Born in Havana Cuba, Ricky Ricardo immigrated to America, and sometime before 1940 his band performed at the Copacabana. In 1940.

Ricky married a zany redhead named Lucille Esmerelda McGillicuddy (Lucille Ball) and began to perform at the Tropicana Club. The club featured a large orchestra that Ricky conducted, often accompanying them with beat of his conga drums.

Some of Ricky's popular song numbers at the Tropicana were Babalu, Cuban Pete/Sally Sweet, The Straw Hat Song, See You in C-U-B-A, El Cumabanchero, Under the Bamboo Tree, and Granada.

The Tropicana was the backdrop for Ricky's talent-less wife and her constant attempts at breaking into showbiz. And while Ricky tried to keep her away from the club by keeping auditions a secret, Lucy always found a ways to get on stage.

For example: when Lucy hears that Ricky needs a dancer for the Parisian Apache dance number at the club on episode "The Adagio" (#12, December 31, 1951); or when Ricky's going to stage a French Revue at his club, and Lucy bets him $50 that she can get into the act no matter what he does to stop her on "The French Review" (#73, November 16, 1953).

When Lucy Ricardo became pregnant, on episode "Lucy is Enciente" (#50, December 08, 1952) she showed up at Tropicana Club to announce the good news while Ricky was working.

Lucy slips a note to Ricky about blessed event and at first he thinks the message was for someone else in the audience. When Ricky realizes that HE's the expectant father, he joyfully sings the song "We're Having a Baby."

After working at the Tropicana for years (for an initial weekly salary of $100), Ricky purchased a controlling interest in the club and renamed it Club Babalu on the sixth season premier episode "Lucy and Bob Hope" (#154, October 1, 1956). Bob Hope performed at the grand opening.