Who did the best job other than Lucy on "I Love Lucy"??? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Barnabas1 · 10-28-2002, 04:44 PM

I think Viv did a WONDERFUL job.

What does everyone else think?

~LadyJess~ · 10-28-2002, 05:48 PM

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.

SPLAIN · 10-28-2002, 05:55 PM

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!

Barnabas1 · 10-28-2002, 06:14 PM

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

Mickey · 10-28-2002, 07:06 PM

Desi. No contest.

buddy love · 10-28-2002, 09:14 PM

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

oldshows · 10-28-2002, 09:56 PM

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

Ricardos4ever · 10-28-2002, 11:09 PM

Desi.

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

SPLAIN · 10-29-2002, 10:58 AM

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!

Mickey · 10-30-2002, 07:49 AM

Quote:

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!

Barnabas1 · 10-30-2002, 08:24 AM

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

SPLAIN · 10-30-2002, 11:10 AM

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!

*ShortCake* · 10-30-2002, 12:07 PM

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

SPLAIN · 10-30-2002, 01:59 PM

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

Mickey · 10-31-2002, 05:44 AM

Quote:

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.

10-28-2002, 04:44 PM	#1
Barnabas1 Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 01, 2001 Posts: 4,598	Who did the best job other than Lucy on "I Love Lucy"??? I think Viv did a WONDERFUL job. What does everyone else think?
	__________________ My favorite shows :: I Love Lucy, Dark Shadows, Leave it to Beaver, The Munsters, Chico and the Man, and Get Smart. Formerly Babalu and agsfan

10-28-2002, 05:48 PM	#2
~LadyJess~ Football Chick Forum Fanatic Join Date: Mar 15, 2002 Location: At the Shamrock doing shots with Mo Posts: 8,260	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.
	__________________ 8/26/05 Jessica & Anthony

10-30-2002, 12:07 PM	#13
ShortCake Blair Warner fan. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 01, 2000 Location: Florida Posts: 3,761	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
	__________________ Ashley "Nice girls don't throw tree's"- Jo Polniaczek.

10-28-2002, 05:55 PM	#3
SPLAIN I Love Lucy Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: MONTREAL, CANADA Posts: 4,563	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!

10-28-2002, 06:14 PM	#4
Barnabas1 Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 01, 2001 Posts: 4,598	I like it when she says "If I had known this is what friends were for I would have signed up as an enemy!"

10-28-2002, 07:06 PM	#5
Mickey Ranger Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 12, 2002 Location: The UK, and still finding Desi funnier than Lucy Posts: 960	Desi. No contest.

10-28-2002, 09:14 PM	#6
buddy love Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 19, 2002 Posts: 189	Toughie!! but as much as I love Ethel, I think the show works best due to the chemistry between Lucy and Desi.

10-28-2002, 09:56 PM	#7
oldshows Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 10, 2001 Posts: 215	I would say a tie between Vivian and Desi. Not that William did a bad job but Viv and Desi were fantastic!!

10-28-2002, 11:09 PM	#8
Ricardos4ever Henna-rinsess Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 28, 2002 Location: Somewhere in the middle of the world's longest Conga line Posts: 473	Desi. But nobody else could have played Ethel, no one else could have played Fred. They all did a great job.

10-29-2002, 10:58 AM	#9
SPLAIN I Love Lucy Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: MONTREAL, CANADA Posts: 4,563	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!

10-30-2002, 08:24 AM	#11
Barnabas1 Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 01, 2001 Posts: 4,598	I bet it wouldn't have made it like it did!

10-30-2002, 11:10 AM	#12
SPLAIN I Love Lucy Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: MONTREAL, CANADA Posts: 4,563	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!

10-30-2002, 01:59 PM	#14
SPLAIN I Love Lucy Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: MONTREAL, CANADA Posts: 4,563	IT WAS DESI WHO ALWAYS SAID, GIVE HER 90 PERCENT OF THE CREDIT AND SPLIT THE OTHER TEN PERCENT AMONGST THE REST OF US!