Nickname(s) Little Ricky Occupation Student, son, drummer | Gender Male | |
First appearance "Lucy Goes to the Hospital" Last appearance "Lucy meets The Mustache" Portrayed by James John Ganzer, Richard Lee Simons, Ronald Lee Simons, Michael Mayer, Joseph Mayer, Little Ricky | ||
Enrique Alberto Ricardo IV "Little Ricky" is a fictional character from the American television series I Love Lucy (1951–57, with Ricky Jr. becoming a part of the show as of his birth in 1953) and The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour (1957–60). Little Ricky was played by a number of actors, including James John Ganzer, twins Richard and Ronald Lee Simmons, twins Michael and Joseph Mayer and, most notably, Little Ricky, whose birth name is Keith Thibodeaux. Although the I Love Lucy announcer and the opening credits of The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour gave his stage name as "Little Ricky", in his post-Lucy acting career, particularly his four-year irregular stint on The Andy Griffith Show, he was billed as Richard Keith. Little Ricky is the son of Lucy Ricardo and Ricky Ricardo. Little Ricky lives in a New York Brownstone apartment building, which is owned and run by his godparents, with his parents and later moves to Westport, Connecticut.
Fictional Character Biography
Lucy finds out she was expecting Little Ricky on the Season 2 episode "Lucy is Enceinte." The episode when he is born, "Lucy goes to the Hospital" was aired on the same day as Lucille Ball's real son, Desi Arnaz, Jr. was born — Monday, January 19, 1953.
Little Ricky's father buys him a set of drums in the season 6 episode, "Little Ricky Learns to play the Drums" after he shows he can carry a beat while tapping his spoon on a glass during a family breakfast. His parents enroll him in a music school where he is the only drummer, where he forms a band named "Ricky Ricardo and the Dixieland Band." Little Ricky experiences stage fright before his first music school recital but seems to overcome stage fright as he performs comfortably in many other episodes, such as, "The Ricardos Visit Cuba" where he plays the conga drum alongside his father; "Little Ricky's School Pageant" where he plays the lead; and "Ragtime Band" where Little Ricky plays the drums alongside his mother and godparents.