This is a snippet from Breaking Walls Episode 100: The Radio Career of Lucille Ball (1938 - 1952)

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When the first episode of I Love Lucy aired on October 15th, 1951, the sponsor, network, and even the crew were unsure if the series would work.

Amos ‘n’ Andy was the first TV show to be filmed, and NBC’s Public Prosecutor used a three-camera technique, but filming with multiple cameras in front of a live audience had never been done. There were interesting production issues that had to be ironed out.

The first-season success of I Love Lucy was such that CBS wanted a radio version. This pilot was recorded on Feb. 27th, 1952, using audio from the eighteenth episode, “Breaking The Lease” which aired on February 11th. Desi was narrator and John Stephenson the announcer for Philip Morris.