I really miss Vivian Vance. What a terrific lady she was.

The best sidekick in television history Vivian was not only a natural actress. and skilled comedienne

Great to be able to hear Vivian in an interview like this. She gave us so many great performances in the Lucy show.

Vivian was fantastic!!! Amazing, beautiful, and talented lady!

@georgcorfu

6 жыл бұрын

Kari O'Kay I loved the way she was moving her hands

It's been 40 years since we lost this amazing woman (Vance.) She will always be loved and missed.

Joan had some good lines there, just took the audience 30+ years to finally catch up and get it.

Always loved Vivian Vance.

Loved it when Ethel would say "Oh nooooooooooo, Lucy you are not getting me in to one of your schemes" and then she would....

Vivian's stockings were fabulous!

Health Farm is not a term you hear these days. But I remember when they were popular. They were also called Fat Farms.

This is from the rare "Joan Rivers Show" that aired in the 1960's. It only lasted 1 season, but you can view almost all the episodes including this one on Hulu for free.

I was and still am, a huge I Love Lucy fan, and I loved Ethel Mertz. It's so hard to believe Vivian Vance and William Frawley didn't get along. They were both so perfect in their roles. I guess that would be considered a sign of true professionalism. On a side note, My favorite episode was the one where Lucy got to dance with Van Johnson., because ehe finally got her wish and wws in a show

Joans hair was as solid as a rock it didn’t move ! I love Vivian and Joan both great comedic women !

Thanks for posting this. There are so few interviews with Viv. I read her book a few years back and she had lots of personal trouble. I don't think she ever realized how many people adored her work. She was gone way to soon. Please post the rest of this if you have it. That would be awesome.

Always loved Viv so much: such a charming, funny, engaging personality had she!

Vivian was about 60 years old here. She looked amazing.

Love Joan, and ALWAYS thought Vivian was gorgeous!

Loved Vivian Vance, she was a real sweet and talented lady that I feel was underrated.🥀

Vivian was really a class act, just a delight.

Vivian deserved a lot more credit for her work than she got. Half of what Lucy did wouldn’t work without Viv as her straight woman.

I never realized just how much of an influence Lucille Ball had on Vivian and probably vice versa. They had been close friends for decades and it shows. Look at Vivian's facial expressions; the way she forms her lips when she speaks. it's all Lucy. They could have been sisters.

I absolutely Love and Adore Ms Vivian Vance - Rest in Peace Vivian -

Thank you for this. I loved the real-life Vivian Vance's seeming "I don't take shit from anyone!" attitude and personality. And who knew that Joan had a TV show in the late '60s, too?!

@donnaw1047

4 жыл бұрын

Everybody that was alive in 1969 knew Joan had a show. It's funny how people think nothing happened before they were born.

@TomHuston43

Жыл бұрын

@@donnaw1047 Rivers got a lot of air time as a guest with Carson. Then Rivers jumped ship and started her own talk show in competition with him. Carson never spoke to Joan again!

Vivian looks so beautiful!

Vivian Vance existed quite well as a very talented, independent human being apart from Lucille Ball, thank you.

From what I have read, Vivian Vance first love was live theatre. This is where Desi Arnaz discovered her. Lucille Ball had to almost beg her to join her in Here's Lucy. The only way Vivian Vance agreed was to be only in a few episodes.

Lucille Ball wanted Barbara Pepper for the role of Ethel Mertz. It was Desi Arnaz who selected Vivian Vance for the role of Ethel Mertz. Thank goodness Desi made that decision because Vivian was excellent as Ethel. In fact, Vivian was excellent in any role she played. In 1986 Lucille Ball said "when I watch I Love Lucy these days, I find myself looking at Vivian. She was really wonderful."

She looks younger here than as Ethel in 1953

Wow two of the funniest women together?! What a treat. Love Joan and Vivian.

RIP Vivian and Joan

Joan Rivers'' first show was filmed in front of a live cave audience sometime back in B.C,

William Frawley died in 66', Desi Arnaz died in 86'. Vivian Vance died in 79', Lucille Ball died in 89'.

@shelby5346

7 жыл бұрын

thank u :)

@austinpeterson2562

6 жыл бұрын

its sad they are all dead

Back in the days when celebrities didn't have to rely on outrageous acts and shock value antics to stay in the limelight!

@PDC1987

8 жыл бұрын

You're simply unable to differentiate between legitimate stars and reality stars like Kim Kardashian.

I like how they just talked about normal regular day conversation.

I miss her soo much

Vivian passed the same year. So surprising because she's looks so healthy! Love her!

@firestunt

9 жыл бұрын

Actually she died ten years after this.

@ShugaAnnSpyce

9 жыл бұрын

Firestunt My bad. Mistakenly saw 79 instead of 69.

@LatinAmericanDog

9 жыл бұрын

meganjerai It's true, she did look healthy, but a stroke is something you never really know when it's going to come.

@ShugaAnnSpyce

9 жыл бұрын

LatinAmericanDog She died from breast/bone cancer.

@KenyanBunnie

8 жыл бұрын

+meganjerai Stroke could have happened and helped along with the cancers.

There are no actors now a days like the old actors...they all had substance...

ahhh havent seen the Joan Rivers show since I was a kid. I LOOOVED this back then and thought she was hilarious ---- she was so unlike the other talk show hosts -

Vivian was very well spoken.....sad she had to down play it with Lucy's show.

She looks great here.

Actually, even though Lucille Ball and Barbara Pepper were friends (as was Lucy with character actress Mary Wickes, best known for her roles as "Miss Esther Cathcart" on "Dennis the Menace," and in the "Sister Act" films), I read in several sources Lucy really wanted Bea Benaderet for the role of "Ethel Mertz," and Gale Gordon to play "Fred Mertz."

Joan was skeletal and yet complained about her weight ,her steick was early Phyllis Diller ,Viv was wonderful and real.

Nice video thanks!

Just about everyone kept their figure back then, why? because Monsanto and their genetic modified food did not exist yet. Maybe a little but now they account for about 80 percent of what people in the States eat and drink.

@orhugs

10 жыл бұрын

AMEN!!!

@rayochapin

10 жыл бұрын

orhugs :)

@spockospockon6519

10 жыл бұрын

Monsanto personnel and all the elite refuse to eat there food and they have there own privet stash of non GMO food they wont touch the GMO stuff.

@thetinlass2890

9 жыл бұрын

That is true, food is definitely jam-packed with sugar, unnatural fats, and oils now but the main issue is people back then exercised more self control when it came to treating themselves to junk foods. They also did a heck of a lot more physical work in those days. They usually walked to the store and their jobs, a date was very often a walk around town holding hands with you sweetheart instead of a trip to the Cheese Cake Factory, parents went outside with their kids and taught them how to fish, hunt, play sports, sled and swim, they did yard work themselves instead of having landscapers, and played on amateur sports teams on the weekends even as adults just to socialize. Now we drive everywhere and watch several hours of Cable each day instead of doing physical activities. Human bodies are not meant to sit around all day.

@TheSocalkid92

9 жыл бұрын

Just shop at fucking Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, World Market, Wegman's, Fresh & Easy, Sprouts, Henry's and all the other organic and health food market chains...These aren't elitist markets blocked off from the public...

I did not know she had her own talk show in 69!

@Seekyourtruth777

6 жыл бұрын

queenofhearts I know weird

Vivian was an absolute professional and a real Lady! No wonder Lucy & Desie Loved her so.....

That's so true! I eat when my baby eats. I literally have to make a decision to not eat when she's eating if I'm not hungry.

High fructose corn syrup. Deadly stuff!

I had no idea Joan Rivers had a talk show in the 60's!!

Ms. Vance was great....

Barbara Pepper found her niche too, originating the role of "Doris Ziffel," wife of "Fred" and mother to "Arnold," on "Green Acres." And both Gordon and Pepper made appearances on "I Love Lucy" too, even if some other actors did get the roles of "The Mertzes."

Love Vivian Vance she was so funny and wonderful actress without her I love Lucy would had no life.

@marjoriemargel1567

5 жыл бұрын

youfilha True, but only partly. There was no comedic tension without Desi and his reactions to play off of. Yes Vivian Vance was awesome, but when you think about it, So was Desi.

Not meaning to be nosey, but what is the source of this clip? For being 40 + years old and such an obscure clip the quality is remarkable.

