Vivian Vance Biography
(1912-1979)

Vivian Roberta Jones was born on July 26, 1912, in Cherryvale, Kansas, to a family that included five daughters and one son. Vivian's family moved to Independence, Kansas when she was still a child. As a schoolgirl she studied dramatics under Anna Ungleman and William Inge, the author of Come Back, Little Sheba. Vivian's father, Robert A. Jones, moved the family to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where her acting ability boomed at the Albuquerque Little Theater. Her dramatics teacher, Vance Randolph, helped her not only with her technique but also her name. On October 6, 1928, Vivian married Joseph Shearer Danneck, Jr., the marriage ended in divorce on April 20, 1931. The directors of the Little Theater group were so impressed by Vivian's talent that they organized a special performance of The Trial of Mary Dugan, which starred Vivian. The proceeds of the performance were used to send Vivian to New York, to study with Eva Le Gallienne.

Upon arriving in Manhattan in 1932, Vivian was disappointed to learn that the enrollment at the school was already greater than it was supposed to be, so she started going to auditions on her own. While residing at the MacDougal Street Girls' Club for eleven dollars a week, she was told of an audition being held at the Alvin Theater for a musical by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein, II, Music in the Air. She worked on the show for two years, and during her spare time, sang at nightclubs, her best songs were "Danny Boy" and "Japanese Sandman."

On January 6, 1933, Vivian married George Koch, the marriage ended in divorce in July 1940. Vivian's next job was a small role in Anything Goes in 1934, were she understudied Ethel Merman. She won her biggest honor when, as an understudy, stepped into Kay Thompson's role in Hooray for What on opening night in 1937. The following year Vivian played her first dramatic role in Clare Boothe's Kiss the Boys Goodbye.

During the summer of 1941, Vivian met her third husband Philip Ober, while opening a theater at Harrison, Maine. The two married on August 12, 1941 and divorced on April 24, 1959. Later in 1941, Vivian appeared at the Imperial Theater on Broadway in Let's Face It, sharing the stellar billing with Danny Kaye, Eve Arden, and Nanette Fabray for an eighty-five-week run. During World War II, Vivian and her troupe were the first legitimate entertainment to be sent to a combat Theater of War, going from North Africa to Italy. After returning from Europe, she took a leading role in The Voice of the Turtle from June 1945 to June 1946, before retiring three years to her ranch in New Mexico due to a nervous breakdown.

With more than twenty years of stage experience and training behind her, it was clear that Vivian Vance had the credentials necessary for a TV show that was to be filmed like a stage play, "I Love Lucy." "I Love Lucy" director Marc Daniels mentioned friend Vivian Vance for the role of Ethel Mertz. Desi Arnaz and Jess Oppenheimer both felt Vivian would be ideal for Ethel, but Lucille Ball did not because Ethel is supposed to be blond and frumpy, while Vivian was a slim, redhead. For the role Vivian gained twenty pounds and dyed her hair blond. This made her look a generation older than Lucille Ball. Vivian got the role of Ethel Mertz, the role that would made her a household name.

Throughout the series of "I Love Lucy," Vivian consulted psychiatrists to help her with the stereotype of Ethel Mertz, the not-so-good relationship with her mother, and the difficult marriage she had with husband, Phil Ober. In 1954 Vivian won the very first Emmy Award for best supporting actress. Vivian and William Frawley, who portrayed her husband on "I Love Lucy," were offered their own spin-off series near the end of "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour," however, the two despised each other and declined on the offer.

After "I Love Lucy" and "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour" ended she then moved to the west coast where she continued to perform in theater productions. Vivian auditioned for a comedy series of her own Guestward Ho!, however the lead went to another actress. Afterward she went happily into retirement with her new husband, literary agent John Dodds in which she married on January 16, 1961, and the couple moved to Stamford, Connecticut.

In 1962, with alot of pressure and some complicated contract negotiations, Vivian was persuaded to commute weekly to the West Coast for "The Lucy Show." Vivian asked that her character be named Vivian and not Ethel, as well as permission to lose the extra twenty pounds that she had carried during "I Love Lucy." Vivian also bargained for a more glamorous wardrobe as well. After three seasons, 1962-65, Vivian had enough of her weekly coastal commutes, and returned to her life of retirement in Connecticut. She did, however, appear in yearly reunion episodes of "The Lucy Show" and "Here's Lucy" until 1972. She also continued to make appearances on Lucille Ball's specials as well as on other television series, including "Love American Style" and "Rhoda."

