After
Bea Benaderet proved unavailable, Barbara was seriously considered for
the part of "Ethel Mertz" on her friend
Lucille Ball's classic sitcom
I Love Lucy (1951), two years after Barbara's husband was killed. However, by this time the
depressed Barbara had developed a chronic alcohol problem. With
William Frawley--whose fondness for the bottle was legendary--already
cast as "Fred Mertz", executive producer
Desi Arnaz felt he couldn't take the chance of
having two problem drinkers in pivotal roles on the same show.
Vivian Vance, of course, eventually got
the part.
