Who in your opinion was Lucille Ball's number one rival as the queen of tv comedy in the 1950's (this can be someone you prefer to Lucy, someone you think is the second best tv comedienne, or someone you feel was considered the second best tv comedienne. I'm not including Vivian Vance in the possibilities since this is really about Lucy's peers.

I voted for Elizabeth Montgomery.

Yeah, for strictly sitcoms, Liz Montgomery was probably the biggest female star in the 60s besides Lucy.

Now in the 70s, Carol Burnett's show was a major hit in this country and she or Mary Tyler Moore better represented the 70s than Lucy did in my opinion.

Elizabeth Montgomery

I can't think of anyone in the 1950's. There was a show called "I Married Joan" on NBC which ran from 1952 - 1955 starring Joan Davis and Jim Backus (later to become Mr. Howell from "Gilligan's Island" and the voice of Mr. Magoo). Though this show was pretty much a take off of "I Love Lucy" and not as successful. There was also "My Little Margie" but neither actresses or shows were the mega hit that Lucille Ball and "I Love Lucy" were and still are today. "The Honeymooners" was / is also a classic but that show's main star was Jackie Gleason.

Elizabeth Montgomery was one of the most popular stars of the 1960s and Bewitched was and is still one of the few classic "evergreen" series that continues to enjoy popularity but I would compare her more to Barbara Eden (whose series I Dream of Jeannie is also one of the few classic "evergreen" shows that has endured for over 45 years) or Marlo Thomas of the 1960s sitcom "That Girl". Though all of the above mentioned actresses from the 1960s are HUGELY enduring and endearing popular actresses I wouldn't call any of them the laugh out loud "queens of comedy" that Lucille Ball was / is. Out of Montgomery, Eden and Thomas, Elizabeth Montgomery's Samantha in particular played more of "the straight man" in her show while Agnes Moorehead's Endora caused the trouble for Samantha's mortal husband. It was actually Darrin who was seen in embarassing or "zany" circumstances (like Lucy) due to witchcraft and Samantha had to be the voice of reason and deal with the problem (more like Ricky). It seems to me that though all are great comedians it is more simply the "persona" of Montgomery, Eden, and Thomas as well as the series' ensemble casts and the "atmospheric/situational" appeal to these shows that keep viewers tuning in - not their character's "zany antics" (though Ball's "persona," the ensemble cast on "I Love Lucy" and excellent writing all were vital to that show's success too). It's just the others characters mentioned were not HYSTERICALLY funny like Lucy. Though, all are classic in their own way and in their own right! :)

Perhaps Carol Burnett comes closest in comparison to Lucille Ball in terms of the "queen of comedy" for her era - and still a close runner up to Lucille Ball for all time.

In the 1970s the female comedy duo "Laverne and Shirley" (Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams) were also the closest to Lucy and Ethel as a team that I can recall.

Who in your opinion was Lucille Ball's number one rival as the queen of tv comedy in the 1950's (this can be someone you prefer to Lucy, someone you think is the second best tv comedienne, or someone you feel was considered the second best tv comedienne. I'm not including Vivian Vance in the possibilities since this is really about Lucy's peers.

I can't think of anyone in the 1950's. There was a show called "I Married Joan" on NBC which ran from 1952 - 1955 starring Joan Davis and Jim Backus (later to become Mr. Howell from "Gilligan's Island" and the voice of Mr. Magoo). Though this show was pretty much a take off of "I Love Lucy" and not as successful. There was also "My Little Margie" but neither actresses or shows were the mega hit that Lucille Ball and "I Love Lucy" were and still are today. "The Honeymooners" was / is also a classic but that show's main star was Jackie Gleason.

Elizabeth Montgomery was one of the most popular stars of the 1960s and Bewitched was and is still one of the few classic "evergreen" series that continues to enjoy popularity but I would compare her more to Barbara Eden (whose series I Dream of Jeannie is also one of the few classic "evergreen" shows that has endured for over 45 years) or Marlo Thomas of the 1960s sitcom "That Girl". Though all of the above mentioned actresses from the 1960s are HUGELY enduring and endearing popular actresses I wouldn't call any of them the laugh out loud "queens of comedy" that Lucille Ball was / is. Out of Montgomery, Eden and Thomas, Elizabeth Montgomery's Samantha in particular played more of "the straight man" in her show while Agnes Moorehead's Endora caused the trouble for Samantha's mortal husband. It was actually Darrin who was seen in embarassing or "zany" circumstances (like Lucy) due to witchcraft and Samantha had to be the voice of reason and deal with the problem (more like Ricky). It seems to me that though all are great comedians it is more simply the "persona" of Montgomery, Eden, and Thomas as well as the series' ensemble casts and the "atmospheric/situational" appeal to these shows that keep viewers tuning in - not their character's "zany antics" (though Ball's "persona," the ensemble cast on "I Love Lucy" and excellent writing all were vital to that show's success too). It's just the others characters mentioned were not HYSTERICALLY funny like Lucy. Though, all are classic in their own way and in their own right! :)

Perhaps Carol Burnett comes closest in comparison to Lucille Ball in terms of the "queen of comedy" for her era - and still a close runner up to Lucille Ball for all time.

In the 1970s the female comedy duo "Laverne and Shirley" (Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams) are also the closest to Lucy and Ethel as a team that I can recall.
In the 1950's Lucy main rival for the Queen of TV Comedy title was Eve Arden the star of the hilarious and very underrated Our Miss Brooks.

