Lucille Ball's Birthday: Here Are 10 Memorable Quotes From The "I Love Lucy" Comedian

Lucille Ball may have died 26 years ago, but the comedian left behind a beloved syndicated sitcom, loads of adoring fans and a lasting legacy in comedy. The famous redhead would have been 104 Thursday.

Ball was known for her comedic chops and business acumen. With her one-time husband, Desi Arnaz, she created the show "I Love Lucy" in 1951, which starred the couple, and millions of viewers would tune in every Monday evening to watch her antics in different ludicrous situations. Ball became the first woman to run a major television studio, producing the show in 1962 through the couple's company Desilu, according to the New York Times.

She was 77 when she died of a ruptured aorta in Los Angeles.

In celebration of her birthday, here are some of the comedian's most memorable quotes:

1. "Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world."

2. "One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn't pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself."

3. "I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done."

4. "Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead."

5. "The more things you do, the more you can do."

6. "In life, all good things come hard, but wisdom is the hardest to come by."

7. "Luck? I don't know anything about luck. I've never banked on it and I'm afraid of people who do. Luck to me is something else: Hard work and realizing what is opportunity and what isn't."

8. "The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age."

9. "I'm not funny. What I am is brave."

10. "It's a helluva start, being able to recognize what makes you happy."