The Vivian Vance celebrity doll depicts her as Ethel Mertz from the Episode #69: “Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress” of the CBS show I Love Lucy.  The doll is part of a two doll set with Lucille Ball as Lucy Ricardo and was made by Mattel in 2006.

From the box:

“Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress”

In the golden era of television, everybody loved “I Love Lucy®”. The silly shenanigans of the lovable Lucy Ricardo, her Cuban bandleader husband Ricky, and best friends Fred and Ethel Mertz, made for hilarious entertainment. And since its 1951 debut, “ “I Love Lucy®” has been considered one of the greatest shows ever.

Episode #69, “Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress,” originally aired October 19, 1953, and inspires the first ever Mattel Lucy and Ethel Giftset!

Copresidents of the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League, Lucy and Ethel are thrilled when Carolyn announces that the club has 30 minutes of free TV time for their yearly show. Lucy connives chairmanship of the program by promising that Ricky will act as the Master of Ceremonies. Ricky had sworn he’d never be involved in another of her shows, so she decides to trick him with reverse psychology. Talking to Ethel, Lucy suggests another man as emcee, and overhearing their discussion, Ricky offers to host. Thrilled, the girls decide to do a duet wearing formals, and run off to different stores to buy gowns. Later, the pair rehearses their song – all about friendship – for Ricky and Fred. Then they reveal their boxed gowns and are horrified to find that they’ve bought the same dress! Both offer to return the dress, and Ricky suggest they each find another gown. The girls agree, but since they both love the gown and assume the other will return hers, neither gown actually makes it back to the store. At the studio during the live show, Ricky introduces Lucy and Ethel’s finale. On stage, the girls realize that neither of them returned her gown, so as the sing their friendly dong, each pal angrily rips pieces off the other’s dress. Saving the situation, Ricky and Fred drag them off stage – still singing in their tattered gowns.

Here is a clip from the episode.

The Vivian Vance doll is wearing an evening gown in white, blue, and pink chiffon with pink flowers with green rhinestone studded leaves up the front.

The doll’s ears are adorned with purple and white plastic earnings. On the Barbie feet are pink strapless open toed high heel shoes. No underwear, The dress comes off. The white ribbon straps slide down the arms and the dress snaps at the waist in the back.

The articulation is somewhat limited. The knees wire click bend, stiff straight arms, head rotates side to side and up and down. Stiff ankles and wrists. Real eyelashes, red nails on both hands and feet. Gold painted wedding band on left hand. Shoulders and hips rotate in all directions.

Blond short curly hair with ringlets on top.

The Lucy and Ethel set includes two white base plastic doll stands and Mattel Certificate of Authenticity.

The Celebrity Doll Museum’s collection also includes the Lucille Ball doll from the Matching Dress set ( “Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress”),  the Lucy is Pregnant set with Desi Arnaz( “Lucy is Enciente”), and Lucy sells Vitameatavegamin ( “Lucy Does a TV Commercial”).

To get the current prices of the Vivian Vance as Ethel doll use these links: