From Little Ricky to Jesus: Keith Thibodeaux's Journey from I Love Lucy to Faith in Christ

What happened to Little Ricky from I Love Lucy? In this powerful and inspiring episode of Behind the Mike Podcast, host Mike Stone sits down with Keith Thibodeaux, the former child star of I Love Lucy and The Andy Griffith Show. Keith shares his extraordinary journey—from drumming prodigy and Hollywood fame to depression, addiction, and ultimately finding hope in Jesus Christ.

Keith opens up about:
🎬 Working with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz
🎬 His time as Opie’s best friend on The Andy Griffith Show
🎬 Becoming the drummer for David and the Giants, a Christian rock band
🎬 His spiritual transformation after a vision of Jesus
🎬 Co-leading Ballet Magnificat, the world’s largest Christian ballet company with his wife, Cathy

This is more than a nostalgic trip down memory lane—it's a testimony of redemption, purpose, and God’s unfailing love.

Whether you're a fan of classic TV, Christian music, or stories of faith, this episode will touch your heart and remind you that no one is too far gone for God.

📌 Visit Ballet Magnificat:  https://www.balletmagnificat.com
🎧 Listen to David and the Giants: “See You There” – now streaming on Spotify and other platforms. https://open.spotify.com/album/2lnCGV4BZzdmprA9DiwZJi?si=fgNFoQHRTAi8vR5BbgLMOA

📆 Interested in Summer Dance Intensives? Info at Ballet Magnificat’s site above!

👍 Like, 💬 Comment, 🔔 Subscribe for more episodes filled with faith, hope, and transformation.

#KeithThibodeaux #ILoveLucy #ChristianTestimony #BehindTheMikePodcast #DavidAndTheGiants #BalletMagnificat #ChildStar #JesusSaves #ClassicTV #FaithStory

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - What Happens When Little Ricky Meets Jesus?
01:00 - Keith’s Hollywood Start: Drumming & Desi Arnaz
03:00 - Cast Life on I Love Lucy
05:30 - Transitioning to The Andy Griffith Show
08:00 - Surviving Hollywood as a Child Actor
10:15 - College Years & Struggles with Identity
13:00 - Joining David and the Giants
15:00 - Keith’s Spiral: Depression & Crying Out to God
17:00 - Life-Changing Vision of Jesus Christ
18:45 - From Secular Rock to Christian Music
20:00 - The Birth of Ballet Magnificat with Cathy
22:00 - Taking Christian Ballet Worldwide
24:00 - Encouragement for Parents, Artists, and Believers
26:00 - Final Thoughts from Keith: Trust, Pray, Don’t Give Up

Transcript

0:00

So what happens when a child star from one of the most iconic TV shows of all time meets the risen Savior? Well, today on Behind the Mike Podcast, I'm talking with Keith Thibodeaux, better known to millions as Little Ricky from I Love Lucy. He was also Johnny Paul Jason, Opie's best friend, on The Andy Griffith Show. But his story didn't end with fame and childhood stardom. Keith opens up about the years that followed his college life and searching for meaning, and how Jesus met him right in the middle of his mess. We also dive into his journey as the drummer for the legendary Christian rock band David and the Giants. See how God's call changed everything. This episode is more than a trip down memory lane. It's a powerful reminder that no matter where you've been, God knows exactly where to find you. Let's go Behind the Mike with Keith Thibodeaux. Keith. And I'm so excited to have you on the show. Keith. You know, I've done a lot of research on you. I knew that you were on I Love Lucy. I also knew that you were on the Andy Griffith Show. I didn't know. We'll talk about your music career. I didn't know you were with David and the Giants. And you got some things going on now. So this is going to be a great conversation. Thank you so much for joining us today. Well my pleasure Mike. I have been a big fan. I watched I Love Lucy. It was it was probably really before my time. I just turned 60, but was always a fan of the reruns. Watched them a lot. And same with Andy Griffith. So you you really, you struck it well when you started. So we got to talk about the starting of, really what changed your life? And that is a little boy from Louisiana. Ended up as Little Ricky on the I Love Lucy show. Tell us a little bit about that. What was that like for you? I was a little little guy born in Louisiana, and, I had a talent for playing drums. And so I ended up playing professionally with the Horace Heidt Orchestra in the 1950s, doing one night stands across the nation in Canada and ended up in California and in LA. And then from that point, a friend of my dad's, found out about an interview, for The Lucy Show. They were looking to expand the part of their son, Little Ricky, on the show. And, from that point on, you know, I got the part about 200 little boys, my age audition, and and, I played the drums. Lucy and Desi, and they, they really dug that. And Desi stood up and said, I think we found little Ricky. And, I was signed with Desilu for a seven year contract. Wow. How old were you when you auditioned? You were already playing drums, which is pretty incredible, anyway. But how old were you then? I was about four or something for four years and a couple months, or maybe four and a half. And, so I was on the show from, 1956 to 1960. And during that time, you know, I was on, three seasons. First season was out of Lucy, and then I did the Lucy Desi Comedy Hour, which was an expanded type of version of it. And, their playhouse, you know, on that, on that at time was about ten. Yeah. Tell us about ten years old. Wow. You spent a lot of time with them then. Not just them, but I remember, William Frawley, was it, some of those, some of those key people that we just don't normally talk about when we talk about I Love Lucy. But what was your experience hanging around all of those people at such a young age? Well, you know, like, like I said, I was a little drummer boy, so I wasn't really made to act as such. So I got kind of thrown into that position. Yeah, as a young boy and had to learn the ropes of that. And, you know, William Frawley, who played Fred and then Vivian Vance, who played Ethel, and of course, Lucy and Desi. I mean, these were all pros from way back. Adult, you know, had a whole lifetime of of experience. And so they were very, very professional and very, very easygoing. And I think the greater, you know, a person is, is the easier they are to get along with. I think that, you know, sometimes people that don't have a lot of talent and have attitudes, or can have attitudes, but they didn't have that. They treated me like their son. And, you know, I got to know their, their daughter and their son and became fast friends with Lucy and Desi Jr. Well, and kind of grew up with them, at their different homes. And so I knew Lucy, Lucy and Desi, apart from the actual show. That's pretty amazing. Not many people can say that. And, again, such an iconic show, and iconic people. And you started really because of the of the drumming. So let's talk about, how did you get started with with music? You're you're still involved in that. And we'll talk about that in a bit here. But, God, God had a plan for you, no doubt. And, he used that as a platform to really, use you in a big way. Yeah. You know, I began playing drums on pots and pans and then finally, the old tin trash cans in the backyard, and, the neighbor heard it and tell my dad and mom that they needed to buy me a set of drums. So my dad bought me a little toy drum, and then I. I kind of wore that out, and I told my dad I wanted a real drum, and I would, you know, I'd go to parades and I'd listen to big band jazz on the radio. My dad was very into that. And, I just it just all just assimilated. And I just had this innate rhythm that God gave me. And, that's always been with me ever since I can remember. And so it was just kind of a natural thing for me to do and progress in. So you're you're about ten years old and and you're you're done with that. You said contract seven years. You're done with that. But you weren't done in the acting career. Like I said, you went on to Andy Griffith. Talk about that a little bit. Tell us how that came about. I know they shot out in California. But that's, I guess back then we didn't think about it, but it was very family. Family friendly. Those both of those shows. So, you know, like I said, two of my favorite shows, and I'm talking to you, and so how cool is that? But how that. So how did that transition from I Love Lucy and, Lucy and Desi and all those over to Andy Griffith. At some point that, I Love Lucy was, over, that happened because of Lucy and Desi divorce. It was still the number one show in the country. And, so I left there without a job at nine years old, but I was still under contract to Desilu. So I actually did other, you know, guest type shots, or appearances on the Hazel Farmer's Daughter, Route 66, Joey Bishop Show, Bill Dana Show. Shirley Temple Pllayhouse with Shirley Temple. Wow. But, the the Andy Griffith Show, the part that I played was Opie's best friend, Johnny Paul Jason. And so I auditioned for that, and I got that part, and I was able to be on that show. But 13 episodes as, as that pal of Opie. Yeah. On that show. I remember that. Do you, are you still in contact with Ron Howard today? Well, by proxy, he actually asked me to be in, a documentary they were doing on, I guess he was doing it on The Lucy Show or the Lucille Ball or. Yeah, one of those things. And, I wasn't able to do it, and, but, we we were good friends on the show, me and Ron, and he would ask the writers to write me in a part so you can play with me. And, we hung out, you know, went to the commissary, ate hamburgers, cheeseburgers, malts, and then Dick Van Dike and Mary Tyler Moore would be in the next booth, and it would just be that was that was the environment I was in. Wow. You know, so many we hear all the time. We don't we don't often hear good things in the world, but we hear all the bad things. And many times we hear about child actors who have just gotten, off on the wrong path. Can you speak to that a little bit? What what caused you to turn out the way you did and, be successful even even today, with what you're doing? Well, like you said, I mean, there were so many child actors that that, didn't make it. You know, There was there was one child actor, Rusty Hamer, who was on The Danny Thomas Show, and he committed suicide. Yeah. And then you hear stories, all these other, you know, later shows and later child actors that that really didn't it, they didn't make it, you know, for one reason or the other. They just did not, end up good. But if it were not for for God, for Jesus Christ in my life, I would not be here today. Speaking of mixed in. Wow. Well, we'll talk about that. Want to get into your faith journey as well? At one point, I. I didn't know it at the time, but in the 80s, I was listening to a lot of Christian contemporary music and, David and the Giants and just found out recently that you were a part of that for a number of years. Talk a little bit about what led you to that direction, because I know that you weren't. I think you grew up in a in a Roman Catholic household, correct? That's right. Yeah. But you you said, things that I've read anyway. I'm going to ask you because I don't trust everything I've read, but, But what I what I've seen is that you had your moments in college where you definitely were not following Christ. What made that transition from college, which most of us struggle at that age, anyway? To ending up with David in the Giants? Well, you know, I met David, and then when I was 16 years old in Biloxi, Mississippi, they were the club band at the Vapors Club, which is a pretty famous club down on the Gulf Coast. And, I became friends with them and followed them. And when they came to town, I would go see them. And then I got into college and I played and, you know, I played in various bands in Lafayette, Louisiana. After I ended up moving because my own parents separated, when I was 15 years old, we moved back to Louisiana, where I started and, finished high school was in, you know, little high school bands which actually played at the same club that David and then did. So I got to kind of know them through that. And there's a whole story about how I tried out for my band and at 16 years old and, and, and David and them didn't know me from Adam and they said, you know, it was like I kind of nailed the audition for my band. So, but we carried on a good relationship. And then finally, when I was about 19 years old, I went to college, went to ULL, University of Louisiana-Lafayette now. And, I tell people I majored in drinking beer and playing pool and, that's really what I was really good at and just playing music. But, the funny thing, I just got recently honored by this University of Louisiana-Lafayette as, 24, I mean, the 2024 most outstanding alumni, of, University of Louisiana, this year, this past year. That's. So that was kind of interesting being that, the kind of lifestyle I had in college. But, I went on to, to to get asked by David, the leader of the band, he called me one day and he said, hey, we'd love to you to join the band. We're, we're changing drummers out. And so I jumped at the prospect of that of leaving home, kind of doing my own thing. You know, I, I did a little bit of college. I was ready just to play music full time because that's really what I was made to do. And so I ended up playing with this, rock band, David in the Giants, who had, you know, record deals with Capital United Artists. They recorded in Muscle Shoals Sound in Alabama and, went on to just they had that kind of sex, drugs and rock and roll, hedonistic lifestyle, got into drugs and really, really pretty bad. One of my best friends ended up, not making it. He was in a mental institution, and he's he's in a handicapped area now that he lives in. Just my best friend, talented musician. But this was kind of my make up. And of course, Hollywood was way in the past, and I just didn't want to be reminded of it because of such as some bad memories of my dad and mom. Divorce. Sure. And and it just went on, went on, and I kind of spun out of control and began to just become what's now known as being clinically depressed and, when actually suicidal in my thoughts. And it was at that point that I lost contact with reality and, didn't know who I was, had no purpose, had no plan. I didn't think there was any hope. And so one night in a waterbed in Laurel, Mississippi, which is where the band was based, I cried out to God one night. As you said, I was raised Catholic, but I kind of left the idea of God behind when I. When I became about, you know, I was a later teen. And just wanted to do whatever I wanted to do, you know, I dated, which is, I got into occultic books. I was really searching and all these things sort of, sort of compounded to to to make me fall further and further down. Instead of being happy about all these things and, I did cry out to God, pray to God that one night, and I said, God, I said, I made a mess out of my life. I said, if you're real saved me out of this mess. I made of myself. And, I said these, these words. I said, I'll serve you and the Lord answer that prayer. Two weeks later, I was invited to, a spiritual meeting in Louisiana. My mother invited me to that, and I got filled with the Holy Spirit. And I had a vision, a heavenly vision of Jesus. Of Nazareth, the one who died 2000 years ago and rose from the dead. And, I came up out of that experience. The Bible began to, I just was hungry. Hungry for his word, hungry for the. So the God who I finally found, or he found me and had mercy on me. And I repented of my sins. And just God just changed my life around and began to have a whole new perspective on life purpose plans. And I went back to the van and I said, you know, God is real. There's more to the Bible than what men have led us to believe. You know, coming from a Catholic background, that's that's where I was. It was all ritual. I was all ritualistic and religious. But God gave me a relationship with him, and I told them about it, and they they, they said, Keith, you're going to be okay. You know, in a couple of weeks, you'll be all right. I said, we've got to change our music. We got to change the lyrics to more godly lyrics. And so we could still play the same kind of music, but just change the lyrics. So we're we're we're doing something that's positive and uplifting to people. And, so they didn't they didn't get into that at first. But eventually, David, after my constant witnessing to him because I was still playing secular music at the time, sure, he he came to the Lord and then eventually his brothers did too, who were in the band. And, they started David in the Giants, the Christian band. I guess it was in 1977. And then I joined them in 79, after I'd married my wife Cathy, and, we were married two years and, and so, I joined them as a, as a revamped, reborn David in the Giants. And, yeah. And that's a history. I didn't know about them either. I thought that they were a Christian band all along. Until I did some research. And, you know, I think, Keith, what what you describe here, at some level, in all of our lives, we struggle with something like we just don't measure up in our own eyes or with other people or whatever that may be and leads us astray. But so many of us stay there. And so it's it's so heartening to hear that you just turned to God and he met you there. And I think that's what what many people don't understand is that you don't need to clean yourself up. You don't need to get right with God before you come to him. He knows all your past. He wants to make you new again. So I'm so encouraged by that story. Yeah, he's he's ready, he's ready. Baba says, you know, the word is is near. It's not far off. It's in your mouth. Yeah. It's in. You're basically declaring his salvation of Jesus Christ and and saying, yes, Lord, I take that on. You did it for me. I don't have to do anything but just accept that. And then once you do that, God begins to work on you and begins to renew your mind, and you begin thinking like he does instead of like our own ideas on what things are. Yeah, you know, we live in a fallen world, and so it's hard sometimes. Even as a Christian, I came to Christ in 77. One of my inspirations at the time, he was on our show, Dallas Holm I'm sure you've heard of him, and. Oh, yeah. So he inspired me, through his music back then when I turned my life over to Christ. It's it's difficult because we live in this fallen world, and that fallen world is constantly trying to pull us in. And sometimes, you know, we have to have jobs. We have to do things in the world. But we're we're told in Scripture not to be of the world. And sometimes we can if we're not constantly focused on Christ and pursuing a relationship with him, it's easy to get off track. And so, yeah. And I want to talk about your ministry now, you and your wife, are involved in a ministry now that I, I was it's great to hear, again. I didn't know about this. Tell us about Ballet Magnificat. Yeah, well. Well, I was going to jump on back. Just what you said. Just just a second. Sure. Yeah. We've got, Yeah. David and the Giants. We just recorded a new album and it will be out. It's called See You There. And, it'll be out probably in the next week or two. And, it's a brand new album, ten songs, and we're excited about that. So we're still playing. We're still doing concerts. We're still, out there. But my wife is a ballet dancer, and she's, an award winning ballet dancer that, won the silver medal back in 1982, in the International USA Ballet competition. Wow. And, she, she came actually, she came from a, a Christian family, but they weren't really born again. And there was no real reality to the faith. And she came to one of David in the Giants concerts after we, became a Christian band, and she gave her life to the Lord. And she