Born Name:  Morton Gary Goldaper

Born Date:  December 19, 1924

Born Place:  New York City

Died Date:  March 30, 1999

Died Place:  Palm Springs, California

Occupations:  Actor, comedian, producer

Brief Biography:  Gary Morton was best known as the second husband of comedy icon Lucille Ball. He built his early career in the Borscht Belt resorts and spent nearly three decades managing Ball's later television projects, including Here's Lucy.

Early Years:
He honed his craft entertaining troops in the Army during World War II before becoming a popular nightclub comic and opening act in the Borscht Belt, Las Vegas, and Miami.

Marriage to Lucille Ball:
The Meeting: Morton and Ball were set up on a blind date by mutual friends in 1960. Famously, Morton had never seen an episode of I Love Lucy because he was always working nights.
The Marriage: The couple married in New York City on November 19, 1961. Despite the 13-year age gap and intense public scrutiny, they remained married for 27 years until her death in 1989.

Television Production and Later Years:
Behind the Scenes: At Ball's request, Morton largely gave up his stand-up career to become a studio executive and producer for her subsequent projects.
Key Projects: He served as executive producer on Here’s Lucy (1968–1974) and Life With Lucy (1986), as well as doing the warm-up routines for live studio audiences.
Later Life: Following Ball's passing, Morton relocated to Palm Springs, California, and married Susie McAllister in 1996.