Vivian Vance

[hell0kitty]

Ethel Louise Roberta Mae Potter Mertz

Vivian Vance, who would be come world famous for decades as “Ethel Mertz” was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was one in a million and the funniest 2nd banana on TV. In fact, the EMMY Award category for “Outstanding Supporting Actress” was created specifically in order to acknowledge Viv’s comedic talents on “I LOVE LUCY” during the 1953/1954 television season. How about that!
Here is one of my favorite Ethel lines from the show…
Fred Mertz: She said my mother looks like a weasel.
Lucy Ricardo: Ethel, apologize.
Ethel Mertz: I’m sorry your mother looks like a weasel!
Even better was the was the episode called “The Tour” when the gang was in Hollywood. Lucy and Ethel go on a Tour of the Stars Homes and when the bus pulls up to Richard Widmark’s home, Lucy has to have a grapefruit from his tree and gets stuck in his backyard. Ethel calls Fred and gives him a long explanation of everything that’s happened and said she’s been waiting for Lucy for over and hour, then stops and with perfectly delivery- screams “And stop saying Madame you’ve got the wrong number!”

Oh yah…someone even has a tribute site up for her- www.ethelmertz.com

Vance's Ethel Mertz character was the less-than-prosperous landlady of a New York City brownstone, owned by her and husband Fred Mertz. The role of Fred was played by William Frawley, who was 22 years her senior. While the actors shared great comedic and musical chemistry on-screen, they did not get along in real life. According to some reports, things first went sour when Frawley overheard Vance complaining about his age, stating that he should be playing her father rather than her husband.[6] Others recall that Frawley loathed Vance practically on sight. Vance, in turn, was put off by Frawley's cantankerous ways, in addition to his age.[7] Eventually, Ball overcame her resistance to Vance, and the two women formed a close friendship.
Honored for her work in 1953, Vance became the first actress to win an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Supporting Actress". Vance accepted her award at the Emmy ceremony in February 1954. She was nominated an additional three times (for 1954, 1956 and 1957) before the end of the series.
In 1957, after the highly successful half-hour I Love Lucy episodes had ended, Vance continued playing Ethel Mertz on a series of hour-long specials titled The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnez Show (later retitled The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour). In 1959, she divorced her third husband Philip Ober, who allegedly physically abused her.[8] When the hour-long Lucy-Desi specials ended production in 1960, Vance and Frawley were given the opportunity to star in their own "Fred and Ethel" spin-off show. Although Frawley was interested, Vance declined.

[**Jenna**]

I always liked her better than Lucy.

[herekittykitty]

I wonder why I never noticed that he was so much older than her? I guess because they all seemed middle-aged, and from a little kid's perspective, old is just old. heh.

[**Jenna**]

I wonder why I never noticed that he was so much older than her? I guess because they all seemed middle-aged, and from a little kid's perspective, old is just old. heh.

I didn't realize that either.

[Jazbabee]

I always felt a bit sorry for her.....it couldn't have been easy living in the shadow of Lucille Ball

[Cathy J.]

Even though many of those Lucy books claimed that Vivian's last TV appearance was on the 1977 comedy special "Lucy Calls the President", Vivian Vance actually did another show after that. For a very brief time not long before her death she appeared on the PBS show for seniors called "Over Easy". I think Hugh Downs hosted that.

[Maruz83]

I loved her ! I think she made the show, without her it just wouldn't have bene the same.

[Guest]

I always thought Ethel kept Lucy on her toes

[norah]

Even though everything from Desi and Lucy's marriage, to their career's unraveled in the end, I thought it was so nice Vivian and Lucy remained close up until both their deaths.

Vivian really brought a lot to the screen, loved her.

[Snoopy]

I agree Jessica...I think she was a perfect side kick for Lucy and honsetly I don't think any other actress could match wits with Lucille Ball the way she could..she was fabulous!

[Maruz83]

I guess they had a true friendship !

[STRAIGHT]

I know her and William Frawley did not like each other at all.

[FloridaDeathHag]

I always heard that Lucy and Vivian weren't that close and that Lucy made her look fat and older with frumpy clothes and make-up so "Technicolor Tessie" would have no rival on the show. But I'm far from a Lucy expert.

