Whatever Happened to Little Ricky of I Love Lucy? Keith Thibodeaux Interview | The Jim Masters Show

Special Guest, exclusive interview with Keith Thibodeaux, actor and musician, best known for playing Little Ricky on the television sitcoms I Love Lucy and The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour and host Jim Masters on this episode of The Jim Masters Show Live! Keith Thibodeaux was billed as Richard Keith because his Cajun French last name, "Thibodeaux", was considered too difficult to pronounce by producer Desi Arnaz. He is the last living regular appearing cast member from I Love Lucy. Keith was a child prodigy and he showed skill on the drums at a young age, and was making $500 ($5,694 in 2023 dollars a week at the age of 3 while touring with the Horace Heidt Orchestra. His father took him to audition for the part of Little Ricky in 1955, "I walked on the set and there was Lucy, she was standing there and she was looking at me," he said. "She said 'OK he's cute, but what does he do?' My dad said, 'Well he plays the drums' and she said, 'Oh, come on--I can't believe that.' Then, she says 'Look, we have a drum set over there, go ahead and let him play.' Eventually Desi Arnaz himself came over and started jamming with me on the drums and then he kind of stood up and said 'Well, I think we found Little Ricky.'" According to Lucie Arnaz, who was interviewed on the TV show Archive of American Television, he became like part of the family. "For a long time I thought Keith was related to us, because he went everywhere with us. Desi (Jr.) considered him his best friend and [Keith] was responsible for teaching him the drums. He came over to our house on many weekends and traveled with them during the summer. My mother kind of adopted him. He is in all of our home movies and photographs growing up and was a great kid, and still is." In 1964 Thibodeaux appeared for a split second in an episode of The Lucy Show titled "Lucy is a Process Server." As a child, he made 13 appearances on The Andy Griffith Show, between 1962 and 1966, usually as Opie's friend "Johnny Paul Jason". He also accepted small roles on other popular television shows. In 1969, Thibodeaux joined the rock group David and the Giants who were based in Laurel, Mississippi. The group recorded in its early years with Capitol Records, Fame Records, and Crazy Horse Records, primarily touring throughout the South, and enjoyed a few regional hits which were recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and were well known in the Northern Soul music scene in England. After turning 21 in 1971, Thibodeaux received a final payment of $8,000 from a trust fund set up during his days on I Love Lucy. The band leader, David Huff, and other members later converted. The group got back together. The band released a number of albums in the 1980s and 1990s for CBS Priority Records (Epic Records), The Benson Company, ABC Word Records (Myrrh) label, and the band's own label Giant Records. They released a CD in 2014 titled Still Rockin. A live David and the Giants album, The Best Is Yet To Come, and a DVD of the live performance, was recorded and released in August 2017, which marked the band's 40th anniversary. The band was honored in 2017, along with other notable Mississippi musicians such as Steve Forbert, Tammy Wynette, George Soule, and Elvis Presley, by receiving "The Jimmie" Mississippi Dreamers (Jimmie Rodgers Award) for their musical contributions as Mississippi artists at a special concert at Peavey Electronics Corporate headquarters in Meridian, MS, along with Hartley Peavey. In 1990, Thibodeaux became the executive director for his wife's company, Ballet Magnificat! which tours nationally and internationally. In 2017 the couple launched the Ballet Magnificat! Brasil dance company and trainee program headquartered in Curitiba, Brazil. Carolyn Peterson, Founder and Owner of Nite of Dreams also join us on this episode! Nite of Dreams is absolutely amazing as it provides a unique way for fans and celebrities to spend time together in an intimate setting. Please. like. comment, share, subscribe. The Jim Masters Show The Jim Masters Show Live Jim Masters TV Keith Thibodeaux Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz I Love Lucy Vivian Vance William Frawley Andy Griffith Little Ricky The Lucy Show Andy Griffith Show Celebrity Interviews #ilovelucy #keiththibodeaux #lucilleball #desiarnaz #thejimmastersshow