LIFE WITHOUT VIVIAN

June 13, 1965

(Editor’s Note: Next season it will be “Life Without Vivian” on “The Lucy Show”. Vivian Vance is enjoying life hugely as a Connecticut housewife. She’s dressing and speaking as herself, and cutting a wide swath through the game shows. For summer “vacation” she’ll play stock.) 

By CYNTHIA LOWRY, AP Television-Radio Writer

NEW YORK – Lucille Ball was looking for a sturdy foundation upon which to build a new comedy series. The ideal building blocks turned up in a funny, semi autobiographical book called “Life Without George” by Irene Kampen. 

Mrs. Kampen described life in one of the New York City exurbs after her amicable divorce from her husband. To help out with the household expenses she joined forces with another divorcee with a child. 

For television purposes, some changes were made: The heroine became Lucy Carmichael, a widow. She was given an extra child. Vivian Vance, Lucy’s old comical sidekick from the “I Love Lucy” days, was cast as her divorcee housemate. 

As the successful seasons went by, other changes occurred. A bachelor neighbor played by comedian Dick Martin disappeared and banker Gale Gordon was added. “The Lucy Show” sailed along, almost always in Nielsen’s top ten. 

Guest Stars Appear 

During the past season, Vivian appeared in fewer than the season’s quota of programs and her absence has been covered by an assortment of guest stars including Ann Southern and Ethel Merman. Next season, however, it will really be “Life Without Vivian” on “The Lucy Show." 

Plans have already been announced that the show’s policy will shift to weekly guest stars. And now it has been decided to move the locale of the comedy series to Southern California. 

This all stems from Miss. Vance’s determination to stop trying to be, at the same time, a Connecticut housewife and a Hollywood television star. It resulted in tiring weekly commuting between the two coasts and a feeling of being unsettled and pressed at both ends of the country. 

Vivian’s husband, John Dodds, is a publisher whose work keeps him in New York most of the time. She has been – a real Stamford housewife now since the last "Lucy Show” of the season was filmed several months ago. She has never been busier in her life. 

“But it’s been one of the happiest times of my life,” she bubbled. “I’ve been working on these game shows which are the greatest thing in the world for performers. They tape them during the day, and I’m, home when John gets home at night. The miracle is that you can work about 52 weeks out of the year if you want to and they like you." 

After all these profitable years in television, Vivian is as thrilled as a beginner that she’s again getting "show offers." 

"I’m essentially a stage actress,” she says, “and I think sometimes producers’ forgot it wasn’t always comedy. And, after those "I Love Lucy” years, I think everybody had the impression I was that dowdy woman Ethel – not that I want to be known as a fashion plate.“ 

Image Has Changed 

At any rate, the game shows have changed that image by giving Vivian a chance to dress smartly and speak intelligently as herself. During the summer she expects to enjoy life with a busman’s holiday – playing some stock.

"But right now I’m having such a good life, I don’t think I want to sign up for a new play.” She laughed, almost shyly. “This sounds ridiculous for an actress, but although I’d love to do a Broadway show, I really don’t want to get involved in anything that might tie me up for a long time. What I suppose I’d really like would be a big, fat, beautiful part in a flop." 

Delighted with Retirement 

Vivian seems genuinely delighted with her own retirement from a regular television series. 

But whether Lucille Ball will miss the nicely balanced support of her old partner in comedy is still to be discovered. Perhaps, as hostess to assorted guest stars, her uninhibited style will be stifled, and perhaps the best comedy and funniest lines will go to the transients.