‘I Love Lucy’: Here’s Who Played Fred and Ethel Mertz

I Love Lucy ran on CBS for six seasons from 1951-1957. The series, which centered around Lucy and Ricky Ricardo and their friends Fred and Ethel Mertz, was a sensation in its time and still lives in syndication seven decades later. 

I Love Lucy is considered one of the funniest shows of all time. Lucy and Ricky Ricardo were played by real-life husband and wife, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Much of the comedy stemmed from their real-life issues and Lucy’s ability to always get herself into trouble. 

The Ricardos did not go it alone. Their landlords, neighbors, and friends were couple Fred and Ethel Mertz. Ethel was alongside Lucy for most of her shenanigans, but there was a lot more to the Mertzs than just being sidekicks to the Ricardos.

Who played Ethel Mertz on ‘I Love Lucy’?

Lucy’s bestie, Ethel Mertz, was played by Vivian Vance. The character always found herself in hot water while following Lucy’s schemes. 

Who could forget the candy factory episode when the conveyor belt went too fast, so Lucy and Ethel were shoving candy in their mouth and down their shirts? But Lucy’s BFF was usually the voice of reason and would try to get her out of trouble.

Vance was a theater actor before being cast in I Love Lucy. She won an Emmy award for her portrayal of Ethel. After the hit series ended, Vance continued to act with Ball in The Lucy Show, but not as Ethel Mertz. This time her character was a divorcee named Vivian Bagley, which she insisted on. She did not enjoy being known as Ethel.

She continued to act throughout the 1960s and 1970s, sometimes with Ball and sometimes without. 

Vance died of metastatic breast cancer at age 70 on August 17, 1979.

Who played Fred Mertz on ‘I Love Lucy’?

William Frawley portrayed landlord Fred Mertz in I Love Lucy. Fred was a bit cranky and also a bit older than his wife, Ethel. The character was also very cheap, which was often joked about. 

He was Ricky’s good friend and would clue him in on Lucy and Ethel’s schemes so they could devise their own plan to get even with their wives.

Frawley began his career in Vaudeville, then moved to Broadway before becoming a character actor in films. 

Frawley had a known alcohol problem, so Ball and Arnaz were reluctant to have him play Fred Mertz. They did hire him, but with the condition he would get three chances. The first screw-up would be tolerated, the second would get him a severe reprimand, and the third would get him fired, according to IMDB. There were no problems.

After I Love Lucy, Frawley went on to play grandfather “Bub” O’Casey in the 1960s sitcom My Three Sons.

Frawley suffered a fatal heart attack while walking on Hollywood Boulevard in March 1966. He was 79 years old.

Did William Frawley and Vivian Vance get along?

They may have played a couple on I Love Lucy, but Vance and Frawley did not like each other at all. 

Vance was upset that the man playing her husband was 22 years her senior. She told Ball and Arnaz, “No one will believe I’m married to that old coot.” Frawley overheard and never forgave her.

If Fred Mertz was cranky, Frawley was even more so. His on-screen wife couldn’t stand him, and the feeling was mutual. The two did not try to hide it, and everyone on set knew it. 

When Vivian Vance learned of Frawley’s passing, she was reported to have shouted, “Champagne for everyone!”