Thanks for the reminder about Eve Arden! You are very right:)

In the 1950's Lucy main rival for the Queen of TV Comedy title was Eve Arden the star of the hilarious and very underrated Our Miss Brooks.

I voted for Carol Burnett

Without a doubt Elizabeth Montgomery, the "Grace Kelly of 1960's television" as she was once rghtly called. A very different type of comedy actress than Lucy for sure Elizabeth could be just as funny but in a very different way. "Bewitched" and "The Lucy Show" were such permanent fixtures of 1960s television that the two should share the title of "Queen" Elizabeth also should have won an Emmy for playing Samantha like Lucy did for playing lucy Carmichael. It is one of the crimes of television awards history that Elizabeth was nominated so many times and never won.



Who in your opinion was Lucille Ball's number one rival as the queen of tv comedy in the 1950's (this can be someone you prefer to Lucy, someone you think is the second best tv comedienne, or someone you feel was considered the second best tv comedienne. I'm not including Vivian Vance in the possibilities since this is really about Lucy's peers.

I voted for Carol Burnett, but as far as Queen of Comedy "OF ALL TIME", presently, Betty White might be giving Lucille Ball some serious competition!

I'm just astounded that Carol Burnett is out stripping Elizabeth Montgomery in the stakes as the main comedy rival for Lucy during the 1960's. I mean what was she even doing at that time? I never really saw her show but wasn't it more a 1970's program? I remember her in a funny guest spot on "Get Smart" from the 1960's but that is about it. I'm so very surprised she's getting more votes than such a prominent figure of 1960's television as Elizabeth Montgomery.

I voted for Carol Burnett, but as far as Queen of Comedy "OF ALL TIME", presently, Betty White might be giving Lucille Ball some serious competition!

She had been on "The Gary Moore Show" and "The Carol Burnett Show" started in 1967 and ran for 11 years until 1978. She also guest starred in a few of "The Lucy Show" episodes. :)

I'm just astounded that Carol Burnett is out stripping Elizabeth Montgomery in the stakes as the main comedy rival for Lucy during the 1960's. I mean what was she even doing at that time? I never really saw her show but wasn't it more a 1970's program? I remember her in a funny guest spot on "Get Smart" from the 1960's but that is about it. I'm so very surprised she's getting more votes than such a prominent figure of 1960's television as Elizabeth Montgomery.

Carol Burnett seems more like a "Queen of Comedy" just because her style of comedy was more laugh out loud like Lucy's. Therefore I voted for Carol Burnett but as far as the 1960s are concerned Elizabeth Montgomery and Barbara Eden would place a close second :)

Who in your opinion was Lucille Ball's number one rival as the queen of tv comedy in the 1950's (this can be someone you prefer to Lucy, someone you think is the second best tv comedienne, or someone you feel was considered the second best tv comedienne. I'm not including Vivian Vance in the possibilities since this is really about Lucy's peers.

Bewitched, though what Montgomery's best known for, is probably the only comedy she ever did. She was primarily a dramatic actress, not a comedienne, like Carol.

Her show was a skits show too wasn't it ? "Bewitched" and "The Lucy Show" were both top rating comedy series with continuing stoeylines. I think if it was viewed that way then Elizabeth and Lucy are in another category of comedy but you are right about Carol's style being more like Lucy's.



. Carol Burnett seems more like a "Queen of Comedy" just because her style of comedy was more laugh out loud like Lucy's. Therefore I voted for Carol Burnett but as far as the 1960s are concerned Elizabeth Montgomery and Barbara Eden would place a close second :)

Carol Burnett

Irene Ryan for both popularity and performance.

Several good options here but I agree with Alan Brady's Hair that Irene Ryan was the best. She really put her all into The Beverly Hillbillies and was very funny. Barbara Eden is my 2nd choice.

I'll have to pick a dark horse, Marlo Thomas. She rode a wave of feminism and was integral to it.

MTM would be a 70s pick.

I'll have to pick a dark horse, Marlo Thomas. She rode a wave of feminism and was integral to it.


The show never made the top 30, probably not even top 40. That's maybe a baroness, at best.

I like all the other actresses the posters have named here but for popularity, I have to vote Liz Montgomery. Even though she wasn't a true "comedian", Liz starred in a highly popular 30 minute situation comedy of the 1960s, just like Lucy did.

I picked Mary tyler Moore

In the 1950's Lucy main rival for the Queen of TV Comedy title was Eve Arden the star of the hilarious and very underrated Our Miss Brooks.


Carol Burnett and Mary Tyler Moore are great choices for the 60s and 70s, but, in the 1950s, Lucy's main competition for the role of Queen would have come from not only Eve Arden and Joan Davis but also one other funny lady that I think has them beat.

I'm talking about Gracie Allen, the star of her own show along with her legendary husband George Burns. Watch the show a few times and you'll think you're seeing another Lucy at work. Her weird "illogical" ramblings and continual dizzy behaviourisms are right up there with Lucy's best moments, yet they have become lost or ignored over time and that's just too bad because I think she's great! It's a sad shame that the two ladies never got to work together. That would have been TV at its best!

Joan Davis of I Married Joan would've been better remembered as a great if not for her untimely death at age 48.