CBS sued: Desilu name claimed by California entrepreneur

As Desi Arnaz’s Ricky Ricardo character on “I Love Lucy” would say: “Ay-ay-ay-ay-ay."

A California entrepreneur and venture capitalist credited with inventing the Zicam cold remedy has filed a federal lawsuit against CBS over the use of the Desilu trademark.

Charles Hensley, as TMZ reported, said in his complaint that he applied for the trademark in 2016, that it was approved this year and that CBS didn’t oppose his application. He is working to relaunch Desilu Studios as a technology-focused film and television studio.

Hensley said that he had reached out to Lucie Arnaz, the daughter of the late Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, to see if she was OK with the relaunch. According to Hensley, CBS told Arnaz to stop dealing with him.

CBS hadn’t responded to a request for comment from FOX Business at the time of publication.

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Arnaz and Ball, who played Ricky and Lucy Ricardo in the pioneering TV comedy “I Love Lucy,” created Desilu Productions in 1950.  Other shows produced by the studio include “Star Trek” and “The Untouchables.”

She bought out Arnaz’s interest in the company in 1962, two years after their divorce, according to Reuters. When she sold it to Gulf & Western in 1967, it was rebranded Paramount Television. Paramount became part of CBS decades later.

Desi Arnaz died in 1986, and Ball passed away three years later.