Vivian Vance

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Vivian Vance (born Vivian Roberta Jones; July 26, 1909 – August 17, 1979) was an American actress and singer best known for her appearances on the American television sitcom I Love Lucy and as Vivian Bagley on The Lucy Show.

Early life

Vance was born in Cherryvale, Kansas, as the second of six children of Robert Andrew, Sr., and Euphemia Mae (Ragan) Jones. When she was six, her family moved to Independence, Kansas, where she began her high school studies with instructor Anna Ingleman. Acting as a child conflicted with her mother's strict religious convictions. "Viv" retaliated, sneaking out of her bedroom and staying outside after curfew. She changed her surname to Vance and moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to pursue acting career after appearing in the very first performance at the Albuquerque Little Theatre in 1930. She appeared in many other productions, including This Thing Called Love and The Cradle Song. Eva Le Gallienne, a local theatre company, helped pay her way to New York City to study under Eva Le Gallienne.

Personal life

Vance was married four times; her first three marriages ended in divorce. For 18 years, she was married to her third husband, actor Philip Ober. Ober was accused of abused Vance because he was jealous of her lucrative career. Vance married literary agent, editor, and publisher John Dodds on January 16, 1961. They lived in Stamford, Connecticut, then moved to California in 1974, where they remained together until Vance's death.

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Career

1951–1958: I Love Lucy and success

Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball were filming their latest television sitcom I Love Lucy in 1951, producer Marc Daniels, who had previously worked with Vance in a theater production, recommended her for the role of landlady Ethel Mertz. Lucille Ball wanted either Bea Benaderet or Barbara Pepper, both close friends, to play the part. Pepper was refused by CBS on the grounds of a heroin addiction, while Benaderet was already playing Blanche Morton on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show.

In the end, the 42-year-old Vance rose to prominence on CBS's latest television show, which debuted on October 15, 1951. Ethel Mertz of Vance was the landlady of a New York City apartment that she and her husband Fred owned on East 68th Street. Fred Mertz' role was played by William Frawley, who was 22 years old at the time. Despite their outstanding chemistry, comedic timing, and musical prowess together on film, Vance and Frawley did not get along off screen. According to several sources, Frawley became sour first when she heard Vance's age, and the boy should be playing her father rather than her husband. She used to skim through the script before memorizing her lines to see how many scenes she had with "that stubborn little Irishman" in order to see how many scenes she had with "that stubborn little Irishman." Some people recollect that they practically loathed each other on sight, and that Vance was put off by Frawley's cantankerous attitude.

Vance became the first actress to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 1953; she accepted her award at the Emmy ceremony in February 1954. She was nominated three more times (for 1954, 1956, and 1957) before the series came to an end.

Vance continued to act Ethel Mertz in 1957, after the highly awaited half-hour I Love Lucy episodes had concluded, but the Lucille Ball-Desi Comedy Hour was renamed The Lucille Ball-Desi Comedy Hour). Desi Arnaz, who was converted from the hour-long Lucy Desi shows in 1957, offered Vance and Frawley the opportunity to perform in their own "Fred and Ethel" spin-off performance. Despite the fact that Frawley was terribly keen, Vance declined mainly because she did not want to work on a one-on-one basis with Frawley because the two teams already had a tense relationship. In addition, she was worried that without the Ricardos, the Mertz characters would be unsatisfied in a show. The dislike between Vance and Frawley for refusing the would-be show only increased. Rather, Vance was interested in producing a series based on Babs Hooten's life, a New York socialite who moved to New Mexico to run a hotel and ranch. Desi Arnaz sponsored a pilot starring Vance as Hooten, Ho!, which was shot in 1958 by Desilu; however, CBS and Vance refused to air the program, so Ethel Mertz continued to act. Arnaz would retool the show with model and actress Joanne Dru, as the lead actress, before it was shelved.

1962–1977: The Lucy Show and later works

Lucille Ball, who was born in 1962, was hoping to return to television in a new series called The Lucy Show. Lucy Carmichael, a widow with two children who lives in Danfield, New York, was starred in the film. Vance reluctantly agreed to be her co-star on the condition that she be allowed to wear more glamorous clothing as well as having her character name "Vivian." Viance had grown tired of being branded "Ethel" by this time in her life.

Vivian Bagley, a divorced mother of one son's, was on display at The Lucy Show from 1962 to 1965, including a house with Ball's name. The woman was the first divorcee on a weekly American television show ever. Vance appeared in seven of the season's 26 episodes in the third season. Vance was getting sick of commuting between her home on the East Coast and Los Angeles every week. Vance's working relationship with Ball was also becoming tense. Vance's new deal gave her more creative control, as well as the possibility to produce and direct episodes, and better pay if she were to continue commuting for the show. Ball was misinformed by agents and studio executives who mistook him for Ball's aspirations. She was ostensibly trying to be Ball's equal. It was decided not to honor Vance's wishes. Both Ball and Vance were betrayed by the other, and Vance ended the series. Ball would later regret not giving Vance what she ordered. Ball considered ending the movie series without Vance, since she couldn't continue without her. As the two women were able to resolve their differences and reconcile, Vance made three more guest appearances on the remaining seasons of The Lucy Show.

After her departure from The Lucy Show, Vance appeared on reunion shows and made several guest appearances on Ball's third sitcom, Here's Lucy (1968–1974). She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1973. It was during this time that Vance's rep received an endorsement contract with Maxwell House Coffee that was in effect. She appeared in a number of Maxwell House commercials over the past several years. In the 1970s, Vance made a few television appearances, including a 1975 episode of Rhoda, as well as appearing in a number of made-for-TV films including The Front Page (1970), Getting Away From It All (1972), and The Great Houdini (1976). In the 1977 CBS documentary Lucy Calls the President, she and Ball appeared together for the final time.

Following her appearance in a revival of The Cradle Will Rock in 1947, Vance migrated to California to explore other theatre productions as well as film opportunities. During her stay in Los Angeles, Vance appeared in two films: as streetwise chambermaid Leah (1950) and as Alicia in The Blue Veil (1951). She has received several praises for her appearances, but her films did nothing else to advance her screen career. Following her departure from The Lucy Show at the end of the third season, Vance committed to appear in The Great Race (1965); she saw this as an opportunity to restart a film career, but not so well. The film was a moderate success, receiving multiple Academy Award nominations.

Vance appeared in a number of shows on Broadway, mainly as a member of the chorus, beginning in 1932. After replacing Kay Thompson in the musical Hooray for What, she eventually transitioned to supporting roles. (1937): A 1936. Nancy Collister of Cole Porter's Let's Face It! was her most popular stage appearance. (1941), in which she appeared alongside Danny Kaye and Eve Arden for over 500 performances.

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