Starting in 1951, I Love Lucy revolutionized television and made the sitcom the primary tv vehicle for decades to come. The series starred real life spouses Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball as husband and wife Ricky and Lucy Ricardo, along with their neighbors and friends Fred and Ethel Mertz (played by William Frawley and Vivian Vance). The couples’ constant bickering and hilarious adventures (or misadventures) kept viewers tuning in until 1960. Here are stills from some of the classic episodes: