Collage Brady
Here’s a story…about five seasons filled with laughs, puppy love, responsibility, teenage woes, self-image, and so forth. That’s right, we’re talking about a very Brady Bunch. In fact we’re talking about that “lovely lady” and that “man named Brady” who exchanged vows and created TV’s most popular ever blended brood, back in 1969. And yes, of course we’re going to talk about Mike, Carol, Greg, Marcia, Peter, Jan, Bob, Cindy, and everyone’s favorite housekeeper, Alice.
The success of Brady Bunch in syndication would lead to many television reunion films and spin-off series, such as The Brady Bunch Hour, The Brady Girls Get Married, The Brady Brides, A Very Brady Christmas, and The Bradys. All of the films and the series itself are considered to be an American cultural icon – that’s how loved The Brady Bunch really are.
Back in 1966, after his success with the TV series Gilligan’s Island, Sherwood Schwartz came up with the idea for The Brady Bunch after he read in The Los Angeles Times that “30% of marriages [in the United States] have a child or children from a previous marriage.” Amazing, how an article kick-started one of the greatest shows in American history.
For five seasons and 117 episodes, viewers tuned in to watch the Brady’s get up to whatever new antics they were getting up to. Granted the show wasn’t a critical or ratings success in its original run, however its popularity grew in syndication, especially amongst children and teenage viewers. Schwartz believes that the show’s success is due to the fact that episodes were written from the standpoint of children and they also addressed situations that children could really understand – sibling rivalry, boy trouble, and meeting someone famous.
Since the show went off air in 1974, most of us catch up with re-runs but that’s not enough. As a result, we compiled little known facts about show that you most likely haven’t heard before. From what Marcia got up to once the show went off air to her relationship with Barry off-screen. To Mike Brady’s sexuality and the cast’s salary. The tricks producers used to cast the children and so on. Ready for it?
Simple Math
To begin, we need to dive into the show’s origins – The Brady Bunch was kind of based off of math. See producers found a rather interesting statistic in a newspaper: back in 1965 around 31% of marriages did involve children from a previous marriage. Talk about inspiration, eh?!
Simple Math
Not A Natural
Often times those in Hollywood who are portraying a certain role may need to make a couple adjustments. Mike Lookinland, who played Bobby, repeatedly had to dye his *blonde* hair so he could match the rest of the Brunette Brady squad.
Not A Natural
That’s A No From Me
Gene Hackman, as you know is a huge star, but back then he missed out on the lead role of Mike. Turns out that the producers felt he just wasn’t established enough. Therefore the part went to Robert Reed – who was actually more famous at the time.
That’s A No From Me
The Lisp Is Real
The character of Cindy, played by Susan Olsen, was a fan favorite. Could it be because she was relatable, what with her lisp and all? Maybe. However, Olsen’s lisp was very real! Even though she worked with a speech therapist regularly up into her 20’s.
The Lisp Is Real
Not A Fan
Oh gosh, looking at the fashion that was on The Brady Bunch makes all of us cringe. We weren’t the only ones who thought so, all the younger actors routinely complained about their atrocious outfits – often pleading to please wear something more fashionable. Nonetheless the requests were always turned down.
Not A Fan
Over 260 kids auditioned for the show!
206 may sound like a rather small number but when you think of how many child actors actually appear in The Brady Bunch – it puts things into perspective. Producers wanted to test as many people as they possibly could which is fair enough.
Over 260 Kids Auditioned For The Show
Tricks Galore
Be that as it may, producers actually used lots of psychology tricks during casting. Whenever there were child actors at auditions, they would use tons of casting tricks. One particular trick involved putting lots of distracting toys on the table. Kids who paid more attention to the toys were immediately passed over for a part. Again, it’s reasonable although slightly tricky.
Tricks Galore
Double The Fun
Actually Florence Henderson was not the only actress to play Mrs. Brady. Originally, Joyce Bulifant, a comedic actress, was brought on. In screen test, Bulifant was used extensively and also was used as an aid during casting. At the end of the day, however, producers instead opted for the more subdued Mrs. Brady and therefore brought on Mrs. Henderson.
Double The Fun
Serious Tension
‘Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.’ Who could ever forget those three iconic words? Well, they written in because there was serious tension between the two oldest Brady sisters – in real life. Supposedly Susan and Maureen had something of a feud on set – which actually revolved around a romantic subplot with Desi Arnaz Jr. Huh.
Serious Tension
So They Called It Puppy Love
Susan Olsen and Mike Lookinland really did have a bit of a fling! Okay so maybe the word fling isn’t exactly correct. Yup, Susan and Mike did admit to kissing many times – when they were merely 9 years old. Actually, they would smooth in the doghouse so they wouldn’t get into trouble. AKA, puppy love.
So They Called It Puppy Love
Missing In Action
Our dear Florence Henderson would miss a lot of filming time. During the first season, production started without Mrs. Brady as Florence Henderson was under contract to perform in an off-Broadway play. Therefore she missed filming the first six episodes and had to go in and fill her scenes at a later date.
Missing In Action
Best Friends For Life
While the sisters may not have gotten along, the brothers Barry Williams and Christopher Knight became best friends! Later on, they even attended each other’s weddings. Cute, right?
Best Friends For Life
Marcia and Greg Hooked Up – Off Set
Maureen McCormick would share her first kiss with her on-screen brother, Barry Williams (Greg). However Maureen admitted that it was wonderful but there was a part of her that thought, “I’m kissing my brother. What am I doing?”
Marcia And Greg Hooked Up – Off Set
Stoner, Sorry To Say
Oops, Barry Williams would show up on set, totally stoned. Williams admitted later on in his memoir, that he had ‘dabbled a little’ with marijuana as a teenage. In fact there was a scene where Mr. Brady purchased a boat and Barry looks insanely out of it. You wouldn’t have seen it as it was cut out of the scene but he actually trips over absolutely nothing in the driveway.
Stoner, Sorry To Say
That’s Right, IRL
We’re not joking, Maureen McCormick really did injure her nose in a car accident. So the writers did what they typically do and incorporated it into the show. Which of course brought us that ever iconic scene – Marcia getting hit with a football.
That’s Right, IRL
What A Wig!
In the first season Florence Henderson landed the part of Mrs. Brady and as she working in an off-Broadway play, she had to wear a wig on the show. As her hair was short and therefore needed to be covered up by, that’s right, a wig.
What A Wig
No PDA Allowed
OOPS – Maureen and Barry’s personal relationship would go on to interfere with filming. While the cast were filming a three-episode plot in Hawaii, Maureen and Barry got a little too cozy during scenes which forced the director to cut numerous times so that he could separate the actors.
No PDA Allowed
Eve Plumb (Jan) Was Married First
Out in the real world, Eve Plumb was the first out of all the Brady children to get hitched! Congrats, dear.
Eve Plumb Jan Was Married First
Dude, I Surf
During that Hawaii scene, Greg had an impressive surf boarding scene and the actor Barry Williams was had the real life talent to shoot the scene himself. Well, kind of, because Greg actually wipes out and injures himself! Whoops.
Dude, I Surf
Still A No
Oh, we should mention that to this day Maureen and Eve still dislike one another. According to their co-star Susan Olsen, Eve and Maureen don’t even want to communicate under any circumstances.
Still A No
Sinister Plot
Lloyd Schwartz, who is a producer on The Brady Bunch, was honestly 100% worried that Maureen and Barry’s relationship would ruin the chemistry on set. Therefore he had apparently convinced Barry to go ahead and end the relationship – he told him that he was far too good looking and young to be in such a relationship. Oh.
Sinister Plot
It’s Better If You Don’t
It’s true that most members of The Brady Bunch could sing quite well but Christopher Knight was an exception. In fact, he was SO bad that all of his singing scenes were lip synced.
It’s Better If You Don’t
Mike Loonkinland (Bobby) Gave Up Acting
It wasn’t long after the show went off air that Mike Lookinland become a cameraman for both film and television.
Mike Lookinland Bobby Gave Up Acting
Oh No!
Sweet and adorable Tiger, the family dog, was actually hit by a car…on set. The entire accident took place between takes so as a result Tiger was replaced by a dog that looked similar! Ugh, really tugs at the heartstrings.
Oh No!
Totally Taboo
Back when The Brady Bunch was on air, it was quite common that toilets on television were taboo – which is why there were absolutely no toilets on the show. Weird.
Totally Taboo
Very Real
So remember how we mentioned that Marcia really does get hit by a football in the face? Well that all came to be because of the producer! Lloyd Schwartz was the culprit who threw the football! Bad timing, eh?
Very Real
Moving On
After her television career, Maureen McCormick pursued a career in music. And while she has a great voice, McCormick’s career in music couldn’t quite take off. Just one single performed well, ‘Little Bird’, but not that well unfortunately.
Moving On
Swing and A Miss
YUP – Barry actually asked his TV mom out on a real date! At the mere age of 15, he had the guts to ask Florence Henderson out but she politely declined.
Swing and A Miss
So About The Ratings
Needless to say, the ratings for the show were rather mediocre. Despite the fact it was on air so long and had cultural appeal, The Brady Bunch just couldn’t gain viewers. Most of their fame came from a much younger audience.
So About The Ratings
Goofs and Mistakes
During this era, production mistakes and acting goofs were quite common and weren’t edited out. Therefore when you re-watch the show, you can see numerous mistakes, continuity errors over and over, and even actor outtakes.
Goofs And Mistakes
Dennis, the Menace
Robert Reed, who quite frankly was the star of the show, was in actuality a total headache on set for both co-stars and the production team. How? Well he was fickle and controlling which caused lots of freaking out.s
Dennis, the Menace
Quite The Mistake
When Henderson was in the screen test phase, and scored the role of Mrs. Brady, she accidentally walked into the makeup room for the TV series Star Trek. Despite the mistake, the makeup artists helped her regardless as she sat next to the late Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner. Nice!
Quite The Mistake
Nope, No Glass
To gain control over the lights and reflected surfaces, the producers made the decision to pull the glass out of the sliding door that can often be seen in The Brady Bunch back yard.
Nope, No Glass
Oh Really, Now?
Did you know that the theme song was originally recorded without ANY of the Brady children? It’s true! The Peppermint Trolley Company recorded the song first and not the other way around.
Oh Really, Now?
Out Of Luck
During the final season of the show, the producers did try to introduce a new, neighboring family: The Kelly’s. In fact, there was even an entire episode which was dedicated to the Kelly’s – with the hope that it could become a spin-off. Alas, it didn’t work out.
Out Of Luck
For The Win
During the first phase of casting, it was the kids who were chosen – well before mom and dad. So the goal was to actually cast all 12 child actors but in reserve: three blonde girls, three brunette boys, three blonde boys, and three brunette girls. Interesting.
For The Win
The D Word
So back then divorce was pretty taboo therefore no one really talked about Mrs. Brady’s first husband. Everyone knows that Mr. Brady is a widower, but no one is quite sure about Carol’s angle. Florence actually joked, when she was asked about her background, that she killed him.
The D Word
In The Closet
Unfortunately back then, gay actors remained in the closet for fear of public disappointment – Robert Reed wasn’t an exception to this. In fact Florence Henderson noticed quite early on that he was uncomfortable in romantic scenes with her, until he eventually admitted the truth to her privately. Therefore they worked around it, even rehearsing kissing and hugging off-camera, so that way they would appear more natural when it came to filming. Fun and beautiful fact: the whole cast kept Reed’s homosexuality a secret until well after his death.
In The Closet
Blondie
So during the first seasons, Susan Olsen would have her hair bleached to keep it as blonde as what the producers wanted. However as soon as her fine baby hair started to came out in clumps, they stopped.
Blondie
Buh-Bye
Robert Reed, or as he’s forever known Mike Brady, was written out of the final episode of the show after an argument with Schwartz. The reason behind this tiff was that Reed felt that the writing was way too ridiculous. Therefore at the end of the argument, he stayed on the set during filming because Schwartz didn’t actually want to remove him in front of the kids.
Buh Bye
Not the First
There are some people who assume that The Brady Bunch was the first show to show a married couple sleeping in the same bed. Back then that was a bit taboo. But, the Brady’s weren’t the first to do so! It was actually a late 40’s show called Mary Kay and Johnny.
Not The First
Only One
Think about the next door family, the Dittmeyer crew. Well all throughout the show they were constantly referred to but the audience only ever saw the father of the Dittmeyer family. And it happened one time.
Only One
Paid Parking
So Olsen once said that while the child actors earned quite little for their on-screen roles, they were 100% required to pay for parking. Luckily, this all changed after the first season.
Paid Parking
With These Hands
Pretty much everyone remembers the adorable tree house in the backyard of the Brady house. Now here’s a fun fact: for authenticity purposes, the producers made the decision that the actors playing the Brady boys should build it themselves. So they did.
With These Hands
Not A Happy Camper
Now it goes without saying that Robert Reed is a heavily trained actor, and was before he joined the show. However throughout filming, he had some problems with the script but had no problems telling the producers. Often this lead to tons of bickers with executives.
Not A Happy Camper
Upbringing
Florence is the youngest out of ten children and is the child of an alcoholic, however she does attribute all of her success to a loving mother who was determined to see all her children create a better life for themselves.
Upbringing
Tom Cruise
Long before he become Greg Brady, Barry Williams had a different breakthrough role on Mission: Impossible. See, his character is a king who disguises himself as a young gypsy girl. Well then.
Tom Cruise
Chatty Cathy
Brady’s very own young Maureen McCormick, who played the iconic Marcia, was…get this, the voice of the legendary Chatty Cathy doll that was so popular back in the 1960’s. Crazy.
Chatty Cathy
Broody
Even before the pilot episode was sold, Schwartz had considered naming the show The Brady Brood instead of the classic The Brady Bunch. Guess it all worked out in the end, phew!
Broody
Dem Lyrics
Initially the hit title song was meant to be performed by professional adult vocalists. However after the second season kicked off, the Brady kids would sing the song themselves therefore the lyrics were changed from third person to first.. “They became…” to “We became… the Brady Bunch”.
Dem Lyrics
Introduction
If you recall, it was the fifth and final season that saw a fall in ratings, so the character of Cousin Oliver was introduced. However now when a character who is introduced in a last-ditch effort to salvage a dying show is called a “Cousin Oliver”.
Introduction
Specials
After the show was cancelled, numerous animated specials, reboots, and parody movies were created. But the show only became legendary due to the reruns and post-production films.
Specials
A Year
After the first season, it really is clear that the Brady children look a lot older. The reason for that is because a full year passed between the pilot episode and the beginning of season two.
A Year
Workforce
All throughout the series run Florence Henderson kept pestering the producers to allow Carol Brady to get out into the workforce. Henderson believed this would be far more in line with how she was in real life. However the producers kept Carol Brady unemployed, although she frequently participated in volunteer work and fundraising for charity.
Workforce
Will They?
Because of the show’s marginal ratings (it only reached #34 in the Nielsen Ratings), the show was never actually renewed for an entire season until its last season. During the first four seasons, it was only ever renewed for 13 episodes at a time. Many cast members admitted that when filming 13 episodes wrapped up, everyone felt apprehension while waiting to see if ABC would even renew the program.
Will They?
My Idea
So the producers of Yours, Mine and Ours actually threatened to sue Sherwood Schwartz, as they accused him of taking their idea and plot summary for the show. Once Sherwood showed them his notes and outlines of the show, which was written a year or so before the movie was written, they backed off.
My Idea
Say What Now?
Are you ready for this mindblowing fact? Okay, here goes, everyday since 1975 (which is the start of its syndication), an episode of the show has aired somewhere in the world. Right? Right?!
Say What Now?
Before Though
If you recall, the names of Mike’s and Carol’s previous spouses were never even mentioned and kept top secret to viewers. Additionally, the only time a picture was even shown of Mike’s previous wife was during the pilot The Brady Bunch: The Honeymoon which was once held by Bobby.
Before Though
Twin!
Once upon a time, Ann B. Davis actually played her own twin cousin in the episode “Sergeant Emma”. What’s ironic is that Ann B. Davis does have a twin sister, but the producers decided not to use her for this episode.
Twin
Nope
Wrap your head around this, Jeffrey Hunter had lobbied Sherwood Schwartz for the role of Mike Brady, however the network believed that Hunter was “too handsome” for the role and therefore they rejected him.
Nope
Squeaky Clean
As you know The Brady Bunch is known for squeaky clean image and also its goody-two-shoes characters. However in the season four episode “Goodbye, Alice, Hello”, there was a scene that was considered much too racy to be entirely shown in syndication. Bobby and Cindy, who are both wearing bathrobes, are standing in the kitchen and are talking to Alice when they plead with her for permission to attend a skinny dipping party at their friend’s house. Alice refuses and says that no Brady child will go to “some x-rated party in their birthday suit” if she can help it. This was the scene that was routinely edited when it’s shown in syndication, as it has suggestive subject matter.
Squeaky Clean
Pucker Up
Greg has a lot of dates on the show, however we never see him kiss any of his dates on the show! In fact, the only Brady kid that even had a kissing scene was Bobby who kissed Melissa Sue Anderson in the season five episode “Never Too Young”.
Pucker Up
The Daughter
Hope Juper, Sherwood Schwartz’s daughter, (was credited as Hope Sherwood) would make four guest appearances on the show. In season two, she played Jenny a classmate of Marcia. Then as Rachel, Greg’s date in season three. Later on in season three, she played Rachel again. And finally in the season finale she played Gretchen, a soon to be graduate with Greg. Additionally, some of the storylines were even based on her real-life experiences growing up. Later she would admit that it was embarrassing to see events from her own life played out on television.
The Daughter
Here Kitty
Originally the Brady girls have a cat named Fluffy. And we did see Fluffy once, back in the pilot episode, “The Honeymoon”. There is no answer as to why the cat was written out of the show.
Here Kitty
No Name
Turns out that our dear Carol Brady was the ~only~ main character to never to have her name in the title of an episode. Now that’s just shocking! Although she has never come out to say why.
No Name
And The Lucky Number Is…
Have you ever wondered just how many kids were interviewed to land the parts of the six Brady kids? Well Sherwood Schwartz has finally said that the number of boys and girls he interviewed is…464! Dang, that’s a lot of kids to fill just six roles for!
And The Lucky Number Is…
A Trend
The 60’s actually experienced a growing trend in television where it showed widowed parents raising their young children. At the time of the series premiere of The Brady Bunch, some critics said that the show had taken this particular trend to an extreme.
A Trend
Many Letters
As far as fan mail goes, The Brady Bunch received a ton of it. Especially from other kids asking if they could live with the Bradys as their own family life was far from perfect. Sherwood Schwartz would personally write back to those letters reminding the kids that this was just a television show, and that the children would be better off making their personal lives better.
Many Letters
Too Difficult
As we’ve already mentioned, Sherwood Schwartz and Robert Reed would feud many times over the quality of the scripts. Schwartz later said that if the show had been renewed for a sixth season that the character of Mike Brady would have been completely written out of the show as Reed had become too difficult to work with.
Too Difficult
Brownie
Out of all the Brady children and parents, Christopher Knight who played Peter was the ~only~ cast member with brown eyes. Everyone else had blue eyes.
Brownie
First of its Kind
This was the very first television series ever created and produced by Paramount Studios, which had only up until that time been a movie studio exclusively. Earlier shows, like Star Trek and Bonanza, were acquired by Paramount when the studio had purchased Desilu Productions.
First Of Its Kind
No, Thanks
Remember the pie throwing episode in season five, “Welcome Aboard”? Well it turns out that Robert Reed refused to take part in the whole thing as there was no dialogue. Moreover he thought it was dumb as it seemed like a silent movie from the Keystone Cops’ era.
No Thanks
No Such Luck
There were quite a few albums recorded by the Brady kids, but there was just one album that featured only Maureen McCormick and Christopher Knight. Unfortunately it was a commercial failure.
No Such Luck
Balance
Originally Joyce Bulifant was cast as Carol whereas Kathleen Freeman was the first pick to be Alice. However, once Florence Henderson was cast as Carol, the role of Alice went to Ann B. Davis so that they could keep things “evenly balanced”.
Balance
The Honeymoon
When Sherwood Schwartz first pitched the pilot episode, “The Honeymoon”, to NBC, they believed that the story of the parents taking their blended family with them on their honeymoon was too much of an unbelievable storyline. They only agreed to the pilot if the ending was changed. ABC actually liked it so much that they wanted to turn the story into a 90 minute television movie. However Sherwood was sure that it would be too dull and the series wouldn’t get picked up.
The Honeymoon
Mom!
Shirley Jones was originally offered the part of Carol. However, she refused to take the part because, as she put it, she refused to play a part where all she did was “take a pot roast out of the oven”. Just a year after The Brady Bunch premiered, Jones would played another iconic mother on The Partridge Family.
Mom!
Mike Brady
Sherwood Schwartz once claimed that the only reason Robert Reed worked on this show was solely based on his need to fulfill a contractual obligation with Paramount. Initially, Reed was meant to star in a sitcom based on Barefoot in the Park (which he had already done on Broadway) although it never got off the ground. In addition, Reed was also considered for a TV adaptation of the movie Houseboat, which also was axed. As both sitcoms were no longer going forward, the opportunity was there for Reed to play Mike Brady.
Mike Brady
Repeat Role
Dabbs Greer who played the part of Reverend Alden on the series Little House on the Prairie, would also go on to play the reverend who marries Mike Brady and Carol Martin in the pilot episode.
Repeat Role
Grown Up
Once The Brady Bunch was over, both Eve Plumb and Maureen McCormick would star in television movies about promiscuous teenage girls. Eve Plumb would even win rave reviews for playing the part of a a teenaged prostitute in Dawn Portrait of a Runaway. Plumb would reprise the role in the 1977 sequel “The Other Side of Dawn”. Maureen McCormick would go on to star in the 1979 telefilm When Jenny, When? about a high school girl who participates in promiscuous sex so she can avoid intimacy.
Grown Up
Braceface
Pretty much all of the Brady children had braces at some point. Susan Olsen, Maureen McCormick, Eve Plumb and Mike Lookinland all had braces on The Brady Bunch. There was even an episode ‘Brace Yourself’ which showed Marcia getting braces.
Braceface