjoyed the brand’s cigarettes in various scenarios. It wasn’t uncommon in the 1950s for television shows to have prominent product placement and weekly sponsors and, as Ball was always a heavy smoker, she was unperturbed doing ads for the cigarette company.