Vivian Vance
Vivian Vance ( born July 26, 1909 in Cherryvale, Kansas; † August 17, 1979 Belvedere, California; actually Vivian Roberta Jones ) was an American actress. She made herself primarily as a series and stage actress and singer a name. Her most famous role was that of Ethel Mertz in the U.S. sitcom I Love Lucy.
Life
Childhood and youth
Vivian Vance Vivian was born as Robert Jones in Cherryvale in the U.S. state of Kansas. At the age of six years, her parents Robert Jones and Euphemia Ragan moved with his family to Independence. There she began her acting education at the high school. After graduating, she settled again with their parents. In the new home of Albuquerque she gained first experiences at the Albuquerque Little Theatre.
Career
In the early 1930s she moved to New York City and studied with Eva Le Gallienne. Her first engagement was Vivian Vance in 1932 in the musical Music in the Air by Oscar Hammerstein and Jerome Kern. The young actress continued to focus on theater roles, working as an understudy and played some supporting roles. Her first starring role was in Hooray for What! on the side of Ed Wynn, Danny Kaye, Eve Arden and Nanette Fabray.
During a theater tour in 1945, Vance suffered a nervous breakdown, but was able to return to the group after a successful psychotherapy and stood at the performance of Voice of the Turtle in La Jolla Playhouse in California back on stage. There she was discovered by Desi Arnaz, who was working on a new television series and Vivian Vance offered a role. Vance leaned from the part first, because they do not understand with William Frawley, who was to play in the series her husband. The actress finally agreed yet and the success of I Love Lucy forced Vance and Frawle to cooperate. To the main actress Lucille Ball developed Vivan Vance a friendship that lasted until her death. The two were even after the end of I Love Lucy always together in front of the camera.
Private life
Vivan Vance was married four times. In 1928 she married Joseph Shearer Danneck Jr., from whom she separated in 1931 again. Two years later married the actress George Koch, the connection ended in 1940 in divorce. In the summer of 1941, Vivian Vance appeared with her fellow actor Philip top down the aisle, the marriage lasted 18 years. Her fourth husband in 1961 John Dodds, remained with him until her death, Vivian Vance married.
During the 1970s, the actress suffered numerous heart attacks and was diagnosed with breast and bone cancer. Vivian Vance died in 1979 at the age of 70 years her cancer.
Awards
Vivian Vance has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood Blvd address.
For her portrayal of Ethel Mertz landlady in I Love Lucy, the actress was in 1954 won an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress.