Surprising Stories from the Set of I Love Lucy

After I Love Lucy and The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour came to an end, there were serious plans to give Fred and Ethel Mertz their own spin-off series. William Frawley was enthusiastic about the idea and ready to continue playing Fred full-time.

Vivian Vance, however, wanted nothing to do with it. She strongly disliked Frawley in real life, and their off-screen relationship had grown increasingly hostile over the years. With Vance refusing to participate, the spin-off collapsed, and their famous bickering remained confined to Lucy’s world.