Vivian was right - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Will and Grace Fanatic · 09-19-2003, 03:03 PM

She was right about William being too old to play her husband. I looked at his profile on www.imdb.com He was born in 1886. Way to old to play her husband.

SPLAIN · 09-19-2003, 03:18 PM

So, she was the Anna Nicole Smith of her day, that's all! LOL!

Mickey · 09-19-2003, 03:43 PM

Don't you think that's cool though? I mean 1886! Imagine talking to somebody who was born that long ago. Even in the fifties it was pretty special. He'd seen the beginning of aircraft. His father would very likely have remembered the Civil War.

I really never got her problem though. She didn't look old or act old. If you think about it it's obvious he's a lot older than her - but who honestly thinks about it?! Does anybody watch the show thinking about the age of the cast?! It wasn't an issue, it just hurt her feelings. I sympathise I suppose, but they made a great couple. Shame they could ever appreciate that.

SPLAIN · 09-19-2003, 04:11 PM

Well, you know Viv had many mental issues, but i agree, the two best supporting players EVER!

dawsongirl · 09-19-2003, 05:47 PM

Okay...so Viv was born in 1909, right?

That makes their age gap 23 years. Aren't Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones 25 years apart?

Maybe it was a huge deal in the 1950s, but it sure isn't now.

Lodee · 09-19-2003, 05:50 PM

Maybe it had more to do with the way he looked than the age difference.

Brian Damage · 09-19-2003, 05:51 PM

She looked older than what she really was.

dawsongirl · 09-19-2003, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lodee
Maybe it had more to do with the way he looked than the age difference.

Could be.

hawaii five-o · 09-20-2003, 01:21 PM

The only person who seemed to be playing a character who was his or her own actual age was Desi Arnaz. Lucille Ball was actually a few years older than Desi, but Lucy Ricardo seems younger than Ricky. Lucille and Vivian are only separated by a couple of years, but Ethel seems about 10 years older than Lucy. And Fred seems like he's about only 5 to 10 years older than Ethel. The fact that we can watch this show and not think of their characters as their actual ages proves what great actors they really were.

Mkaleek · 09-21-2003, 12:51 AM

Hawaii and Dawson just summed it all up to me. They are all genious. I think Viv and Bill matched perfectly. Viv might have had mental issues, but so did Bill! Bill was actually very lucky to be picked to play the part of Fred Mertz, but he actually didn't care. All he cared about was sports, which makes it more amazing that, according to Desi, Bill never showed up late to any readings. Bizarre....

CCH · 09-21-2003, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brian Damage
She looked older than what she really was.

Yes she did looked older but they made a nice couple on I love Lucy.

Lodee · 09-21-2003, 11:07 AM

Quote:

All he cared about was sports, which makes it more amazing that, according to Desi, Bill never showed up late to any readings. Bizarre....

How does caring about sports make you late for readings??? I don't get what you mean.

Mickey · 09-21-2003, 04:02 PM

I think the point was, he cared about sports more than anything else, and didn't seem to care about his work at all - yet he was never late for a reading. That doesn't surprise me actually. Look at the guy on set. He was an out and out professional. It shows in his performance, in his delivery, in his bearing - particularly in episodes when he had to dress up, or do bits of his 'old cabaret act'. Drunk, irascible, whatever - he was still a true pro. Goodness knows there are few enough of them about nowadays.

Amber8611 · 09-21-2003, 05:16 PM

In one episode, I think it's "The Black Wig," it looks like Bill was having trouble with his lines in one scene. He kept saying "um" and "uh" with a little pause before each sentance. That's the only instance that I noticed where Bill didn't seem to know his lines well. Remember the story Viv told where he looked at a script with the title "Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined," and asked her if that was next week's show, when they were filming it that night? He was amazing.

Mkaleek · 09-22-2003, 02:03 AM

Yeah, Bill sure was the epidomy of the word "professional". His personal life did was never evident in his perfomance. That's amazing.

