Out of these two, which one do you think would be the better Fred Mertz on I Love Lucy? As we all know, Gale Gordon (Mr. Mooney from The Lucy Show) was Lucille Ball's first choice for the role of Fred Mertz.

BTW . . . THIS is the the 1000th thread of the I Love Lucy message board.

How we vote on such a hypothetical? Gale was never Fred. William was Fred. We can't compare. Case closed. :wave:

Well, it would have been nice to see what Gale would have done with the character, his one dimensional Mr Mooney was not the best, so seing as Gale was so capable as an actor, no less than Richard Burton thought so, it would have been interesting to see what he would have done with the role, and besides Viv would have been a lot happier, so they might have done that spin off also!

Bill was th perfect Fred. End of story.

When Gale was on I Love Lucy playing Ricky's manager at The Tropiciana,the 2 episodes that he was in were hilarious. The one where Lucy and Ricky are late at the Littlefield's apartment and they miss out on dinner and Lucy eats all of the mints and tries to eat the apple only to find out that it was wax and Ricky plans a schedule for Lucy after what happens at the apartment. The other episode is where Lucy, Ethel and Fred disguise themselves as different people to get Ricky back into Mr. Littlefield's club.

Back to the original question, I think William was the best Fred. The later shows that Gale Gordon and Lucy were in were classic.

I always LOVE it when certain people decide the discussion is OVER! Of course Bill was the perfect Fred, but what a great point someone made about the fact that Gale did SHINE in the episodes of the series that he appeared in, the raise and the schedule, perfect example of how great he could be when he had the material to back it up.

I dont think the show would been as good as it was if Bill was not there. actually... I know it wouldn't of been as good.


Gale did his thing on his show

Fred did his thing on his show.


Things would be different if Fred did Gale's part too

I was watching I Love Lucy Tuesday night and my dad watched like 2 minutes of it and said "Fred was the best character" and walked away.

Originally posted by SPLAIN
I always LOVE it when certain people decide the discussion is OVER! Of course Bill was the perfect Fred, but what a great point someone made about the fact that Gale did SHINE in the episodes of the series that he appeared in, the raise and the schedule, perfect example of how great he could be when he had the material to back it up.

Actually, I think Gale Gordon's character on the show was too stiff and boring. Mr. Mooney could make me laugh, but Mr. Littlefield puts me to sleep. I did love Gale Gordon's appearance as the judge in the Lucy Makes Room for Danny episode. In that one, he didn't act like the stuffed shirt he portrayed as Mr. Littlefield.

Originally posted by LucyCompanyPhan
I was watching I Love Lucy Tuesday night and my dad watched like 2 minutes of it and said "Fred was the best character" and walked away.

I love Fred, but I totally disagree with your father. I think the combination of all the characters is what made the show magical, but I think Fred was the most expendible of the four characters. If that character had been taken off the show, it might not have been as good, but it still would have worked. If Ricky or Ethel had been removed, each of whom (unlike Fred) had a very special relationship with Lucy, the show would have suffered. If Lucy were taken off, that would have simply been the end of the show.

Originally posted by JaneTVFan


I love Fred, but I totally disagree with your father. I think the combination of all the characters is what made the show magical, but I think Fred was the most expendible of the four characters. If that character had been taken off the show, it might not have been as good, but it still would have worked. If Ricky or Ethel had been removed, each of whom (unlike Fred) had a very special relationship with Lucy, the show would have suffered. If Lucy were taken off, that would have simply been the end of the show.


I agree, Fred wasnt the best character, i was just simply stating my dads opinion about the impat of Fred.

If you're a longtime fan of I L L-- or maybe even not that long-- there is just no way you can think of the characters being played by other actors and the show being really the same. Gale Gordon could have played Fred Mertz, and if he had we might well be saying that nobody else could play the part as well ;) ... Indeed, do any fans of the The Lucy Show think any other actor could have played 'Mr. Mooney' as well as he did? As sort of a microcosm of how which part of the world we are born into affects our perception of the world, I L L was put before us for our entertainment as it was, and if we become fans we have a natural bias in that way.

But one positive thing about Gale Gordon playing Fred would have been that it was more believable that Ethel would have married him. He was within the age range that she would have been expected to marry, and when he plays the 'grump,' it doesn't come across as so cynical.

Loved what you said there Jane, as usual, but we disagree, i HATED Gale in the Mr Mooney role that was so one dimensional, he always yelling at her and everything, but lately when i look back on the shows decades later, i think he was so great in the role, so the argument that we see things differently stated by the previous post is right on. Desi used to say that wherever he went people would ask How's Fred, Where's Fred? Yes he was a lovable old coot, and if he was not one quarter of that fantastic quartet, the show would suffer, but a few one liners here and there, and still make such an impression takes real talent, why he never got an Emmy, i'll never know, five years in a row he lost to Art Carney, such a shame. But i loved what he said the year that Viv finally took hers home, when she got back to the table, he stated in perfect Fred Mertz applomb, WELL, IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT THE AWARDS ARE FIXED! And they wonder why they didn't get along!

I love Fred, but I totally disagree with your father. I think the combination of all the characters is what made the show magical, but I think Fred was the most expendible of the four characters. If that character had been taken off the show, it might not have been as good, but it still would have worked. If Ricky or Ethel had been removed, each of whom (unlike Fred) had a very special relationship with Lucy, the show would have suffered. If Lucy were taken off, that would have simply been the end of the show.


I completely agree! Without Lucy, Ethel, or Ricky the show wouldn't be as good as it is. It is the personality of all the other characters that makes Fred's comments funny.
I also think it is hard to compare the shows ( "I Love Lucy" and "The Lucy Show") because they are two totally diferent shows. You can't shove someone from one show and expect them to be better than somone from another show.

This is my way of saying it:

Bill is Fred Mertz

Gale is Mr. Mooney

That the end of it!lol:wave:

Def Bill. Gale was too stuffy to be that...gruff. Poor and gruff.

I'll just say I can't imagine Gale as Fred. Thank heavens he didn't do it! Well, it's easy for me to say that Bill made the perfect Fred because he WAS Fred. Perhaps if things ended up differently and Gale had the part, I would be saying, "I can't picture anyone but Gale playing Fred!" But then, I'll just assume that no one but Bill could have done it so well. I know I would not have liked the show nearly as well without him. Gale was a fine actor though.

William Frawley was the best choice...

It is still unanimous!

Yes, it's anonymous! LOL!

I think Gale would have been good as Fred. It would have made Vivian Vance happy too probably.:lol:

Originally posted by LucyFan
Out of these two, which one do you think would be the better Fred Mertz on I Love Lucy? As we all know, Gale Gordon (Mr. Mooney from The Lucy Show) was Lucille Ball's first choice for the role of Fred Mertz.

BTW . . . THIS is the the 1000th thread of the I Love Lucy message board.


Why are you doing this :(