Vivian Roberta Jones, was born on July 26, 1909 in Cherryvale, Kansas. She was in a family that included 5 daughters and one son. A short while later, Vivian's family moved to Independence, Kansas. Then eventually, her father relocated the family to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Vivian learned drama through her teacher Vance Randolph, who helped her not only with her technique but also her name. In 1932, Vivian went to Manhattan, although the school that she wanted to attend had an enrollment cost higher than she expected. Right around this time was when she went by the name Vivan Vance. Vivian began going to theater auditions on her own, and in 1934 she got a small role in "Anything Goes", and understudied Ethel Merman. In 1936 she appeared in "Red, Hot and Blue", but her big break was in 1937 with the theater production of "Hooray For What". During the next year she was in Clare Boothe's, "Kiss the Boys Goodbye". Then in 1941, she met her husband Phil Ober.

During World War II, Vivian went with to entertain the troops. In 1945 Vivian appeared in "The Voice of the Turtle". And later returned to her ranch in New Mexico for about three years. Also In 1945, Vivian suffered a nervous breakdown. After two more seizures while in Chicago, she returned home and spent the next four months in analysis, where she was on her way to health. Following a visit to Phil's parents in Maine in 1949, Vivian retired to a small ranch in Cubero, which is just outside of Albuquerque. After she had shaken off the breakdown, she then appeared in "The Secret Fury" with her husband Phil Ober, and Claudette Colbert. Her next film, which was her second, was "The Blue Veil".

Three men, who would change her life (Desi Arnaz, Jess Oppenheimer, and Marc Daniels), offered her a job in a new Television commedy called I Love Lucy. Vivian accepted the job and for the next 9 years she played Lucy Ricardo's best friend, Ethel Mertz on "I Love Lucy".

In 1959, Vivian and Phil Ober divorced, and in 1961 Vivian remarried to John Dodds, and moved to Conneticut. In 1962 Vivian was asked to do another Lucy show, called "The Lucy Show". She stared on the show for 3 years, until she didn't want to trip to L.A. Although, she did continue to make guest appearences throughout the series. In 1968 Lucy began yet another series "Here's Lucy". Viv also made few guest appearences on that show too. In 1978, Vivian Vance was diagnosed with cancer, and on August 17, 1979, Vivan passed away.

See Also: Lucille Ball | Desi Arnaz | I Love Lucy Info.

© Copyright MM, Ricky K. (iluvlucy@usa.net)
All Rights Reserved