[joplinfrk]

I love that she was so cavalier about her dying of cancer. When asked what she wanted done with her remains she said, "Oh, honey I don't care. Surprise me!".

[theotherlondon]

I have always liked Vivian Vance she seemed to be the best part of
I Love Lucy.
People should read the book "The other side of Ethel Mertz"
To know what kind of a nice person she was outside of TV.

[Darrianne]

I always thought "Ethel" was a cool friend. And someone else said it......it couldn't have been easy living/working in Lucy's shadow.

[KELT]

I know her and William Frawley did not like each other at all.

That was however VANCE'S fault; FRAWLEY overheard VANCE complaining that "nobody (viewing audience) was going to believe that she was married to that fat old man !" FRAWLEY apparently was not the forgiving kind & never forgave her. I don't know whether or not VIVIAN ever attempted to apologize (either).

I do know that ARNAZ tried to get the two (FRAWLEY & VANCE) to do a spin-off series following the cancellation of
THE LUCY & DESI COMEDY HOUR but FRAWLEY said "nothing doing" because he didn't want to work with VANCE. Instead he took on the role of the male housekeeper 'Bub' for a new series entitled
'MY THREE SONS'. He stayed in that role til his health began to fail in 1965 and they hired
BILL DEMAREST to play 'Uncle Charlie'. FRAWLEY died in March 1966. He keeled over in Hollywood on his way home from an afternoon movie.
VIVIAN VANCE was in a restaurant when she heard about FRAWLEY'S death later that day.
"Champagne for everybody !" she is alleged to have shouted.

[crazedfemale]

I always thought Vivian Vance was perfectly cast for the role of Ethel. Although she and Bill Frawley couldn't stand each other; they played like they did during filming and I guess that's all that matters. I have the book and she did a lot of help for mental health, since she suffered herself from depression. She died when I was in high school and I remember the guy on the TV saying a "beloved actress had died." That she was!

[KELT]

I always thought Vivian Vance was perfectly cast for the role of Ethel. Although she and Bill Frawley couldn't stand each other; they played like they did during filming and I guess that's all that matters. I have the book and she did a lot of help for mental health, since she suffered herself from depression. She died when I was in high school and I remember the guy on the TV saying a "beloved actress had died." That she was!

I liked her very much.
One thing that reflected their dislike was on the episode
'EQUAL RIGHTS'.
The girls want equal rights, so when the four go out to dinner RICKY & FRED leave the girls' to pay their portion of the bill. The girls have pocket change only and have to stay and wash the dishes. Later that night, the dishes done LUCY calls RICKY and pretends that a robbery is taking place. RICKY & FRED rush to the restaurant after calling the police. The two men find that no robbery has taken place and that their wives were getting even, so the two cover their faces with their scarves to scare the women. The cops then appear and cart RICKY & FRED off to the pokey because LUCY claims that she has "never laid eyes on them in my life..."
When LUCY & ETHEL go to the jail later to get the guys out, they debate about whether or not to get the men 'out'. "Let's see how they kiss....," says LUCY to the stunned guard and she leans in and kisses RICKY on the lips. "Let's see how Grandpa kisses," says ETHEL and she then leans in. From the angle shot, you can clearly see that she stops about 2 inches from his puss. Great actors all...............

[ethelmaepotter]

According to I Love Lucy producer Jess Oppenheimer, he said that the feud between Vance & Frawley was "over-hyped". Initially, they had a good relationship, but Frawley overheard Vivian say she didn't think he could dance or sing because he was too old. From then on, things changed between them. However, the fact of the matter is, most actors don't get along that well with each other anyway because of professional jealousy. Believe me, resentment and jealousy are on just about every movie or TV set...that is an actor for you.
However, I have to say, I would be insulted myself if someone old enough to be my father was playing my husband and I am suppose to look older and heavier. After all, Vivian & Bill weren't paid all that much in those days....

