Vivian Vance

(1998). Witherspoon was the voice behind the character of Greta Wolfecastle in an episode of The Simpsons. The Other Side of Ethel Mertz: The Life Story of Vivian Vance by Frank Castelluccio & Alvin Walker, published by Knowledge, Ideas & Trends, Inc. She is known for her versatility as an actress, playing both comedic and dramatic roles and has won Best Actress awards from the National Society of Film Critics and the Online Film Critics Society. She was also the first person to win the Best Supporting Actress Emmy. They have two children together, Ava Elizabeth Phillippe, born September 9, 1999 and Deacon Phillippe, born October 23, 2003. Vivan Vance played a significant part in the history of television She defined the role of second banana, paving the way for future female sidekicks. Witherspoon married actor Ryan Phillippe on June 5, 1999.

She was diagnosed with cancer in 1977 and died in 1979. She has a younger brother named John, who works as a real estate broker. Her final television appearance was on the last CBS Lucy production, Lucy Calls the President, which aired November 21, 1977, and featured many of the cast members from The Lucy Show. Her father is a surgeon and her mother is a nurse and college professor. During the mid-1970s she took small roles on sitcoms such as Rhoda. Witherspoon is a direct descendant of John Witherspoon, signer of the United States Declaration of Independence and founder of Princeton University. Over the next several years, Vance appeared occasionally alongside Ball on reunion shows and for guest appearances on Here's Lucy. Witherspoon was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She attended Stanford University but dropped out before completing her degree requirements.

She remained with the show for three of its six years before retiring to Connecticut. Reese Witherspoon (born as Laura Jean Reese Witherspoon on March 22, 1976) is an American actress perhaps most familiar as Elle Woods in the film Legally Blonde (2001) and its sequel Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde (2003). Vance paired once again with Ball for The Lucy Show, her first post-Arnaz series, and this time was permitted to look more glamorous as Vivian Bagley, a divorced mother of one son. Vanity Fair (2004). (Vance's then real-life husband, Phil Ober, frequently played small supporting roles on the series, most notably as producer Dore Scharey in one of the Hollywood episodes.). Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde (2003). She and Frawley were a perfect match as the bickering Mertzes, since they detested each other in real life. Sweet Home Alabama (2002).

Vance's character was the less than prosperous resident of a New York City brownstone owned by her and her husband Fred (William Frawley). The Importance of Being Earnest (2002). A somewhat youthful looking and attractive woman, Vance was required to wear frumpy clothes that were actually a size smaller than Vance usually wore in order to make her appear overweight. Legally Blonde (2001). Lucille Ball was less than sure; she had envisioned Ethel Mertz as much older and less attractive than Vance. American Psycho (2000). Upon seeing Vance, Arnaz knew he had found the perfect Ethel. Election (1999).

He found her at the La Jolla Playhouse's production of The Voice of the Turtle. Cruel Intentions (1999). Benadaret was unavailable due to a previous commitment so Arnaz went looking for another actress. Pleasantville (1998). When casting his new sitcom I Love Lucy, starring himself and wife Lucille Ball, Ball's first choice for the role of landlady Ethel Mertz was Bea Benadaret. Overnight Delivery (1998). During the early years of her career she played small roles in a few films, but worked primarily as a stage actress, appearing in a total of thirty-eight productions throughout her career. Twilight (1998).

. Freeway (1996). Vivian Vance (July 26, 1909-August 17, 1979) was an American actress, born in Cherryvale, Kansas as Vivian Roberta Jones. Fear (1996). The Man in the Moon (1991).