A Vivian Vance archive is uncovered—a reminder that she was not always ‘Mrs. Mertz.’ (Thanks to Robert Hiett) UPDATE from Karen Carter: She was a great professional and a natural. One of the main reasons, if not the main reason, for the success of the “I Love Lucy” and the subsequent “Here’s Lucie” series was their great supporting actors and actresses and their offbeat but believable characters like the irascible and tightwad ‘Fred,’ plus Lucy’s other equally zany female friends. Ethel was a marvelous sidekick to Lucy. And Vance’s acting was so natural, so real; it made the show that … Continue reading I Love Ethel