[crazedfemale]

I believe that about actors. On the set of 1955's "Love is a Many-Splendored Thing", Jennifer Jones did not like William Holden and reportedly ate garlic cloves to wart off any Bill advances. However, they did light up the screen during the romance scenes. Ego, Ego, Ego, it's all about the ego!

[KELT]

My sister works for one of the big 3 networks. She has interviewed a lot of celebrities over the years. She told me that more often than not she is disappointed when she interviews or meets them. Main reason: as soon as the cameras stop rolling, an entirely different side of the S*T*A*R emerges and usually it's not as pleasant.

Some who she interviewed who I recall she said were very kind:
President Carter, Ed Asner, Peter Frampton, Stefanie Powers, Robert Wagner, Kate Jackson, Ben Affleck, Charlton Heston.

I don't want to cause her any problems, but 1 who I know made her cringe: a certain once 'sexy' actress who is best recalled for playing a movie star stuck on an island. No names.

[Cathy J.]

I believe that about actors. On the set of 1955's "Love is a Many-Splendored Thing", Jennifer Jones did not like William Holden and reportedly ate garlic cloves to wart off any Bill advances. However, they did light up the screen during the romance scenes. Ego, Ego, Ego, it's all about the ego!

There were so many actors who for one reason or another simply did get along, though in the end many of them did patch things up.

I remember reading a book years ago where both Tom Bosley and Donny Most made the claim they remember hearing Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams getting into some horrible screaming matches on the set of Laverne & Shirley which was done right next door to Happy Days. However I think those two are friends now.

Then there was Susanne Sommers and John Ritter from Three's Company. I seem to recall where for years they never spoke to each other after she left Three's Company. However they both made up only months before Ritter's death.

[**Jenna**]

I always heard that Lucy and Vivian weren't that close and that Lucy made her look fat and older with frumpy clothes and make-up so "Technicolor Tessie" would have no rival on the show. But I'm far from a Lucy expert.

Thats what I always thought too.

[KELT]

Thats what I always thought too.

LUCY made certain that she was always the best looking woman on the show. The only time that VANCE was allowed to look the more glamorous
was on the episode in which the pregnant LUCY thinks that RICKY has been ignoring her and at (the) show's end both couples are out at the Tropicana night clubbing.

EDIE ADAMS, wife of ERNIE KOVACS who was featured on the last show of the LUCY & DESI COMEDY HOUR recalled that LUCY insisted that EDIE be given a less glamorous hair style for the actual show than the one she showed up sporting originally. EDIE said that she at that point was young and too intimidated, so she just shut up and went along with it.

[Cathy J.]

One area of Vivian Vance that I always had wondered about..her marriage to John Dobbs.

Pretty much all the books I read point out he was gay ( or bisexual ). But the marriage itself I have heard different things.

1. Vance actually turned her husband straight during the marriage and he never did go back to men not even after Vivian's death. Vance even went as far as forcing Dobbs into seeing a doctor to "cure" his gayness.

2. Vance accepted the fact than Dobbs was gay and allowed him to "play" with other guys but still loved him anyway. In other words a sex-less marriage, well between Dobbs and Vance anyway.

3. Dobbs and Vance almost got divorced in the late 60s when she found out that Dobbs had a secret boyfriend. She gave him a choice..him or me !!!

4. After Vivian's death, Dobbs went back to men.

Wonder which is it ??

[ROBERT63]

Vivian Never Had Any Kids Did She?

[KELT]

One area of Vivian Vance that I always had wondered about..her marriage to John Dobbs.

Pretty much all the books I read point out he was gay ( or bisexual ). But the marriage itself I have heard different things.

1. Vance actually turned her husband straight during the marriage and he never did go back to men not even after Vivian's death. Vance even went as far as forcing Dobbs into seeing a doctor to "cure" his gayness.

2. Vance accepted the fact than Dobbs was gay and allowed him to "play" with other guys but still loved him anyway. In other words a sex-less marriage, well between Dobbs and Vance anyway.

3. Dobbs and Vance almost got divorced in the late 60s when she found out that Dobbs had a secret boyfriend. She gave him a choice..him or me !!!

4. After Vivian's death, Dobbs went back to men.

Wonder which is it ??

