<P> Lucy's husband, Ricky Ricardo, is an up - and - coming Cuban American singer and bandleader with an excitable personality . His patience is frequently tested by his wife's antics . When exasperated, he often reverts to speaking rapidly in Spanish . As with Lucy, not much is revealed about his past or family . Ricky's mother (played by actress Mary Emery) appears in two episodes; in another Lucy mentions that he has five brothers . Ricky also mentions that he had been "practically raised" by his uncle Alberto (who was seen during a family visit to Cuba), and that he had attended the University of Havana . </P> <P> An extended flashback segment in the 1957 episode "Lucy Takes a Cruise to Havana" of The Lucille Ball--Desi Arnaz Show filled in numerous details of how Lucy and Ricky met and how Ricky came to the United States . The story, at least insofar as related to newspaper columnist Hedda Hopper, is that the couple met in Havana when Lucy and the Mertzes vacationed there in 1940 . Despite his being a university graduate, proficient in English, Ricky is portrayed as a driver of a horse - drawn cab who waits for fares at a pier where tourists arrive by ship . Ricky is hired to serve as one of Lucy's tour guides and the two fall in love . Having coincidentally also met popular singer Rudy Vallée on the cruise ship, Lucy arranges an audition for Ricky who is hired to be in Vallée's orchestra, thus allowing him to immigrate to the United States on the very ship on which Lucy and the Mertzes were returning . Lucy later states that Ricky played for Vallée only one night before being traded to Xavier Cugat's orchestra . </P> <P> Lucy is usually found with her sidekick and best friend Ethel Mertz . A former model from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ethel tries to relive her glory days in vaudeville . Ricky is more inclined to include Ethel in performances at his nightclub because, unlike Lucy, she can actually sing and dance rather well . </P> <P> Ethel's husband Fred served in World War I, and lived through the Great Depression . He is very stingy with money and is an irascible, no - nonsense type . However, he also shows that he can be a soft touch, especially when it comes to Little Ricky . Fred can also sing and dance and often performs duets with Ethel . </P>

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