If Wall Street Journal links are working for folks here: This article about a new book on redheads says our impression of redheads is greatly influenced (ironically) by Lucille Ball.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/ginger-snaps-1438970122From the article:
" It is in the nature of our ambivalence toward red hair, Ms. Colliss Harvey argues, that much as we fear or distrust what it represents, we desire its empowering qualities and its ability to make us stand out. Red hair dye, the author points out, sells better than any other shade. She believes that we have Lucille Ball, who happily admitted to dyeing her hair to play her popular TV character, to thank. Independent and resourceful, Ball created an enduring archetype of redheaded feistiness originally seen in Lilith and later reflected in characters like the cowgirl Jessie in “Toy Story 2.” "