There was also her previous husband PHIL who beat the shit out of her.

[hell0kitty]

Vivian Never Had Any Kids Did She?

she never had children, no.

[hell0kitty]

PHILIP OBER
Birth: Mar. 23, 1902
Fort Payne
DeKalb County
Alabama, USADeath: Sep. 13, 1982, Mexico
Actor. Featured in many TV shows like "I Love Lucy", "Perry Mason," and "I Dream of Jeannie." Married to actress Vivian Vance

[ethelmaepotter]

Phil Ober was a jerk. When Vivian married Dodds in 1961, she was 52 and likely, was looking for something other than sex. I heard she knew Dodds had boyfriends (more than one) and was OK with it, so she married him for other reasons.

[Cathy J.]

she never had children, no.

True Vivian never had kids of her own but she was very close to Ralph Hart who played her son on The Lucy Show. When Vivian left The Lucy Show of course they dropped her TV kid from the series ( and Lucy's TV kids too ), I remember reading in one of those Lucy books where Vivian took Ralph's mother aside and told her point blank that she should take her son out of show business which I believe happened since Ralph Hart has done very little, if anything in show business since The Lucy Show.

[Mach2]

I always thought "Ethel" was a cool friend. And someone else said it......it couldn't have been easy living/working in Lucy's shadow.

Lucy was one of the worlds most famous control freaks. Every single episode of I Love Lucy was about Lucy trying to get her way.

[ethelmaepotter]

I just read that Vivian's sister, Lou Ann Graham, is very involved with the Lucy-Desi Museum in Jamestown, New York. Does anyone know how old Graham is? I mean, Vivian would be 99 July 26 if she were alive. Wouldn't Lou Ann be around 90? She looks pretty good.

[AtlantaBlair]

I was in Jamestown for the Lucy Birthday Celebration this past weekend, and Lou Ann Graham was there, and I met her. There was a great age difference between Viv and Lou Ann - something like 17 or 18 years. That would put Graham in her early 80's. Very sweet woman, still acting and still teaching.

[Jack-O-Lantern]

It just wouldn't have been the same show without Vivian Vance, as so many others have pointed out...now when I watch "I Love Lucy" I usually fast forward to the scenes with Ethel...she was the true catalyst for laughs.

"Ethel Mae Potter...we never forgot her" !!!

[xoxojessicaxoxo]

I was in Jamestown for the Lucy Birthday Celebration this past weekend, and Lou Ann Graham was there, and I met her. There was a great age difference between Viv and Lou Ann - something like 17 or 18 years. That would put Graham in her early 80's. Very sweet woman, still acting and still teaching.

what else went on there? did you get any pics? were the horrible children there as well?

[Cathy J.]

what else went on there? did you get any pics? were the horrible children there as well?

Kinda of curious here too !!!!

However I seem to remember reading some post on this site awhile back that mentioned where Lucie Arnaz pretty much no longer has anything to do with the Lucy-Desi Muesum and those two Lucy festivals which are held in Jamestown.

Until about a year or so ago I used to get the Lucy-Desi newsletter where they list who will be coming to those festivals. I think I remember just one time seeing Desi Arnaz Jr. name on the list.

Richard Keith ( Keith Thibodeaux ) who played "Little Ricky" over the years has made a few appearances in Jamestown but the last I heard that may be coming to an end. Richard is VERY religious from what I heard would rather talk about that than his role on I Love Lucy. I can see why that would turn off many.

[AtlantaBlair]

No Lucie, no Desi Jr. I agree that they don't appear to have anything to do with this festival or the museum any longer.

The events were fun, for the most part. The biggest celebrity there was Ruta Lee who did a retrospective of her appearances on "The Lucy Show". Lucy's chauffeur was there, along with her secretary. They also had the Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz impersenators from Universal Studios there. Seemed to me that they're beginning to have problems with finding people to headline the event.

I've got pictures, but don't have them downloaded yet. I'll post a few when I get that done.

