Desi didn't want any competition,he could have picked anybody as Fred mertz but picks and old washed vaudeville alcoholic in william frawley,and poor Ethel, always portrayed poorly in fact she was much more attractive than lucy. And they own an apt building in Manhattan so they must have made some serious money but were always shown as poor.

Desi didn't want any competition,he could have picked anybody as Fred mertz but picks and old washed vaudeville alcoholic in william frawley,and poor Ethel, always portrayed poorly in fact she was much more attractive than lucy. And they own an apt building in Manhattan so they must have made some serious money but were always shown as poor.

I loved Fred . He was hilarious. I think he was a good choice to play Fred. I liked how he was an old vaudeville performer, and kind of a Father figure / mentor for Ricky . And the funny part was it was obvious the Mertzes weren't poor. Fred was just cheap. Ethel always complained about that . As were a lot of men back than
They grew up living in the depression for a lot of their younger life and just became frugal , it was a mindset, even if they weren't poor !,;)

And yes , Ethel was played down a little looks wise, to make it more believable she would be married to the " old goat" Fred! ;)

I think in the very early shows, Bill Frawley is the only one who really looks comfortable in front of the camera, moving around the stage.