Meet the Mertzes is an expansive dual biography chronicling the lives of two of America's most popular situation-comedy actors, William Frawley and Vivian Vance, who portrayed Fred and Ethel Mertz on I Love Lucy. This meticulously researched book contains interviews with Frawley's and Vance's colleagues, friends, and relatives, and explores their personal and professional lives before, during, and after I Love Lucy. With a complete filmography and videography of each, Meet the Mertzes finally sets the record straight on the lives and legacies of these compelling stars who detested one another. You'll learn about: -Vance's successful Broadway career prior to I Love Lucy -Frawley's vaudevillian roots and his passion for baseball -Vance's nervous breakdown after the collapse of her first marriage -Frawley's drinking and carousing -Lucille Ball's caustic relationship with both of her costars -Vance's hatred of being known to the world as Ethel Mertz

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 Bill Frawley was born in 1887 in Burlington, Iowa. He was of Irish descent and grew up in Burlington with his brother and sister. He worked for the Burlington Insurance Company and established his own insurance/real-estate agency in 1891. #2 Frawley had a thick head of golden curls as a youngster. He and his brother, Paul, sang in the choir at the local St. Paul’s Church. Between 1895 and 1900, Corbett was in the box scores of twenty-nine official bush-league contests, appearing as a gate attraction and batting. 274. #3 Bill Frawley, the actor, was born in 1939 in Des Moines County. He was headed for a career as a railroad employee, but he was also a great performer who enjoyed theatricals. His mother wanted him to study bookkeeping and shorthand, but he wanted to be an actor. #4 The circumstances surrounding Frawley’s entry into show business are unclear. Some accounts say he went to Chicago on railroad business, while others say he was relocated to Chicago. Regardless, his mother quickly stifled his artistic aspirations.

Knowing how much Mom liked Michael Stern, I knew his book would be honestand it is. I HAD A BALL is full of stories no one but Michael would know. His friendship with Mom is evident on every page. A good read. Thank you Michael. DESI ARNAZ JR . Michaels memories are my memories, only clearer. What a talent for details! It was very moving for me to relive so much of our lives through Michaels eyes. Very entertaining. Charming. And, more importantly, true. As Mom wrote on one of her photos to him, Happy Thoughts. LUCIE ARNAZ In 1971, ten-year-old Michael Stern thought he had died and gone to heaven as he watched a filming of Heres Lucy. He was enthralled with a redhead gifted with beauty, stage presence, and the ability to make others laugh. Over the next few years, he would attend several more filmings, meet Lucy, and eventually become (in Lucys own words) her number-one fan. In his memoir, Michael Stern offers a refreshing glimpse into the life of a natural comedienne and actress as he provides a fascinating narrative on what it was like to become first a fan and then a friend with one of the biggest television personalities of all time. Known to fans simply as Lucy, she entertained millions of people across the world with shows like I Love Lucy, The Lucy Show, and Heres Lucy. But to Michael, who was eventually allowed access into her private world, she was a fascinating woman with whom he would share many unforgettable adventures. I Had a Ball is a unique tribute to Lucys legacy, her spirit, her talent, and her enthusiasm for lifesure to entertain Lucy fans, television aficionados, and comedy lovers around the world.

A dual biography of Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball focuses on the star-crossed marriage that sired one of the most powerful production empires in television history but ended in disintegration.

The only biography of Vivian Vance is now in paperback, with dozens of rare photographs and handwritten correspondence. Drawn from exclusive interviews with the actress's friends and acquaintances, as well as her own unpublished memoirs, this book tells the whole story about the former glamor girl, including her struggle with a violent depression, her failed love affairs, and her tumultuous friendship with Lucille Ball.

Few people knew Lucille Ball the way Lee Tannen did. Lee first met Lucy as a child, but their close and enduring relationship began almost twenty-five years later. Now, Tannen gives us an intimate portrait of the "lost" Lucy years: from what life was like in her Beverly Hills and Palm Springs hideaways to how she traveled, what she ate, and how she entertained. I Loved Lucy reveals for the first time the private face of a beloved star whose public persona is the most famous in television history.

Despite having been made into three TV movies, a radio drama, a stage play, a Broadway musical, a feature-film remake in color, and a book adaptation, the 1947 black-and-white film of Miracle on 34th Street still remains the favorite version of this modern Christmas classic. The American public seems to echo what Macy’s stated when declining to participate in the 1994 remake: “We felt there was nothing to be improved upon.” In many ways, it is a perfect film in the sense that there really is nothing that could have been done better: the story, the casting, the acting were all spot-on. The decade from 1941–1951 saw a bumper crop of classic Christmas including Christmas in Connecticut, Holiday Inn, and It’s a Wonderful Life, but with the exception of the latter film none have had the staying power of Miracle on 34th Street. This book describes the origins of the story, the casting and production of the film, its marketing and publicity, and even how it elevated the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade from a local New York event to a national celebration. Finally, it looks at the film’s legacy, including its high ranking among best Christmas movies of all time as well as its placement as ninth overall on the American Film Institute’s list of the most inspiring films.

The difficult early years... The truth about her and Desi... What’s behind I Love Lucy... First published in 1954, this is the full story of the actress who struggled to achieve stardom in the savagely competitive world of Hollywood and then went on to top place in television. And the story of the woman who won the harder battle of preserving the things she loved—marriage, home, and family—against the unceasing demands of success.

Although some scholars credit Shakespeare with creating in Henry IV's Falstaff the first "second banana" character (reviving him for Henry IV Part Two), most television historians agree that the popular co-star was born in 1955 when Art Carney, as Ed Norton, first addressed Jackie Gleason with a "Hey, Ralphie-boy," on The Honeymooners. The phenomenon has proved to be one of the most enduring achievements of the American sitcom, and oftentimes so popular that the co-star becomes the star. Twenty-nine of those popular co-stars get all of the attention in this work. Each chapter focuses on one television character and the actor or actress who brought him or her to life, and provides critical analysis, biographical information and, in several instances, interviews with the actors and actresses themselves. It includes people like Art Carney of The Honeymooners, Don Knotts of The Andy Griffith Show, Ted Knight of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Max Baer of The Beverly Hillbillies, Vivian Vance and William Frawley of I Love Lucy, Ann B. Davis of The Brady Bunch, Jamie Farr of M*A*S*H, Ron Palillo of Welcome Back, Kotter, Jimmie Walker of Good Times, Tom Poston of Newhart and Michael Richards of Seinfeld, to name just a few.