[JacksTiger]

When I was a kid I lived in NYC and used to get tickets to watch television shows being taped. One time we got tickets for a Carol Burnett special (ca 1965) called "Calamity Jane" being taped in what is now the Ed Sullivan Theatre. The tickets were for the dress rehearsal, and as it would happen, we got pretty good seats, about 5 or 6 rows from the front. I was with my mother. As was typical for a taping of a TV show back then, there were often delays so that they could change the sets. I was watching a heavy set older woman leave her seat and go up on stage. She would shake hands with different people and then go back to her seat. She did this about two or three times. My mother whispered, or thought she whispered, "I think that's Vivian Vance." Someone else in the audience picked up on this and there was a buzz "That's Vivian Vance." After that the woman didn't get up out of her seat. At the end of the taping Carol Burnett introduced the woman as Vivian Vance and brought her up on state to say 'hello' to the audience. She explained that she looked different since she 'didn't have her TV caps on." She was very pleasant, charming and very gracious, and it was nice to see her in the flesh as it were after watching her on television during my childhood.
Years later I would pay to see her in a play "My Daughter, Your Son." This was in 1969 and she had slimmed down quite a bit. It was a good play, (Robert Alda, Dodie Goodman, Jack Gilford and others in the cast) well appreciated by the audience, but it didn't get the all important great review from the New York Times critic, and it only lasted a couple of months on Broadway. The big criticism back in the day was that it was good but too much like television. I know I'm very pedestrian, but it was great entertainment, although not up to the high sophistication of the critcs.

[hell0kitty]

When I was a kid I lived in NYC and used to get tickets to watch television shows being taped. One time we got tickets for a Carol Burnett special (ca 1965) called "Calamity Jane" being taped in what is now the Ed Sullivan Theatre. The tickets were for the dress rehearsal, and as it would happen, we got pretty good seats, about 5 or 6 rows from the front. I was with my mother. As was typical for a taping of a TV show back then, there were often delays so that they could change the sets. I was watching a heavy set older woman leave her seat and go up on stage. She would shake hands with different people and then go back to her seat. She did this about two or three times. My mother whispered, or thought she whispered, "I think that's Vivian Vance." Someone else in the audience picked up on this and there was a buzz "That's Vivian Vance." After that the woman didn't get up out of her seat. At the end of the taping Carol Burnett introduced the woman as Vivian Vance and brought her up on state to say 'hello' to the audience. She explained that she looked different since she 'didn't have her TV caps on." She was very pleasant, charming and very gracious, and it was nice to see her in the flesh as it were after watching her on television during my childhood.
Years later I would pay to see her in a play "My Daughter, Your Son." This was in 1969 and she had slimmed down quite a bit. It was a good play, (Robert Alda, Dodie Goodman, Jack Gilford and others in the cast) well appreciated by the audience, but it didn't get the all important great review from the New York Times critic, and it only lasted a couple of months on Broadway. The big criticism back in the day was that it was good but too much like television. I know I'm very pedestrian, but it was great entertainment, although not up to the high sophistication of the critcs.

great story and memories jack!

[Cathy J.]

Seemed to me that they're beginning to have problems with finding people to headline the event.

That doesn't surprise me at all. After all other than the woman who played Carolyn Applebee I am pretty sure just about every adult associated with I Love Lucy have since passed on.

Dittos pretty much with The Lucy Show. Well they could get Carol Burnett or Wayne Newton but I am sure that would cost a pretty penny ( or ugly penny in the case of Newton ) to get them there. Ken Berry and Mickey Rooney did Lucy Show too. Both still alive but both are totally retired now.

Here's Lucy..a few of the guest stars who appeared on the show like Donnie Osmond are still with us of course but far more arent.

Life With Lucy...ah....

A few years back they had Richard Simmons there. Yes, THAT Richard Simmons. Why? Good question !! I don't get the connection between him and Lucy.

Isabel Sanford from the Jeffersons was there one year because she appeared on Body Language with Lucy. Her appearance was quite famous/infamous as she indirectly outed her co-star on the Jeffersons..Sherman Hemsely. Sanford died a few years later.

[buzzzx]

Barbara Eden is still living, and one of the last people alive who appeared in an episode of "I Love Lucy" other than Little Ricky.

