Lucille Ball RKO Comedy Collection, The: Volume 1 (DVD)

Long before she was crowned the queen of TV, Lucille Ball reigned as the "queen of the Bs" for RKO pictures, appearing in over 43 films. This collection brings together three rarely seen treasures from Lucy's RKO days, giving modern audiences a chance to witness a star on the rise. Before she hitched her antics to Vincente Minnelli's The Long, Long Trailer, Lucy joined Joe Penner in 1938's romp Go Chase Yourself. After bank robbers use her husband's camper, Carol Meeley (Ball) sets out to prove her hubby is far too dumb to commit a crime. Lucy moved up to leading lady in Next Time I Marry. In order to claim her inheritance, heiress Nancy Crocker Fleming (Ball) must marry a "plain American Joe." So she does what any self-respecting debutante would do - she hires a husband. Rounding out the collection is 1941's Look Who's Luaghing, featuring a now glamorous Lucy. James V. Kern, who would later direct I Love Lucy, pens the tale, while screen pioneer Allan Dwan directs this rollicking satire which also stars Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy.

• comedy