Lucille Ball: Dangers of Being the First to Die
I Love Lucy star Lucille Ball passed away 35 years ago. Decades after her death, important
lessons can be learned from a court battle over some cherished heirlooms between Ball's
daughter and the widow of Ball's second husband.
Remarriage can pose emotional as well as legal challenges. When a client remarries, they need
to carefully consider whom they are leaving their personal property to, especially if the personal
property at issue is from a previous spouse. While monetary inheritances can be valuable,
personal property is often invaluable to surviving family members and can spark fierce
disagreements over who is the rightful heir.
No Laughing Matter: The Legal Fight over Lucille Ball Memorabilia
Actress and comedy icon Lucille Ball had two children with actor Desi Arnaz: Lucie Arnaz and
Desi Arnaz Jr.
The couple divorced in 1960, and Ball married comedian Gary Morton in 1962. Following her
passing in 1989, her estate was split between Lucie, Desi Jr., and Morton.
After Lucy died, Morton married professional golfer Susie McAllister. They remained married
until Morton's death in 1999, at which point McAllister inherited items that had belonged to
Morton and Ball, including love letters, photos, and a Rolls Royce. McAllister also ended up in
possession of several of Ball's personal items. Among them were her personal address book,
portable backgammon boards, and lifetime achievement awards.
Ten years after Morton's death, McAllister put the items up for auction as she prepared to
remodel her home. And that is when the trouble started between McAllister and Lucie.1
Lucie asked that certain items be returned to her and threatened legal action to stop the sale if
they were not. McAllister then sued Lucie and sought a judge's ruling allowing the auction to
proceed. In another twist to the case, the two women agreed that the possessions were left to
Lucie in Ball's will, but McAllister contended in her lawsuit that Lucie never claimed them from
Ball's estate, so they passed to McAllister.
A judge ultimately ruled in favor of Lucie and said that the auction could be stopped - but only if
Lucie posted a $250,000 bond. Lucie could not afford it, but her legal team reached an
agreement with the auction house to have the lifetime achievement awards returned. The other
items went up for sale.2
Lessons Learned from the Lucille Ball Estate Kerfuffle
It is unclear why Lucie might have abandoned the personal possessions her mother allegedly
left to her. There do not appear to be any media reports disputing this claim by McAllister. But if
true, it raises the first takeaway from the legal battle: your clients need to claim any assets left to
them as an estate beneficiary. Unclaimed inheritances pass to the next beneficiary in line - in
this case, presumably Gary Morton, who then passed the forfeited items to McAllister following
his death.
Morton, however, is not blameless in this situation. He left items to McAllister that were originally
intended for Lucie. While he may not have explicitly known the intentions of his late wife
regarding her prized possessions, he probably should have known that they were better off in
the hands of his stepdaughter.
According to the auction house, McAllister kept the items for more than ten years out of respect
for Ball and Morton. But she can hardly be blamed for wanting to eventually clean house and be
rid of them.
The second takeaway from this legal battle, then, is that if your client has remarried and has
personal property from a previous spouse, they need to give due consideration to who should
inherit it. Morton might have asked himself what McAllister would do with love letters between
himself and Ball other than sell them, or why his new wife would want Ball's personal address
book or backgammon boards. The whole messy legal battle could have been avoided had he
asked himself a few simple questions during the administration process.
Advisors Help Clients Avoid Common Mistakes
Part of being a good advisor is knowing what questions to ask your clients. This perspective is
honed through years of hands-on experience, trial and error, and learning from the mistakes of
others.
Advisors working in different specialties that overlap can also learn from one another,
synergizing their knowledge to deliver the best possible client experience, to the mutual benefit
of all parties.
Schedule a meeting with our estate planning attorneys to find out how we can help you provide
more value to your clients.
MEREDITH | PC
4325 Windsor Centre Trail
Suite 400
Flower Mound Texas 75028
214-513-1013
This newsletter is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as written advice about a Federal tax matter. Readers should consult with their own professional advisors to evaluate or pursue tax, accounting, financial, or legal planning strategies.
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