Vivian Vance (July 26, 1909 - August 17, 1979)

The great Vivian Vance........

Right now and fifty years from now she will be remembered as Lucille Ball's closest on-screen pal. Before she joined the "Lucy" family Vance had an long career on the stage. It was her performance in "The Voice of the Turtle" that prompted Desi Arnaz and producer Jess Oppenheimer to offer her the role of Ethel Mertz on "I Love Lucy." In Vance's own words "I thought it was just another job so I took it." Another job? Hardly! For nine marvelous years and almost 200 television episodes she was Ethel Mertz. If she were alive today she probably would cringe after hearing that but it is true. When she joined Lucille Ball on "The Lucy Show" in 1962 her character's name was now Vivian Bagley but it was still the same old routine and chemistry. Vance left "The Lucy Show" in 1965 after three seasons but would later visit in three episodes before the show ended in 1968. In December of that same year Vance returned on Ball's next television series "Here's Lucy." This time she played Vivian Roberta Jones (her birth name in real life). Between 1968 and 1972 she would appear in six episodes of "Here's Lucy." She appeared in three films "The Blue Veil", "The Secret Fury", and "The Great Race." Other television work includes "The Deputy", "Rhoda", and "Love, American Style." In the early 1960's she a recurring role as Clara Appleby in some sketches on "The Red Skelton Show." As herself she appeared on "Toast of the Town", "The Bob Hope Show", "Password", "I've Got a Secret", "Hollywood Squares", "The Mike Douglas Show", "Dinah!", and "The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts" (of course honoring Lucille Ball). By 1977 Vance was in very poor health. She had suffered a series of strokes, underwent a mastectomy and suffered from Bell's Palsy. Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance last worked together as Lucy and Viv in the 1977 television special "Lucy Calls the President" which also featured old friends Mary Jane Croft, Gale Gordon and Mary Wickes. The two ladies could later be spotted on stage at the CBS 50th anniversary show in March 1978. As it was stated in the 2000 documentary about Lucille Ball called "Finding Lucy" "Before Vivian took her last bow with Lucy, they completed a circle of friendship that stretched over twenty-five years and almost three hundred television shows." Vivian Vance was simply the greatest...the perfect foil for Lucille Ball. When she left "The Lucy Show" it took a major hit. It was still wonderful as Lucy battled Mr. Mooney with the help of Mary Jane but those honest to goodness classic moments between Lucy and Viv were gone. And they were sorely missed! I just hope that Vivian made peace with her role as Ethel Mertz before her passing. That is a legacy she should've been proud of.

It should also be mentioned that Ms. Vance was the first actress to win an Emmy under the category "Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series"

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