The best decision Desi Arnaz made with regards to ILL was casting William Frawley as Fred. Lucy may have been the lead, but IMO, William Frawley's character had the best lines, delivery and comedic presence of the entire cast.

The best decision Desi Arnaz made with regards to ILL was casting William Frawley as Fred. Lucy may have been the lead, but IMO, William Frawley's character had the best lines, delivery and comedic presence of the entire cast.
Oh yeah, when he drank that Vita juice he was a riot, when he handled the chocolates on that conveyor belt he just cracked me up and when he put that fake nose on, well, he was just the best. Are you sure you're not watching I Love Fred?:crazy: :lol: There are even a few instances where Fred does not deliver his lines well, or that scene where he pushes Ricky when they are taking Lucy to the hospital, he does it so badly that it just looks so fake.

I love William Frawley! He and Vivian Vance were great as Fred and Ethel.

What really makes comedy (or any TV show) work is conflict. You need some sort of conflict around which the characters can interact. On ILL Fred Mertz provided the majority of the conflict. So yes Bill Frawley was a great casting choice by Desi Arnaz.

I cannot see anyone else playing Fred Mertz other than William Frawley or should I say that William Frawley played William Frawley. Didn't Lucy make a comment that William Frawley was Fred Mertz? The actor was the character he played.

Oh yeah, when he drank that Vita juice he was a riot, when he handled the chocolates on that conveyor belt he just cracked me up and when he put that fake nose on, well, he was just the best.

Glad to see you agree with me. Thanks.

:wave:

Best decision Desi made? Frawley was definitely up there, but I would put it at second or third. At least equal to that decision, if not better, was his decision to cast Vivian Vance. But number one in my book was the decision to film the show rather than do it live. Had it not been for that, none of us would be here discussing Frawley, Vance or I Love Lucy.

I love William Frawley! He and Vivian Vance were great as Fred and Ethel.

Eventhough Vance absolutely hated him which was wrong on her part!

Eventhough Vance absolutely hated him which was wrong on her part!
Well, she was right, he could have played her dad instead in that ep where she went back home. She thought he was too old for her and he made nasty comments about her so she grew to despise him, but they were pros and it never showed, sorta like that bitchfest between two of the golden girls and that didn't show either.

Well, she was right, he could have played her dad instead in that ep where she went back home. She thought he was too old for her and he made nasty comments about her so she grew to despise him, but they were pros and it never showed, sorta like that bitchfest between two of the golden girls and that didn't show either.

But look at the Jeffersons. Louise and George were great friends till the end eventhough Louise was old enough to be George's mother!

You gotta get along people! It was especially evil of Vance to say she was going to have a party when Frawley died! HORRIBLE!

Eventhough Vance absolutely hated him which was wrong on her part!

The feeling was mutual from William. They hated each other.

The feeling was mutual from William. They hated each other.

I'm pretty sure Vance hated him more.

They were offered a show called the Mertzes after ILL. Frawley said yes but Vance said no.

WF was great! No doubt about it but he was no Lucy.

WF was great! No doubt about it but he was no Lucy.

John Ritter was better than both as Jack Tripper!

That's why TC was Lucy's favorite show!

All four were important to the show's success.

Eventhough Vance absolutely hated him which was wrong on her part!

He hated her too, though that may have been because of her resenting being cast with an old man. He was eighteen years older than her and a heavy drinker who apparently wasn't the most pleasant person to be around at times. I grew up watching this show as a kid and found out about their dislike for each other as an adult, and as silly as it sounds it made me sad as I liked all of them.

That being said, I do like him as Fred but I love Vivian Vance and don't think she gets enough credit in her role.