I think Viv did a WONDERFUL job.

What does everyone else think?

I also think that Viv was the best aside from Lucy. She was a great actress who brought the character of Ethel Mertz to life. IMO, some of the funniest lines from the show are things that Ethel said. And her performance in "The Operetta," excellent. She definatly deserved the Emmy that she won and truly was the (second) main reason for ILL's success.

Tough one, i agree with the comments on Viv, and even Bill. Desi and Jess were the brains behind the operation so it was a collaborative effort on everybody's part. But after Lucy i'd say Desi and Jess, because if the stories and production values aren't there, you got nothin!

I like it when she says "If I had known this is what friends were for I would have signed up as an enemy!"

Desi. No contest.

:wave:

Toughie!! but as much as I love Ethel, I think the show works best due to the chemistry between Lucy and Desi.

I would say a tie between Vivian and Desi. Not that William did a bad job but Viv and Desi were fantastic!!

Desi.

But nobody else could have played Ethel, no one else could have played Fred. They all did a great job.

Like Jess said in his book, it was unbelievable that the five of them got together like that at the same time, and that they were all perfect for their jobs, and the marriage played into it and the fact that they could all perform too musically and everything else just meshed perfectly!

Originally posted by Splain
It was unbelievable that the five of them got together like that at the same time, and that they were all perfect for their jobs.
Isn't it true, though, that the studio, in their glorious wisdom, didn't want Vivian Vance or William Frawley any more than they wanted Desi? I wonder how the show would have turned out if they'd got all their wishes!

:wave:

I bet it wouldn't have made it like it did!

Lessee, Lucy with Richard Denning of My Favorite Husband as her hubby, and the neighbors played by Bea Benederet and Gale Gordon, like them all but the show would not have been as great!

I think all of them added to the show.. I think they all did a wonderful job! They all had their ways of making the show great ;) . I cant really pick who did better other than Lucy. Course Lucy will always be my favorite hehe.


-Ashley

IT WAS DESI WHO ALWAYS SAID, GIVE HER 90 PERCENT OF THE CREDIT AND SPLIT THE OTHER TEN PERCENT AMONGST THE REST OF US!

Originally posted by Splain
Lessee, Lucy with Richard Denning of My Favorite Husband as her hubby, and the neighbors played by Bea Benederet and Gale Gordon, like them all but the show would not have been as great!
It probably wouldn't have been remembered so fondly fifty years on, either. At a guess it would have been just another comedy show, that did reasonably well at the time and then drifted off into TV history. Lucy's career might well have gone very differently afterwards too. Just goes to show that you should never listen too closely to TV execs! I just wish somebody would figure that one out nowadays.

:wave:

Now now Mickey, you forget that the writers still would have done those magical moments for the great lady to execute and it still would have been a hit, but it would definitely have been missing many great aspects of it though, i can't imagine the Baby show with Denning instead of her real life husband!

Desi was great, totally underrated.
As a kid I thought he was fine, but when I got to college and
watched reruns again I completely saw how good he was and how people seemed to take his ability for granted. Acting, comic timing, playing off others, slapstick (oh yeah and musical talent)- he did it all.

Vivian and William were great too (and irreplaceable), but Desi was very accomplished and did the best job besides Lucy.
No contest.

Did you guys know he had a photographic memory and not only knew his dialogue but everyone else's. AND, he usually was keeping track of several shows at one time, so while he was acting in one, he was editing writing on another and seing ten shows ahead planning and so on. . . I'll never forget Lucie saying that when she was preparing three episodes of Thre Lucy Desi comedy hour for a syndication package that her mother was looking over her shoulder as she was editing something and Lucy said WASN'T HE GREAT? To be a straight man is a thankless job, and it takes a lot of effort to make something look effortless, just remember that her actions would have elicited fewer laughs without his reactions! He really refined the bug eye'd look!

Being a straight man is terrible. Look at how hard Dino found it to get proper recognition for the part he played in his teaming up with Jerry Lewis. In many ways though I don't think that there is necessarily any such thing as a 'straight man'. It's just a different kind of humour, really. Less overt, perhaps. I always found Dino and Desi the funniest of their two pairings.

As for the work Desi did - he was a true professional. There's few enough of them left these days! Must have been very hard work keeping track of so many scripts, all in a foreign language. No matter how used to speaking another language you become, it always takes that little bit extra work. No wonder the guy needed to let off steam every so often!

:wave:

Every so often? He could have been in the Guiness book of world records!

I'm not sure that Norris McSquirter would allow a category for record breaking drunken extravaganzas. Could suggest it I suppose...

:wave:

Mickey:

Did you get the Pm? Are you going to join?

Maybe.

:wave:

Geez, are you after him too Babalu, i just asked him to join two places also, he is a great catch, isn't he? Old shows, why don't you take PM's, we're going after you next! Back to Mickey, i thought you were referring to Desi's proclivities with the ladies, that's what i meant about the Guiness books of records! There was this one lunch where Lucy is said to have invited all these old girlfriends of his, but they never say if she had to have the lunch at the Rose Bowl stadium!

I that case I definitely don't think it would be allowed in the Guiness Book Of Records! :)

:wave:

I wish I had a photographic memory! LOL that would make my life SO much easier! :/ Babalu, arent you the one with another message board? I want to join!!


-Ash

You caught him in the middle of his recruitment drive Ash, this kid makes PBS look like an amateur!

I'm after Jane and Beaver's Biggest Fan also!:D

I think now that Viv and Desi did the best job, too.:wave:

Originally posted by Babalu
I'm after Jane and Beaver's Biggest Fan also!:D

I think now that Viv and Desi did the best job, too.:wave:

What are you after me for? To join your message board? I'll do it if you tell me how...
And I'm with you Desi and Vivian did the best job.

I get the feeling after one of my posts today, i'll ONLY be on your site Babalu, i wish all the sites were as broadminded and adult as this one, or normal like Babalu's! Not all the people who post are as great as the ones on this board!

Originally posted by BeaversBiggestFan


What are you after me for? To join your message board? I'll do it if you tell me how...
And I'm with you Desi and Vivian did the best job. Just go to http://lucylucylucy.proboards5.com and click register and it's that simple!:)

Ok...I'm CarolineAppleby. I'm official.

Well, you've got an original name to start things off, see you there shortly!

I'm a real go-getter!:D

But not a modest one!

:lol: You guys crack me up...

Well both Babalu and i were wiened on Lucy, so that could be the reason!