The Brady Bunch

The Brady Bunch was a US television situation comedy, based around a large blended family. A total of 117 episodes were broadcast between September 1969 and August 1974 on the ABC network. The idea to make the series was based on creator Sherwood Schwartz's reading an article that a growing share of the marriages in the United States involved children from a previous marriage. Despite the similarities between the series and the 1968 theatrical release Yours, Mine and Ours, starring Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball, the original script for The Brady Bunch (which was titled Yours and Mine at that early stage) antedated that for the film. However, the success of the film was likely a factor in the network ordering the series.

Cast

The regular cast appeared in an opening title sequence in which video head shots were arranged in a three-by-three grid, with each cast member appearing to look at the other cast members. The sequence has been widely imitated and lampooned since:

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Maureen McCormick (Marcia)Florence Henderson (Carol)Barry Williams (Greg)

Related Topics:
Maureen McCormick - Florence Henderson - Barry Williams

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Eve Plumb (Jan)Ann B. Davis (Alice)Christopher Knight (Peter)

Related Topics:
Eve Plumb - Ann B. Davis - Christopher Knight

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Susan Olsen (Cindy)Robert Reed (Mike)Mike Lookinland (Bobby)

Related Topics:
Susan Olsen - Robert Reed - Mike Lookinland

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A recurring character was Alice's boyfriend, Sam Franklin (Allan Melvin), the owner of a local meat shop. (By the time of The Brady Girls Get Married, a made-for-TV movie in 1981, Alice and Sam were married.)

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Cousin Oliver

In 1974, the show's final year, the producers decided to add a younger character, Cousin Oliver (Robbie Rist), to balance that the children were now all 12 and over. (Barry Williams was 19 during the show's final season). In the episode Oliver was introduced ("Welcome Aboard"), Carol explained that Oliver's parents were moving to South America to engage in an archaeological dig, and that they were unable to bring their young son along.

Related Topics:
Robbie Rist - Barry Williams - Archaeological

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However, the change made no difference and the show was cancelled.

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