Which do you think was the better replacement for Viv: Mary Jane Lewis (played by Mary Jane Croft) or The Countess (played by Ann Sothern)?

I LOVE them both but I have to say Countess. :cool:

They are so different! Mary Jane was awesome, but Ann Sothern was great too. I have to vote for Countess Framboise.

Originally posted by LucyFan
Which do you think was the better replacement for Viv: Mary Jane Lewis (played by Mary Jane Croft) or The Countess (played by Ann Sothern)?

My vote goes to Mary Jane. I find her amusing. Ann Sothern never made me laugh. That being said, I must add that, IMO, nobody could replace the great Vivian Vance. I have heard however, but don't know if it's true, that Audrey Meadows and Mary Wickes were being considered as replacements for Vivian Vance. The Audrey Meadows rumor may be related to the fact that she was being considered as a regular cast member on "Life with Lucy." I think both of these women could have been great sidekicks for Lucille Ball as both of them excelled in playing strong characters who could stand up to someone like Lucy the way Ethel Mertz or Vivian Bagley did. In fact, Audrey Meadows' Alice Kramden, well known for putting Ralph Kramden in his place, sort of reminds me of Vivian Bagley when Vivian gets fed up with Lucy's antics. Alice, however, has a tendency to be more vocal than Viv.

Well, I think the countess is fantastic! But, it's Mary Jane all the way for me!!

Mary Jane was a poor replacement for Viv. I just couldn't stand Mary Jane's voice.

I always thought her voice was the only thing funny about her. But with better material, she could be funny, like on the airplane with Lucy and her cheese baby, and as her neighbor in the country episodes of ILL. Put me down for the Countess also, although a character with more power than Lucy, i don't know about that! I Loved Ann Sothern, don't compare an Oscar nominated actress with another actress who did nothing else but small parts on Lucy shows. She was good, but no Ann Sothern!

Sure, Ann Sothern was great. As Mr. Mooney would say, CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCOUNTESS!

But, I thought Mary Jane was the greatest! Such a great Lucy sidekick!

Like i said, yes she was, but the material was lacking, when she got a decent part, she ran with it!