Actors & Entertainers · Late 20th Century

Lucille Ball’s Last Words

August 6, 1911 April 26, 1989 Age 77 American
My Florida water.
— Lucille Ball, April 26, 1989

Who Was Lucille Ball?

Lucille Ball starred in I Love Lucy and was the first woman to run a major TV production studio, Desilu Productions.

The Final Moments

Ball collapsed at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; her final words were a request for her Florida water cologne.

Are These Words Verified?

~ Medium Confidence

Hospital nursing staff reported Ball requested her favorite Florida Water cologne before dying. Multiple biographies cite this account, though no direct family confirmation exists in primary sources.

Sources

  • firsthand Nursing staff at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
  • biography Kathleen Brady biography 'Lucille: The Life of Lucille Ball'
  • newspaper Contemporary news reports, 1989

Legacy

Lucille Ball revolutionized television production; I Love Lucy still airs in syndication worldwide.

I Love Lucycomedytelevisionactresspioneer

Frequently Asked Questions

What were Lucille Ball’s last words?

“My Florida water.”

How did Lucille Ball die?

Lucille Ball died on April 26, 1989 at the age of 77. Cause of death: Aortic aneurysm.

Were Lucille Ball’s last words documented?

Hospital nursing staff reported Ball requested her favorite Florida Water cologne before dying. Multiple biographies cite this account, though no direct family confirmation exists in primary sources.