In 1960, after the final episode of Lucille and Desi's show The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour aired, Lucille filed for divorce. The following year, she met and married Gary Morton, a comedian who had done the circuits at various summer resorts in the Catskills. He was also 13 years younger than Lucille, but the pair hit it off and they were married for more than 20 years.

After getting together, Lucille hired Gary at her production company, where he became a producer on various TV shows and even acted in some of them. According to a letter Lucille reportedly wrote to a friend of her relationship with Gary, he was just what she needed after a failed marriage that fizzled out more than once.

"Boy, did I pick a winner!" she wrote. "After 19 years with that Latin lover I never expected to marry again, but I'm glad I did!"

Lucille added in the letter, "When that first evening ended and Gary took me home, I felt more like myself than I had in months. I realized Gary had the natural humor of someone who loves to laugh and wants everyone to laugh with him. That made two of us."