saw that you could, you know, that her husband, Keith, was using his gifts and talents for the Lord. So why couldn't you do it with, you know, ballet? Yeah. And so she started, and we began Ballet Magnificat in 1986 as, a Christian ballet company. And, started out really small with the Lord has grown it. We have a tour company right now, two tour companies in Europe right now that are performing, and my wife and I are going to meet him in Prague this, this weekend. That's all. To see the performances. And, we have a ballet. Same Ballet Magnificat. Another version of it in Brazil, which is Ballet Magnificat. Brazil that we started. Back in 2017. So we the purpose of the ballet is to present the gospel through dance, through ballet, through ballet stories. And so we are probably the world's largest Christian ballet company. And have been to over 50 countries all over the world. And, we have a school here in Jackson, Mississippi and trainee program and it's just it's amazing really, you know, starting for from scratch. But but really it was really started from a vision that God gave Cathy that she could do that and that we could, biblically do that from Psalm 149 and 150, says to praise his name at the dance in both of those psalms. And so, sort of retaking the, the ballet and the dance world and even Christian music was sort of retaking it for the Lord, you know? And, doing something that's glorifying him. That's awesome. And you are now, I believe your title is is executive producer. Is that right? Well, yeah. Executive director, but, I Cathy's Cathy is the artistic director and founder. Yeah. And, so, yeah, we've been blessed to be a part of this amazing, ballet Christian ballet company. People say, what is Christian ballet? You know what? What do you mean, Christian ballet? And, you know, you have to give them a definition of it, but, it's something that the Lord has been, using since 1986. Do you, you also do US tours? We do U.S. tours, all over the U.S. we've been probably, probably in every state in the Union except, maybe. Yeah, I think maybe even Alaska. We've been away. But we go all over. We're interdenominational. So we're not just one. We have many different, you know, people go to Baptist, Presbyterian, charismatic, Assembly. God. Yeah. You know, you name it. Yeah. That's awesome. You know, I think that that God is the Creator and Satan perverts everything that God does. So it's really encouraging to hear that that there are those Christian forms of, of art out there that, that people can go to and, and glean from. So I'm grateful for you guys doing that. And we want to point them to your website that will be in the show notes. So the description and so make sure you check that out. And we want to watch. And when you guys are back around, I know my wife and I would love to, to, to attend, so. Yeah. Where are you located? I'm in Findlay, Ohio, northwest Ohio. So I've been there. I'm sure if you've been to all 50 states, I'm sure you've probably been through Findlay. And then been there. Yeah, we played a concert there with them. Wow. After research that. That's pretty cool. Yeah. So back in the day. Yeah. Well, listen, I know you're a busy guy. You guys are heading overseas here soon. I did see that on your Instagram. And, I like that because that's exciting. I would love to see the the performances, and, we'll plan on doing that next time you guys are in the area anywhere close. And, Keith, I want to thank you for joining us. I know, as I said, you're busy. I connected with you in an unconventional way. I was looking through your Instagram, and I just decided to message you, and that just doesn't work most of the time for me. But, you responded, and I'm grateful for that because, we we both share a love of the Lord. And I wanted to hear more about your story. I love to have you guys back on again. Maybe have Kathy join us as well. Talk about, what you guys are up to. And, Yeah, again, I want to thank you so much. And, blessings to you and your wife. Yeah. Just one last thing. I just want to say that, you know, if people have any dancers in their family that are listening to this podcast, young dancers, we have a summer dance intensive at Ballet Magnificat. Every summer in the month of July. And so they're welcome to come for a 2 or 4 week session. And, just check our website out. We've got a lot. And check out David in the Giant, See You There, on Spotify and other things. Absolutely. We'll we'll put that in the, in the show notes as well. Make sure you check all this stuff out. Keith Thibodeaux, want to make sure that you check out all the things that he's done, that he's doing, and how God's using him and his wife. Last thing I want to I want to ask you, Keith, is do you have any encouragement or wisdom to share with the those who are listening and watching? Based on all that you've seen God do in your life? Well, I would say the first thing is, is to trust the Lord and put your trust in Him. And, secondly, we live in a world that we're good is evil, and evil is said to be good. Yeah. And, the other thing that I would say would be to pray always. Don't give up. Yes, pray. That's what Jesus implored us to do. Don't give up on prayer. And, when you feel like not praying, just speak a prayer to the Lord. And, and just there's so many needs going on now in the world, so many people that are hurting and various ways. But, God is faithful. And as long as you stay next to him, he'll he he will be all that you need. He is the good shepherd of the sheep, and he takes care of his sheep. Amen, Amen. Great words of wisdom. And, Keith, I want to thank you again. You guys have a safe trip over there. Enjoy. Thanks. Time, in Prague. And, let's talk again sometime soon, and I hope to meet you on the road. Be great. Mike. Thanks, Keith. Thank you. Keith.