Lucille Ball And Vivian Vance: The Unbreakable Bond Behind The Laughter

In 1953, Lucille Ball gifted her beloved costar Vivian Vance a deeply personal and meaningful Christmas present. Titled This Is Your Life — Vivian Vance, this binder was filled with cherished photos and heartfelt memories. Vivian later reminisced, "Lucille put so much effort into it herself. She spent weeks gathering pictures and mementos from my childhood home — even little things like high school dance programs." This thoughtful gift was a testament to the strong bond that had developed between the two women over the years.

It didn’t take long for Lucille Ball, the star of I Love Lucy, and Vivian Vance, who played landlady Ethel Mertz, to transition from strangers to close friends. Their friendship endured through thick and thin, including career challenges, divorces, illness, and the passage of time. "You could see the love they had for each other," said Michael Stern, author of I Had a Ball: My Friendship With Lucille Ball. "Lucille truly valued Vivian's opinions on everything." Their connection was built on mutual respect and admiration, making them an unstoppable duo both on and off-screen.

It wasn’t love at first sight. When Desi Arnaz first saw Vivian at the La Jolla Summer Playhouse in 1950, he offered her the role of Ethel Mertz on the spot. Vivian recalled the moment vividly: "I was hired just like that, and it was such an incredible opportunity that it completely transformed my life." However, Lucille had certain expectations about the actress who would play Ethel. She initially anticipated someone older and less attractive. "[Lucille] said, 'Only one person wears false eyelashes on set — me,'" explained Stefan Kanfer, author of Ball of Fire. Despite this initial tension, Vivian proved her worth and eventually embraced Lucille as a dear friend.

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Over time, Lucille came to deeply appreciate Vivian's talent and contributions. "It took several months of filming for [Lucille] to realize what she had with Vivian," said Geoffrey Mark Fidelman, author of The Lucy Book. "That's why, as the show went on, the Ethel Mertz character became more prominent. Lucille realized that while she and Desi worked well together, the better team was actually Lucy and Ethel." This realization led to some of the show's most iconic moments, cementing their partnership in television history.

The Friendship That Flourished Behind the Scenes

Lucille often admitted that she and her character, Lucy Ricardo, were quite different. "I am not funny," she famously said. "The writers were funny. My directors were funny. The situations were funny." However, Lucille was an incredibly talented actress who understood what made a scene work — a skill she quickly recognized in Vivian as well. "Vivian could fix up a script," said Stern. "She had an instinct for what the audience would believe and connect with." This shared understanding allowed them to elevate each other's performances and create unforgettable moments on screen.

Lucille’s longtime assistant Wanda Clark echoed this sentiment. "Lucille considered Vivian to be the best script doctor in town," she told Closer. "If something wasn’t working, those two ladies would collaborate and figure it out." Whether their characters were managing a chaotic candy conveyor or hilariously destroying each other's dresses while singing "Friendship," Lucille and Vivian consistently delivered some of I Love Lucy's most enduring gags. Their chemistry was undeniable, and their friendship was the foundation of it all.

A Sisterhood Born on the Set of 'I Love Lucy'

Once Lucille looked past her initial reservations about Vivian, their friendship blossomed. "Vivian and Lucille got along like a house on fire," recalled Keith Thibodeaux, the former child actor who played Little Ricky. "They’d chat away in makeup or while getting their hair done, just like two ladies in a beauty salon." Their camaraderie was evident in everything they did, both on and off-screen.

Eventually, Lucille and Vivian opened up about their personal lives, sharing joys and struggles. Vivian revealed that she had experienced a nervous breakdown in 1945, and while therapy had helped her regain control, she feared a relapse. "I think work must have been a great outlet for Vivian," said Clark. "They shared a deep appreciation for the importance of working." Lucille also supported Vivian during her difficult decision to divorce her third husband, actor Philip Ober, who was jealous of his wife’s success and their close friendship. "Lucille and I were too close," Vivian explained. "He’d say, 'People are talking about you two. You should be careful about the hugging and kissing you do on the show.'" Lucille was relieved when Vivian finally ended the toxic relationship in 1959. "He was a terrible man," Lucille said. "He used to beat her up and embarrass her. He was crazy, and he drove her crazy too!"

Vivian, in turn, provided Lucille with invaluable emotional support. She was one of the few people on the I Love Lucy set who knew about Lucille and Desi's impending divorce. "Viv was, in many ways, like a sister to my mother," said Lucie Arnaz, Lucille and Desi’s daughter. "She could talk to Mom like nobody else, and I don’t think my mother could confide in many people the way she did with Viv."

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Life After 'I Love Lucy'

In 1962, Lucille returned to television with The Lucy Show, but only after ensuring a role was created for Vivian. For the first three seasons, Vivian played Viv Bagley, the divorced best friend of Lucille’s widowed Lucy Carmichael. "I’m back playing the character I know best and like best — Lucy," said Lucille. "But I don’t think I’d be doing this if it hadn’t been for Viv. The studios had the idea, and the offers were fabulous. But the thing that really made it happen was Viv." Playing single women was a refreshing change for the pair, allowing them to build on the chemistry they had established in the original series.

Life often mirrored their art. Vivian, who had no children of her own, became "Aunt Viv" to Lucille's real-life children, Lucie and Desi Jr. "She kept telling Lucie Arnaz, 'Go do theater,'" said Stern. "If you look at Lucie’s stage career, it’s truly remarkable. She credits Vivian for encouraging her." Meanwhile, Vivian found happiness in her marriage to John Dodds, a book editor based on the East Coast. Eventually, she grew weary of commuting to California and left her weekly role on