American actor Desi Arnaz final words which were said to his good friend and ex-wife, Lucille Ball. She said Desi said the following kind-hearted words to her before hanging up: "I love you too, Honey. Good luck with your show." He is best remembered for his role as Ricky Ricardo on the American television series sitcom I Love Lucy, starring with Lucille Ball, to whom he was married at the time. Arnaz was also internationally renowned for leading his Latin music band, the Desi Arnaz Orchestra.
Arnaz was a regular smoker for much of his life and often smoked cigarettes on the set, as well as on-camera in I Love Lucy. He smoked Cuban cigars into his sixties. Arnaz was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1986. He died several months later on December 2, 1986, at the age of 69. Lucille Ball telephoned him two days before he died.