These were the days of women you could respect.

@bsmack66

9 жыл бұрын

This was right before the Women's Lib movement. After that everything went down hill.

@dawnasharelle

9 жыл бұрын

bsmack66 bull shit

@dawnasharelle

8 жыл бұрын

+bsmack66 wtf

@alombb

4 жыл бұрын

Ummm what the actual fuck? You should respect all women no matter what???

This is amazinnng :D Could you post the entire thing ?? Prettty please. I just adore Vivian :)

When Viv passed on, i remember Lucille Ball was so depressed. She started playing backgammon alot. Infact, it didn't matter who you were, Lucy would play you as long as you sat opposite of her. R.I.P. Lucy and Viv.

Wow Joan rivers is soo amazing!

Had no idea that the fab Joan Rivers had a talk show back then.

Gordon gained much acclaim in several radio and TV sitcoms, most noteworthy continuing his role of "Principal Osgood Conklin" on TV's "Our Miss Brooks," then as the second "Mr. (John) Wilson" on Screen Gems' "Dennis the Menace" series, eventually beginning his long co-starring roles with Lucy on her three series' after "I Love Lucy," as banker "Theodore Mooney" on "The Lucy Show," brother in-law and boss "Harry Carter" on "Here's Lucy," and in Lucy's last and short-lived "Life With Lucy" series.

She seems so different when you see her in an interview. Her reactions to people is quite interesting, and she seems very interested in what others think,

I didn't know either that Joan hosted a show in the late 60's! Thanks for posting. How long was this show on? What station? Wow!

I didn't know that Joan Rivers had a show in 1969. I will have to do some google searches to find out more info.

This is from that same series (titled "That Show with Joan Rivers"), but this episode is not on the dvd set. I'm hoping that if the dvds sell well, they will release more episodes.

@joeb5080

4 жыл бұрын

Wow, I had no idea this show existed. I was wondering if the title was wrong and this is just a clip of her sitting in for Johnny Carson.

It's funny how she looks younger here than she did as Ethel 15 years earlier. Her and Lucy were actually about the same age but Lucy demanded to be the best looking one in the show.

@MrVidaeverdade

10 жыл бұрын

"I Love Lucy" was created by Jess Oppenheimer, who had produced Lucille Ball's radio show, "My Favorite Husband." The Mertzes were based on characters from "My Favorite Husband," the Atterburys, who were an older couple. Oppenheimer had the same thing in mind for the Mertzes: they were supposed to be an older couple, like the Atterburys. That's how the characters were written. William Frawley was first hired to play Fred Mertz, then they had to cast the role of Ethel, who was supposed to be near the same age. Director Marc Daniels discovered Vivian Vance and thought she would be great in the role, took Desi to see her in a play and he agreed, but Lucy was not so sure because Vivian was rather young -- way younger than William Frawley, and much younger than the part Jess Oppenheimer and the other writers had in mind for her to play. But Vivian Vance was determined to be cast as Ethel -- she badly wanted to be hired -- so she showed up on the set in a bathrobe and curlers, trying hard to play down her looks and look the part of Ethel. This finally convinced Lucy that she could play Ethel (Audrey Meadows did a similar thing to convince Jackie Gleason to cast her as Alice on The Honeymooners). Lucy was always concerned about believability, and clearly if Vivian tried to look young and glamorous, she would look ridiculous (and not believable) being married to Fred Mertz (William Frawley). When Vivian Vance joined Lucy on their next series, "The Lucy Show," that character -- Vivian Bagley --was supposed to be in the same age group as Lucy's character so this was no longer an issue. But what she was required to look like as Ethel Mertz was entirely something Vivian Vance got her own self into because, in the beginning, she really wanted to play the part of that older woman, Ethel Mertz. So don't feel badly for Vivian Vance because she got exactly what she asked for. (Incidentally, Mary Wickes, who was friends with Lucy, had really wanted the part and hoped it would be given to her.)

@MrRJMGREEN

10 жыл бұрын

Yes, but sometimes it backfired on Lucy. If you watch very closely when Lucy and Ethel are sitting next to each other at the employment agency (the chocolate factory episode), they are side by side. Vivian is clearly prettier than Lucy. No mater what Vivian wore, or how she talked, she was still much prettier.