[hell0kitty]

Barbara Eden is still living, and one of the last people alive who appeared in an episode of "I Love Lucy" other than Little Ricky.

i remember that episode "but, yessssssss....." lmao

[spiritwisepi]

A few years back they had Richard Simmons there. Yes, THAT Richard Simmons. Why? Good question !! I don't get the connection between him and Lucy.



I found this article not sure if it is THE Richard Simmons or not??

Over the course of the show, Little Ricky was portrayed by five kids: Twins Richard and Ronald Lee Simmons as infants, then the Mayer twins as toddlers and later Keith Thibodeauxâ?? known for his bongo drumming and the only one to have a speaking part.

http://www.lakeoswegoreview.com/feat...02044024574200

[Cathy J.]

A few years back they had Richard Simmons there. Yes, THAT Richard Simmons. Why? Good question !! I don't get the connection between him and Lucy.



I found this article not sure if it is THE Richard Simmons or not??

Over the course of the show, Little Ricky was portrayed by five kids: Twins Richard and Ronald Lee Simmons as infants, then the Mayer twins as toddlers and later Keith Thibodeauxâ?? known for his bongo drumming and the only one to have a speaking part.

http://www.lakeoswegoreview.com/feat...02044024574200

ah no..it was Richard Simmons the "sweating to the oldies" guy. Can't miss that hair !!!

I just remembered soemthing... he appeared on the old Body Language TV game show back in the 80's even though the show aired on CBS many CBS stations did NOT air it since the show aired at NOON and many local stations aired their news then.

Lucy did Body Language a few times herself. Maybe that was the connection and the reason the Lucy-Desi folks got Richard.

[Pammijo]

There was also her previous husband PHIL who beat the shit out of her.

Now we're getting somewhere! What's this, what's this? Beat her? Oh my goodness!

[More Cheese Please]

When I was a kid I lived in NYC and used to get tickets to watch television shows being taped. One time we got tickets for a Carol Burnett special (ca 1965) called "Calamity Jane" being taped in what is now the Ed Sullivan Theatre. The tickets were for the dress rehearsal, and as it would happen, we got pretty good seats, about 5 or 6 rows from the front. I was with my mother. As was typical for a taping of a TV show back then, there were often delays so that they could change the sets. I was watching a heavy set older woman leave her seat and go up on stage. She would shake hands with different people and then go back to her seat. She did this about two or three times. My mother whispered, or thought she whispered, "I think that's Vivian Vance." Someone else in the audience picked up on this and there was a buzz "That's Vivian Vance." After that the woman didn't get up out of her seat. At the end of the taping Carol Burnett introduced the woman as Vivian Vance and brought her up on state to say 'hello' to the audience. She explained that she looked different since she 'didn't have her TV caps on." She was very pleasant, charming and very gracious, and it was nice to see her in the flesh as it were after watching her on television during my childhood.
Years later I would pay to see her in a play "My Daughter, Your Son." This was in 1969 and she had slimmed down quite a bit. It was a good play, (Robert Alda, Dodie Goodman, Jack Gilford and others in the cast) well appreciated by the audience, but it didn't get the all important great review from the New York Times critic, and it only lasted a couple of months on Broadway. The big criticism back in the day was that it was good but too much like television. I know I'm very pedestrian, but it was great entertainment, although not up to the high sophistication of the critcs.

Great story Jack!

I heard that Lucy put a stipulation in Vivien's contract that she must remain 20 pounds heavier than Lucy. Fact or Fiction?

[Suzanne30]

It has been said that in the early days of I Love Lucy, Lucy ripped the false eyelashes off of Vivian, saying "I'm the only one that can wear false eyelashes on this show!"

Later when Vivian was asked by an assistant, what she was going to do about Lucy, she said "If this show goes anywhere, I'm going to learn to love that bitch!"

As has been said before they did become close friends.

[MagneticElectric]

I always loved Vivian and I LOVE that name. Always have. She never struck me as second banana to Lucy because I really could never stand Lucy. Lucy had her funny moments, but they always seemed forced in a way. Vivian's comedic style was always more natural IMHO.