Vivian Vance
Vivian Vance was born in
Cherryvale, Kansas on
July 26,
1909 as
Vivian Roberta Jones. She enjoyed a successful stage career before entering the world of television as Ethel Mertz on
I Love Lucy opposite
Lucille Ball. She followed Lucy to
The Lucy Show, Lucille Ball's post-
Desi solo
sitcom. She remained part of the cast for three of its six years before retiring to
Connecticut. Over the next several years Vance appeared occasionally alongside Ball on reunion shows and for guest appearances on
Here's Lucy. During the mid-1970's she took small roles on sitcoms such as
Rhoda. She was diagnosed with
cancer in
1978 and died in
1979.
Vivan Vance played a signigicant part in the history of television She defined the role of second banana, paving the way for future female sidekicks. She was also the first person to win the Best Supporting Actress Emmy.
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