@scotnick59

10 жыл бұрын

MrRJMGREEN And in the Connecticut episodes, Viv looks FAR prettier (and younger) than the mousy Ethel years earlier!

@MrRJMGREEN

10 жыл бұрын

Kirk Barkley Oh, you are so right about that. She was beautiful in the Connecticut episodes.

@inaali8916

7 жыл бұрын

tryithere and

Benaderet found her starring niche as "Kate Bradley" in "Petticoat Junction," as well some very prominent supporting roles on "The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show" and "The Beverly Hillbillies" before that, and as the first voice of "Betty Rubble" on "The Flintstones" before and during "Junction."

Joan Rivers 12 faces ago.

@Ojoe2010

7 жыл бұрын

lol

@softyme63

7 жыл бұрын

itsmegp46 lol

@joeb5080

4 жыл бұрын

And she would totally love your joke, lol.

Was Barbara Edens mother? There were rumors for years that Desi had an affair with Barbara: cause of the DIVORCE. She and Lucy didn't hang out much at all. Lucys people created and wrote the show. SHE WAS THE COMIC GENIUS. Don't gin up hatred against Lucy she was a kind generous person.

What a unique interview

MY GOD HOW TIME HAS CHANGED

What a nice lady she was...

I Love Lucy first aired in 1950. This interview with Vivian is 19 yrs later. She looks a Ton Better here than what she did 20 yrs before. The Diff is Stunning....Just sayin

YES THEY DID MAKE VIVIAN LOOK OLDER ON I LOVE LUCY THEY GAVE HER LARGE SIZED CLOTHES AND IGNORED HER MAKEUP BECAUSE LUCY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE SPOTLIGHT NOT ETHEL, AND ETHEL MERTZ ( OR THE MERTZES IN GENERAL) WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN OLDER LADY WHICH EXPLAINS FRED! :D

Love vivs outfit!

Where on EARTH did U find this??? I think it's just great! Wish there was more Thank you

It's the first time I've seen this rare interview with the great VIVIAN VANCE and not as Ethel Merths the character How interesting.

I had that impression that Viv had a 'take no prisoner attitude.' Women back then had to do what it took to make a decent living in the entertainment world.

I can easily picture Lucy brusquely telling Jean Arthur she needed to lose weight, without there being hard feelings. Judging from the harsh way she talked about Desi Arnaz in interviews after their divorce she clearly wasn't a woman that avoided speaking her mind.

I agree with that for sure.

I feel like Vivian Vance, how she is talking about food. Lol.

Yes I agree...about Women & Respect...

I wish I still had my tape of Joan Rivers on her talk show in 1993 with Joanne Worley, Ruth Buzzi, Alan Sues and Dick Martin for Laugh-In's 25th anniversary...it was like the rat pack, they couldn't stop laughing!

I always thought Vivian was so pretty.

It's also called different times, decades change, people change, TV has changed :)

Hey Viv!

.... "Vivian Vance interview on 'The Tonight Show' with guest host Joan Rivers...."

@cayetanotirado5907

6 жыл бұрын

This was not the Tonight Show; It was The Joan Rivers Show in 1969 which did not last very long.

Lucy and Viv! The best on The Lucy Show!

I know, right? but as you watch this show, you can see some of Joan's personality that comes out even more later in years.

That set looks familiar. I've probably watched this show too as a kid.

Jean Arthur joke was good

Vivian Vance died from bone cancer. So sad.

Agreed! They must have Dressed her down makeup & all for the Lucy Show

Wait Joan had a show in the 60s? Holy crap

Joan looked older when she was younger, and younger when she was old. Wow

I hate the creepy helmet hairdos they had then. My mom had one for all her life. She was a wonderful person, but the hair no change.

@Marcel_Audubon

2 жыл бұрын

what do you think your daughter will call your 'do when you've passed? The stringy grease mop? doesn't look like you've changed in the last 20 years, either ... like mother like daughter

Vivian Vance one of the great comics (even though she was considered the "straight man" for Lucy).

"Health farm" is now an archaic term :)

Had to look up Jean Arthur.

Joan looks great here

Vivian was an FBI informant.

Joan looks like January Jones in Madmen.