This page will contain images about Vivian Vance, as they become available.Vivian VanceVance (center) with Charles Laughton and Jane Wyman in The Blue Veil, 1951Vivian Vance (July 26, 1909-August 17, 1979) was an American actress, born in Cherryvale, Kansas as Vivian Roberta Jones. 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. 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. Benadaret was unavailable due to a previous commitment so Arnaz went looking for another actress. He found her at the La Jolla Playhouse's production of The Voice of the Turtle. Upon seeing Vance, Arnaz knew he had found the perfect Ethel. Lucille Ball was less than sure; she had envisioned Ethel Mertz as much older and less attractive than Vance. Vivian Vance as Ethel Mertz with TV hubby Fred, portrayed by William Frawley, in a scene from I Love LucyA 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. Vance's character was the less than prosperous resident of a New York City brownstone owned by her and her husband Fred (William Frawley). She and Frawley were a perfect match as the bickering Mertzes, since they detested each other in real life. (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.) 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. She remained with the show for three of its six years before retiring to Connecticut. Over the next several years, Vance appeared occasionally alongside Ball on reunion shows and for guest appearances on Here's Lucy. During the mid-1970s she took small roles on sitcoms such as Rhoda. 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. She was diagnosed with cancer in 1977 and died in 1979. 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. She was also the first person to win the Best Supporting Actress Emmy. ReferenceThe Other Side of Ethel Mertz: The Life Story of Vivian Vance by Frank Castelluccio & Alvin Walker, published by Knowledge, Ideas & Trends, Inc. (1998) This page about Vivian Vance includes information from a Wikipedia article. Additional articles about Vivian Vance News stories about Vivian Vance External links for Vivian Vance Videos for Vivian Vance Wikis about Vivian Vance Discussion Groups about Vivian Vance Blogs about Vivian Vance Images of Vivian Vance |
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(1998). Her home town of Reading has named a street - Winslet Place - in her honour, ironically built on the site of a demolished cinema. The Other Side of Ethel Mertz: The Life Story of Vivian Vance by Frank Castelluccio & Alvin Walker, published by Knowledge, Ideas & Trends, Inc. Kate married Sam on May 24, 2003 on the island of Anguilla in the West Indies and their son Joe Alfie Winslet-Mendes was born on December 22, 2003. She was also the first person to win the Best Supporting Actress Emmy. After her divorce in 2001, she began a relationship with director Sam Mendes. 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. On November 22, 1998 she married director Jim Threapleton with whom she has a daughter named Mia Honey. She was diagnosed with cancer in 1977 and died in 1979. Kate Winslet has also appeared as a singer with her single "What If" from the "Christmas Carol: The Movie" soundtrack. 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. Since then she has acted in several films, such as Sense and Sensibility, Jude, A Kid in King Arthur's Court, Titanic, Hamlet, Hideous Kinky, Holy Smoke, Iris, The Life of David Gale, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Finding Neverland and Romance and Cigarettes earning her three Oscar nominations and two Golden Globes. During the mid-1970s she took small roles on sitcoms such as Rhoda. Her film career took off in 1994 when she performed her first leading role as Juliet Hulme in Peter Jackson's Heavenly Creatures. Over the next several years, Vance appeared occasionally alongside Ball on reunion shows and for guest appearances on Here's Lucy. Her career began on television, with an appearance in an episode of the BBC medical drama Casualty in 1989, followed by a co-starring role in the children's science-fiction serial Dark Season two years later, also for the BBC. She remained with the show for three of its six years before retiring to Connecticut. She was born in Reading, Berkshire, England. 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. Kate Elizabeth Winslet (born October 5, 1975) is a British actress most famous for her role in the 1997 blockbuster movie Titanic. (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.). Dark Season (TV-Series) (1991) - Reet. She and Frawley were a perfect match as the bickering Mertzes, since they detested each other in real life. Anglo Saxon Attitudes (TV) (1992). Vance's character was the less than prosperous resident of a New York City brownstone owned by her and her husband Fred (William Frawley). Get Back (TV-Series) (1992) - Eleanor Sweet. 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. Heavenly Creatures (1994) - Juliet Hulme. Lucille Ball was less than sure; she had envisioned Ethel Mertz as much older and less attractive than Vance. A Kid in King Arthur's Court (1995) - Princess Sarah. Upon seeing Vance, Arnaz knew he had found the perfect Ethel. Sense and Sensibility (1995) - Marianne Dashwood. He found her at the La Jolla Playhouse's production of The Voice of the Turtle. Jude (1996) - Sue Bridehead. Benadaret was unavailable due to a previous commitment so Arnaz went looking for another actress. Hamlet (1996) - Ophelia. 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. Titanic (1997) - Rose DeWitt Bukater. 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. Hideous Kinky (1998) - Julia.
Christmas Carol: The Movie (2001) - Belle (voice). Iris (2001/I) - Young Iris Murdoch. War Game (2001) - Mum/Annie. The Life of David Gale (2003) - Bitsey Bloom. Plunge: The Movie (2003) - Clare. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) - Clementine Kruczynski. Pride (TV) (2004) - Suki (voice). Finding Neverland (2004) - Sylvia Llewelyn Davies. |