Who was Desi Arnaz wife Edith Mack Hirsch? What happened to her?

Arguably one of the greatest actors and performers of his generation, Desi Arnaz has left behind a legacy that a rare few can hope to match. Best known for his role as the witty Ricky Ricardo on the American television series sitcom I Love Lucy, Arnaz is regarded as the early pioneer of the syndicated rerun. But what made Arnaz so impressive was that the man excelled in more than one field. He led the Latin music band, the Desi Arnaz Orchestra, dabbled in a bit of comedy, and is often revered for his role in the creation of modern television. Arnaz married twice, first to Lucille Ball, who helped him pioneer the contributions he made to television, and for the second time to Edith Mack Hirsch. And while Ball gets similar recognition to Arnaz, not much is known about Hirsch. So, for this article, we attempt to find out what is known about Edith Mach Hirsch, the second wife of Desi Arnaz.

A life in mystery:

Edith Mack Hirsch was born on the 15th of April 1917 in Illinois, United States. Born and raised in the USA, Edith had a hard time getting access to education and but she managed to sneak in a few words at the neighborhood secondary school in Illinois.

Much of Edith’s early life was never revealed to the media and details are incredibly hard to come by. She met Arnaz three years after his divorce from Lucille Ball and the pair hit it off quickly. At the time, Arnaz struggled with problems of alcoholism, and his ever-growing career in the show biz was hogging everything from his time to his health.

Marriage:

It only took six months for Arnaz and Hirsch to get married and it proved to be a turning point in his career. Following his marriage, Arnaz greatly reduced his involvement in the show biz and took on less work than he used to. He only made a few appearances during the time and took on the role of executive producer of The Mothers-in-Law. During the play’s two-year run, Desi made four guest appearances as a Spanish matador, Señor Delgado.

Desi and Hirsch had no children of their own and while the pair remained together for all their lives, their relationship came to an end when Hirsch passed away due to cancer in 1985. Hirsch who was 67 at the time, had been struggling with cancer for years at the time of her death.

Husband: Desi Arnaz

A Cuban-American actor, musician, bandleader, comedian, film, and television producer, Desi Arnaz had an impact on television like no other. Born on the 2nd of March, 1971, Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III, led an affluent life during his early years. His father was Santiago’s youngest mayor and his maternal grandfather was Alberto de Acha, an executive at rum producer Bacardi & Co. A look at his family’s history suggests that Arnaz was always primed for success.

After the Cuban revolution of 93, Arnaz and his family fled to Miami and Arnaz matriculated from St. Patrick Catholic High School. In his early years, Arnaz joined his father in the tile business but decided to make the move to show biz full time.

Rise to fame:

Arnaz began his journey into Hollywood with music and established a band, the Siboney Septet, after graduating. After being hired by Xavier Cugat for his orchestra, Arnaz rose to fame and went on to establish an orchestra of his own, the Desi Arnaz Orchestra.

But for all of Arnaz’s musical achievements, he is best known for his portrayal of Ricky Ricardo on the American television series sitcom I Love Lucy. He co-starred on the show alongside his then-wife, Lucile Ball, and changed the television landscape for the better. Ball and Arnaz founded Desilu Productions to market I Love Lucy but gave continuity to the company. In his later years, Arnaz worked independently on a series of projects including The Ann Sothern Show and The Untouchables.

Desi tied the knot with his first wife, Lucille Ball on November 30, 1940. The duo’s marriage was turbulent, to say the least. They called things off in September 1944 but changed their minds at the last moment. After their marriage fell apart in 1960, Arnaz went on to marry Edith Eyre Hirsch who passed away in 1985. Arnaz passed away a year later in 1986.