My Favorite Husband

CBS launched My Favorite Husband on July 23, 1948, based loosely on the novel Mr. and Mrs. Cugat. The new writing team of Bob Carroll Jr., Madelyn Pugh, and Jess Oppenheimer transformed the show, making the Coopers middle-class and leaning into Ball's extraordinary talent for physical comedy. Jell-O sponsored the program, with Ball's sign-on 'Jell-O, everybody!' opening each episode. CBS had been pressing for a television version. Ball insisted on co-starring with her real-life husband Desi Arnaz, CBS initially resisted, and the solution was a national stage tour proving the partnership worked — leading directly to I Love Lucy in October 1951.