In 1974, Vivian and husband John moved to Belvedere, California, so she could be near her sister. On August 17, 1979 Vivian passed away after a two year battle with bone and breast cancer.

Spouse

Joseph Shearer Danneck, Jr. / October 6, 1928 - April 20, 1931 (divorced)

George Koch / January 6, 1933 - July 1940 (divorced)

Philip Ober / August 12, 1941 - April 24, 1959 (divorced)

John Dodds / January 16, 1961 - August 17, 1979 (her death)

Filmography

1. The Secret Fury (1950) ... Leah
2. "I Love Lucy" (1951) TV Series ... Ethel Mertz
3. The Blue Veil (1951) ... Alicia
4. "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour" (1957) TV Series ... Ethel Mertz
5. "The Lucy Show" (1962) TV Series ... Vivian Bagley (1962-66)
6. The Great Race (1965) ... Hester Goodbody
7. "Here's Lucy" (1968) TV Series ... Vivian Jones (1968)
8. Getting Away From It All (1971) ... May Brodey
9. The Great Houdini (1976) TV Movie ... Minnie (Nurse)
10. CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years (1976) TV Movie ... Herself
11. Lucy Calls The President (1977) TV Movie

Guest Appearances

1. "Shower Of Stars" (1954) playing Herself aired 1955
2. "Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse" (1958) episode "The Desilu Revue" aired December 11, 1959
3. "The Deputy" (1959) playing Emma Grant episode "Land Greed" #1.13 aired December 12, 1959
4. "Password" (1961) playing Panelist/Herself aired 1961
5. "Candid Camera" (1960) aired 1961
6. "Candid Camera" (1960) aired 1962
7. "The Jack Parr Program" (1962) aired 1962
8. "Password" (1961) playing Panelist/Herself aired 1963
9. "Password" (1961) playing Panelist/Herself aired 1964
10. "To Tell The Truth" (1956) playing Panelist aired 1965
11. "The Match Game" (1962) playing Panelist aired 1965
12. "Password" (1961) playing Panelist/Herself aired 1965
13. "The Mike Douglas Show" (1961) aired 1965
14. "The Price Is Right" (1956) aired 1965
15. "I've Got A Secret" (1952) aired 1965
16. "Call My Bluff" (1965) playing Panelist aired 1965
17. "ABC's Nightlife" (1964) playing Herself aired 1965
18. "The Match Game" (1962) playing Panelist aired 1966
19. "Girl Talk" (1963) playing Herself aired 1966
20. "I've Got A Secret" (1952) aired 1966
21. "The Hollywood Squares" (1966) playing Herself aired 1967
22. "The Match Game" (1962) playing Panelist aired 1967
23. "Everybody's Talking" (1967) playing Panelist aired 1967
24. "Snap Judgment" (1967) playing Panelist aired 1967
25. "The Dick Cavett Show" (1969) playing Herself aired 1968
26. "The Mike Douglas Show" (1961) aired 1968
27. "The Lucy Show" (1962) playing Vivian Bagley episode "Lucy and Viv Reminisce" #6.16 aired January 1, 1968
28. "The Lucy Show" (1962) playing Vivian Bagley episode "Lucy and the Lost Star" #6.22 aired February 26, 1968
29. "Here's Lucy" (1968) playing Vivian Jones episode "Lucy, The Matchmaker" #1.14 aired December 16, 1968
30. "Love, American Style" (1969) playing Zimia episode "Love and the Medium" aired 1969
31. "The Kraft Music Hall" (1967) playing Herself aired 1970
32. "The Mike Douglas Show" (1961) aired 1970
33. "Here's Lucy" (1968) playing Vivian Jones episode "Lucy And Lawrence Welk" #2.19 January 19, 1970
34. "Here's Lucy" (1968) playing Vivian Jones episode "Lucy And Viv Visit Tijuana" #2.20 January 26, 1970
35. "Here's Lucy" (1968) playing Vivian Jones episode "Lucy Goes Hawaiian-Part 1" #3.12 February 15, 1971
36. "Here's Lucy" (1968) playing Vivian Jones episode "Lucy Goes Hawaiian-Part 2" #3.13 February 22, 1971
37. "Here's Lucy" (1968) playing Vivian Jones episode "With Viv As A Friend, Who Needs An Enemy?" #4.22 February 21, 1972
38. "Dinah!" (1974) playing Herself aired April 29, 1975
39. "Rhoda" (1974) playing Maggie Cummings episode "Friends and Mothers" #2.12 aired November 24, 1975