Lucille Ball led the charge for female comedians on television, with her show marking several landmark strides for women and the modern sitcom. Her insistence on shooting in Los Angeles on 35mm film with three cameras in front of a live studio audience was unheard of at the time, but became the gold standard as situational comedies grew to prominence in the decades to follow.
In addition to being the sitcom's star, Ball co-owned the show's production company (Desilu) with her husband Desi Arnaz. When the couple divorced in 1960, Ball eventually bought out Arnaz and took over as president in 1962. This made her the first female to head a major Hollywood company. Under her guidance, Desilu Productions went on to develop several popular series including The Untouchables (1959), Mannix (1967), Mission Impossible (1966), and Star Trek (1966).
Watch the first season of I Love Lucy free on the CBS website.