09-19-2003, 03:03 PM	#1
Will and Grace Fanatic be happy Senior Member Join Date: Feb 15, 2002 Location: seattle, washington Posts: 2,746	Vivian was right She was right about William being too old to play her husband. I looked at his profile on www.imdb.com He was born in 1886. Way to old to play her husband.
	__________________ love is love

09-19-2003, 03:18 PM	#2
SPLAIN I Love Lucy Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: MONTREAL, CANADA Posts: 4,563	So, she was the Anna Nicole Smith of her day, that's all! LOL!

09-19-2003, 03:43 PM	#3
Mickey Ranger Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 12, 2002 Location: The UK, and still finding Desi funnier than Lucy Posts: 960	Don't you think that's cool though? I mean 1886! Imagine talking to somebody who was born that long ago. Even in the fifties it was pretty special. He'd seen the beginning of aircraft. His father would very likely have remembered the Civil War. I really never got her problem though. She didn't look old or act old. If you think about it it's obvious he's a lot older than her - but who honestly thinks about it?! Does anybody watch the show thinking about the age of the cast?! It wasn't an issue, it just hurt her feelings. I sympathise I suppose, but they made a great couple. Shame they could ever appreciate that.

09-19-2003, 04:11 PM	#4
SPLAIN I Love Lucy Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: MONTREAL, CANADA Posts: 4,563	Well, you know Viv had many mental issues, but i agree, the two best supporting players EVER!

09-19-2003, 05:47 PM	#5
dawsongirl Member Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 04, 2001 Posts: 53,128	Okay...so Viv was born in 1909, right? That makes their age gap 23 years. Aren't Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones 25 years apart? Maybe it was a huge deal in the 1950s, but it sure isn't now.

09-19-2003, 05:50 PM	#6
Lodee Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 12, 2003 Posts: 1,562	Maybe it had more to do with the way he looked than the age difference.

09-19-2003, 05:51 PM	#7
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	She looked older than what she really was.

09-20-2003, 01:21 PM	#9
hawaii five-o Book 'Em, Dano Senior Member Join Date: Jun 27, 2003 Location: At home, eating cereal straight out of the box Posts: 1,406	The only person who seemed to be playing a character who was his or her own actual age was Desi Arnaz. Lucille Ball was actually a few years older than Desi, but Lucy Ricardo seems younger than Ricky. Lucille and Vivian are only separated by a couple of years, but Ethel seems about 10 years older than Lucy. And Fred seems like he's about only 5 to 10 years older than Ethel. The fact that we can watch this show and not think of their characters as their actual ages proves what great actors they really were.

09-21-2003, 12:51 AM	#10
Mkaleek Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 11, 2003 Location: Bronx, New York Posts: 141	Hawaii and Dawson just summed it all up to me. They are all genious. I think Viv and Bill matched perfectly. Viv might have had mental issues, but so did Bill! Bill was actually very lucky to be picked to play the part of Fred Mertz, but he actually didn't care. All he cared about was sports, which makes it more amazing that, according to Desi, Bill never showed up late to any readings. Bizarre....

09-21-2003, 04:02 PM	#13
Mickey Ranger Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 12, 2002 Location: The UK, and still finding Desi funnier than Lucy Posts: 960	I think the point was, he cared about sports more than anything else, and didn't seem to care about his work at all - yet he was never late for a reading. That doesn't surprise me actually. Look at the guy on set. He was an out and out professional. It shows in his performance, in his delivery, in his bearing - particularly in episodes when he had to dress up, or do bits of his 'old cabaret act'. Drunk, irascible, whatever - he was still a true pro. Goodness knows there are few enough of them about nowadays.

09-21-2003, 05:16 PM	#14
Amber8611 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 21, 2003 Location: Connecticut Posts: 188	In one episode, I think it's "The Black Wig," it looks like Bill was having trouble with his lines in one scene. He kept saying "um" and "uh" with a little pause before each sentance. That's the only instance that I noticed where Bill didn't seem to know his lines well. Remember the story Viv told where he looked at a script with the title "Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined," and asked her if that was next week's show, when they were filming it that night? He was amazing.

09-22-2003, 02:03 AM	#15
Mkaleek Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 11, 2003 Location: Bronx, New York Posts: 141	Yeah, Bill sure was the epidomy of the word "professional". His personal life did was never evident in his perfomance. That's amazing.