Vivian Vance

#1

Vivian Vance

Posted: 7/21/12 at 10:33pm

I wanted to praise the brilliance of Vivian Vance. I was watching this episode of I Love Lucy tonight and she was such a huge talent.

I am so impressed by how smoothly she changes in vocals on this song from legit to belt. Not many actresses could manage that.




Link

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If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

Updated On: 7/21/12 at 10:33 PM

#2

Vivian Vance

Posted: 7/21/12 at 10:49pm

This is my most favorite Ethel moment (updated as the other one cut off before the end!)

Updated On: 7/21/12 at 10:49 PM

#3

Vivian Vance

Posted: 7/21/12 at 10:55pm

And an actress that can hold her own against Lucille Ball has to be a huge talent.
Link

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If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

#4

Vivian Vance

Posted: 7/21/12 at 11:48pm

I can stare at that gif for hours.

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Updated On: 7/21/12 at 11:48 PM

#5

Vivian Vance

Posted: 7/22/12 at 12:13am

I didn't even have to click on the link to know what you were referring to Lily of the Valley! ha! I love that episode!!! "i am the good prince lancelot, i love to sing and dance a lot"... awesome!

my favorite Ethel moment is when she's rebuilding the bbq with Lucy and she says "if this is what it means to be a friend then I'd a signed up to be an enemy"... CLASSIC! makes me laugh every time!

#6

Vivian Vance

Posted: 7/22/12 at 12:50am

I didn't realize that was actually her singing.

#7

Vivian Vance

Posted: 7/22/12 at 1:21am

If I recall correctly, she had a career in vaudeville and on Broadway before Lucy made her a legend. The name Ethel will forever be associated with the face of Vivian Vance.

I own the series of I LOVE LUCY on DVD. Time to rewatch before Fall television starts.

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"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#8

Vivian Vance

Posted: 7/22/12 at 1:22am

This is my favorite. She's so damn funny in this scene

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe8p5r3aQxU&feature=related

#9

Vivian Vance

Posted: 7/22/12 at 2:11am

Vivian was Ethel Merman's understudy in Anything Goes and Red, Hot, and Blue. She did a national tour of Anything Goes as Reno opposite Victor Moore and William Gaxton. Other Broadway credits include Hooray For Love (where she introduced "Down with Love") and Let's Face It!

I've always loved this number Vivian did from The Lucy Show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-d-pCNQ0xNg

#10

Vivian Vance

Posted: 7/22/12 at 6:52am

She also replaced Kay Thompson on Broadway in Hooray for What!

#11

Vivian Vance

Posted: 7/22/12 at 8:43am

Viv was about the same age as Lucy and a looker, but was told to gain some weight, dressed in frumpy clothes and paired with a much older actor so that Lucy & Desi were the only attractive young couple on the show.

#12

Vivian Vance

Posted: 7/22/12 at 9:09am

Love Ethel! And love the rhymes in that song, such as "swell beau" with "elbow." Sondheim could not have done better.

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Coach Bob knew it all along: you've got to get obsessed and stay obsessed. You have to keep passing the open windows. (John Irving, The Hotel New Hampshire)

Updated On: 7/22/12 at 09:09 AM

#13

Vivian Vance

Posted: 7/22/12 at 11:13am

I love Vivian Vance. Ethel is my favorite character on I LOVE LUCY.

#14

Vivian Vance

Posted: 7/22/12 at 11:39am

"my favorite Ethel moment is when she's rebuilding the bbq with Lucy and she says "if this is what it means to be a friend then I'd a signed up to be an enemy".

She also has a line in another episode that goes "With friends like you who needs enemies?"

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If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

#15

Vivian Vance

Posted: 7/23/12 at 10:15am

Absolute classic television. Ethel was amazing and agree that she is a true talent to be the sidekick of Lucille Ball.

I was thrilled to find I Love Lucy on TV this weekend. It used to be on frequently and then completely disappeared. I own it on DVD too. It was always fun to flip through the channels and come across it like a diamond in the rough - considering the crap that is on TV with the million channels we have.

Would have loved to see her live on stage in a non-I Love Lucy show.

#16

Vivian Vance

Posted: 7/23/12 at 12:05pm

I saw Vivian Vance in My Daughter, Your Son at Papermill, after its short-lived Broadway run. Dodie Goodman starred opposite her. It was an absolute thrill to see Vance on stage. It was kind of a "Mothers-in-Law" type story ... don't really remember much of it, but do remember being in awe that I was watching Vivian Vance on stage,