Arnaz wished her “beautiful baby brother” a happy birthday via Instagram
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s daughter celebrated her younger brother’s birthday this week with a heartwarming message on Instagram, accompanied by an adorable childhood photo of the famous siblings.
“Happy birthday to my soulmate and best buddy. My beautiful baby brother, Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV,” Lucie Arnaz, 73, wrote in the Monday, Jan. 20, post. “He is one of a kind. Brilliant thinker. Hilarious wit. Spectacular drummer. A great dad. A loving husband. And the best brother I ever had!!”
The sweet birthday greeting was accompanied by an adorable sepia-toned photo of the siblings as small children in the mid-1950s, seemingly playing dress-up in hats and makeup. In the pic, Lucie and Desi Jr. are the spitting images of their iconic parents.
“May this year bring you health, happiness and wonder, baby bro,” Lucie added.
As his sister noted, Desi Jr. turned 72 on Sunday, Jan. 19. The retired actor and musician got his start appearing in his mother’s TV shows, and went on to land parts in classic series like The Brady Bunch, The Mod Squad, Fantasy Island and The Love Boat as well as TV movies throughout the ’70s and ’80s. His final role came in 1992, playing his own father opposite Armand Assante and Antonio Banderas in The Mambo Kings.
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Desi Jr. and his sister served as executive producers on writer-director Aaron Sorkin’s 2021 film about their famous parents, Being the Ricardos. But since the death of his wife Amy Arnaz in January 2015, he has largely stayed out of the spotlight.
In August 2024, however, Lucie posted a rare photo with her brother on Instagram showing the siblings together at a family dinner in Las Vegas. In the post, Lucie wrote that her “recalcitrant brother” was “alive and well.
He “just likes to stay a bit ‘undercover,’ ” she explained.
