She devised a scheme when she was broke and hungry. At that time, you could get a cup of coffee and two donuts for a nickel. She would go to a coffee shop and find, what she called, a one donut man; a man that was in a hurry, swallowed one donute and his coffee, looked at his watch, leave a nickel tip and run out of the shop. Lucy would slide onto his stool, grab the nickle and the leftover donut, call over the attendant, put the nickel on the counter and say, "I'd like two more donuts and a fresh cup of coffee, please." 

When Lucy got to Hollywood in 1931, she got a contract with MGM to be a Goldwyn Girl making fifty dollars a week.

Around this time, George Raft was working in the MGM movie 'Palmy Days'. George was not yet a star, just a contract player, but at a good salary. One day on the set he saw a beautiful blonde chorus girl crying.  

 "What's wrong?" he asked.

 "I'm broke, I can't pay my rent, and worse, my mother is coming in from the east for a visit. I don't know what to do."

Raft gave her a hundred dollar bill ($1,600 today) and use of his limousine and driver. The girl said, "I'll take it as a loan."

 She picked up her mother at the Pasadena train station in the limousine. Her mother was overwhelmed. The driver took them to a fancy restaurant and they had a great time.

Several years later, Lucille Ball surprised Raft by repaying the $100.

 Over the years, Lucy made many efforts to help Raft, in appreciation for his generosity.

Raft was known as the 'the softest touch' in Hollywood. Helping both the famous and unknown. However, he never wanted anyone to help him. He loved to be self-reliant.

But when he got into a back tax problem that was publicized, he received a blank check in the mail from Frank Sinatra with a note saying: "Just fill in any amount you need, George."

Later, Sinatra hired Raft to appear in 'Ocean's 11'.

NOTE:  Lucille Ball was born a brunette. During her early days as an actress, she dyed her hair blonde and wore wigs before. In the early 1950's, she was urged to dye her hair red by MGM and she agreed. The hair dye that Lucille used was a closely guarded secret. She kept her dyes in a safe in her garage.

NOTE: Here on author's den, you can find the article 'Dean Martin Fans Must Read This'. It tells Dean's own technique for getting a free nickle breakfast.

Bonus Lucy / Desi Story. Don't Miss This. 

This would have been the most popular episode of I Love Lucy, if it had been filmed. This true story is ALL in Desi Arnaz’s words from his autobiography:

In 1944, I was still in the Army, in charge of their Los Angeles hospital recreation program. I got a call from Lucy’s lawyer saying she was divorcing me. I wasn’t going to contest it. A few days later, I called Lucy and said, “Hi. What are you doing tonight?”  “I’m divorcing your tomorrow.   “I know. But how about dinner?”

We went to dinner, ended up at her apartment and had a beautiful night in bed. At 7:30AM, Lucy jumped out of bed and said, “Oh, my God. I’m late.” “Where are you going?”   “I told you. I’m divorcing you this morning.” “You’re not going to go through with it now, are you?”

“I’ve got to go through with it. All the reporters will be there, and I’ve got a new suit and hat. I won’t say too many bad things about you. And I’ll be back as soon as I can.”  “Hurry back, you crazy nut.”

She went to court, got the divorce and came back and joined me in bed. This annulled the divorce because in California, at that time, there was a one year waiting period for the divorce to become legal. And if the husband and wife had an affair during that year, the divorce was automatically null and void. So, we both went back to our house in North Los Angeles where the hospital was only 15 minutes away, and I could be home most nights.

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2018 - My movie Forbidden Power won 39 international, first-place awards, including:

Best Picture at the 2018 BITB Film Festival Hollywood -

Best Science Fiction Movie - Oklahoma BB Film Festival -

Best Thriller - London Flicks Festival -

After a one-night affair with a mysterious woman, a young man wakes up alone with sexually transmitted powers and enhanced sexual power.

He searches for the woman to find out the source of her power and why he was chosen.