This myspace is dedicated to my cousin Vivian Vance
Vivian Roberta Jones was born on July 26, 1909 in Cherryvale, Kansas. Vivian's father Bob Jones, held several jobs over the years, none being permanent. Her mother Mae Ragan Jones was a very religious woman. Vivian had 6 other siblings, 5 sisters and one brother. When young Viv was only six years old her parents moved the family to Independence, Kansas. Through the years Vivian had become very rebelious, often sneaking out of her bedroom to be with friends and staying out after curfew. Vivian was always very popular with boys at her school and loved to perform in plays and recitals. However, when her mother learned of her acting dream, Mae became very upset.
At the age of eighteen, Vivian Jones left her home in Independence for Tulsa, Oklahoma and became Vivian Vance. In Tulsa she performed at amusement parks and speakeasies before moving to New York in the late twenties. There she married Joe Danneck, an advance man for the show Broadway. Vivien returned to her family in 1930 when the were living in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Here she appeared in a show called Cushman's Revue. She traveled the southwest for this vaudeville show, but it did little for her career.
She worked in the Albuquerque little theater for a long while in this town. She divorced Joe Danneck in 1931. The city began to embrace her and paid for her to go to New York in hope of making it on Broadway.
In September of 1932 Vivian went to Manhattan. Here she auditioned for many roles on Boroadway. She started as just a member of the chorus, then gradually made her way up to a few lines and then in bigger roles.
In 1933 she married George Koch, but the marriage was small and Viv rarely talked of it. Her first large role that got her noticed was in Horray for What! starring opposite Ed Wynn. She then appeared in such shows as Red, Hot, and Blue and Kiss the Boys Goodbye.
In 1939 Viv met Phil Ober, a young actor. The two instantly fell in love and started seeing each other often. The only problem was that they were both married and Phil had a child. Eventually they both got their divorces, and in 1941 the two were married. Viv went on a USO tour during World War II and entertained American Troups. She appeared for a year starting in 1945 in the play Voice of a Turtle, which made her even more famous.
After one performance of this play, Vivian was approached by Desi Arnaz who asked her if she would like to be in his new television show "I Love Lucy". She accepted the role and began her nine year portrayal of Ethel Mertz, the frumpy neighbor, landlady, and friend of Lucille Ball's character Lucy Ricardo. This role made her famous throughout the country and earned her an Emmy for best supporting actress. However, Vivian the actress was often confused with Ethel the homemaker, two different people all together. She and her costar, William Frawley, who played her husband on the show, were often at each other's throats.
In 1959 Vivian divorced Phil Ober. After the show ended Vivian again worked performed as a Lucille Ball sidekick in "The Lucy Show" playing Vivian Bagley. She married John Dodds in 1961. Viv then guest starred several times on "Here's Lucy".
In 1973 Vivian learned shocking news. She discovered that she had breast cancer. After a difficult operation she slowly recovered. She continued her work in the theater and her last appearance was made in "Lucy Calls the President". In 1977 Vivian once more found out devastating facts. She had bone cancer. On August 17, 1979 Vivian Vance lost her battle with cancer. She was 70 years of age.
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MySpace Editor Rasheed Richmond