How CBS Colorized the ‘I Love Lucy Funny Money Special’

To ease the sting of I Love Lucy never being filmed in color, CBS is offering fans a treat: two newly colorized, money-themed episodes from 1954. Curious about how the original black-and-white comedy is brought to life in color, we decided to dig into the process.

Surprisingly, it’s a lot easier to grasp than the IRS code!

(TV Guide Magazine Archive)

“It’s all about being true and respectful to the time period,” says CBS Home Entertainment executive Ken Ross. “The only reason I Love Lucy wasn’t shot in color is because the technology didn’t exist then. The colorization is so much better than it was 25 years ago. We can make it look like it was shot in 2019.”

Ross and his team start with two to four weeks of meticulous research to pinpoint the original colors of costumes, sets, and props. Their sources are as varied as they are fascinating: a passionate Lucy memorabilia collector in Los Angeles, anecdotal recollections from former I Love Lucy staffers, vintage photos of mid-century kitchen gadgets, and even a 1954 issue of TV Guide Magazine featuring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz—used to confirm the color of Lucy’s dress in “The Million Dollar Idea.”

Once the research is complete, the findings are handed off to industry leader West Wing Studios. There, artists select representative frames and digitally apply the identified hues. After several rounds of review and feedback, CBS signs off on the final palette. Then comes the labor-intensive part: a 45- to 60-day colorizing process that transforms the black-and-white original into a vivid, period-authentic version—bringing new life to a timeless classic.