Ethel Mertz Biography

Ethel Louise Roberta Mae Potter was born on July 23 or August 23 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ethel married Fred Mertz sometime during the 1930s. The couple was in vaudeville until vaudeville died out. The Mertzes buy a reconverted brownstone apartment building, in New York City. In 1948 Ricky and Lucy Ricardo moved into an apartment in the Mertzes' apartment building, and the couples become best friends.

Ethel is Lucy's fellow schemer in all of her crazy antics, although she does not like being caught up in them, but is still always there for Lucy. Ethel often complains about her boring, saving lifestyle, due to her penny-pinching, husband, Fred. Ethel and Fred go along with the Ricardos on trips to California, and Europe.

Upon returning to New York after Europe, the Ricardos move to Connecticut, leaving the heart broken Mertzes behind. In a short time Ethel and Fred move to Connecticut to be with their best friends and become tenants in the Ricardo's guest house.