Let me tell you a story about two iconic women who became sisters in every sense of the word. Vivian Vance and Lucille Ball’s first encounter wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. Lucy famously remarked, “You don’t look like a landlady,” expressing her surprise at Vivian’s youthful and attractive appearance. Lucy had envisioned someone older, heavier, and less glamorous than the former Broadway starlet. Adding to the tension, Vivian had been hired by Lucy’s husband, Desi Arnaz, without consulting her. Talk about a rocky start, right?
From Awkward Beginnings to Unbreakable Bonds
But here’s the thing about great friendships—they often start with a little friction. Over time, Lucy and Vivian transformed their initial awkwardness into a partnership that became legendary in American television history. Their 28-year friendship wasn’t just professional; it was deeply personal. They supported each other through mental health challenges, abusive relationships, traumatic divorces, and the pressures of worldwide fame. As Vivian once said, “We adored each other’s company. We were just like sisters.”
A Team That Grew Stronger Together
As Lucy began to see Vivian’s dedication to making I Love Lucy the best it could be, her initial frostiness melted away. Vivian wasn’t afraid to make sacrifices for the show—she gained weight, bleached her hair, and wore dowdy outfits to embody the character of Ethel Mertz. But what really won Lucy over was how Vivian helped calm her nerves before live tapings. “She got me laughing so hard before my entrance that I didn’t have time to remember how scared I was,” Vivian remembered fondly.
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Confiding in Each Other
Their friendship deepened as they opened up about their personal struggles. Vivian confided in Lucy about her difficult childhood and ongoing battles with mental health. Growing up, Vivian often clashed with her mother, Mae, who was a religious extremist. Mae criticized Vivian’s ambitions, telling her, “You want to be an actress, trying to lead men into sin? You are going to hell.” To make matters worse, Mae warned Vivian that she would one day suffer a mental breakdown. Vivian carried a paper with her name and address in her purse, just in case.
In 1945, Vivian’s fears became reality while touring with the play The Voice of the Turtle. One morning, she woke up feeling as though the walls were closing in on her. She sought psychiatric help, becoming a lifelong advocate for mental health awareness despite societal taboos at the time. Lucy was a source of strength for Vivian, inspiring her to embrace therapy and emotional wellness. “Working with Lucille Ball, seeing all the strength she had, was good and healthy for me,” Vivian admitted.
Supporting Each Other Through Hard Times
At the start of their friendship, Vivian was married to her third husband, Phil Ober, an actor who physically abused her. Author Kim Powers, who wrote the play Sidekicked about Vivian’s life, revealed, “He physically assaulted Vivian quite a few times.” Vivian would arrive at the studio with bruises that needed to be covered with makeup. Eventually, Lucy intervened. “One day Viv came to work with a shiner,” Lucy recalled. “That did it. I think I said to her, ‘If you don’t divorce him, I will!’” Vivian ended the marriage in 1959 and returned the favor by supporting Lucy during her split from Desi Arnaz. “We’ve been through a lot together, two husbands, two divorces,” Lucy admitted.
A Partnership That Endured
Vivian followed Lucy to The Lucy Show, which aired from 1962 to 1968. “I refused to even consider being in a continuing series without Vivian,” Lucy stated. The two women became inseparable both on and off-screen. “If something in the script wasn’t working, those two ladies would put their heads together and figure it out,” recalled Lucy’s former assistant, Wanda Clark, in an interview with Closer.
