The Brady Bunch was a US television situation comedy, based around a large blended family. 117 episodes were broadcast between September 1969 and August 1974 on the ABC network. The idea to make the series was partly based on series creator Sherwood Schwartz reading an article that half of the marriages in the United States end in divorce, and partly based on the 1968 theatrical release Yours, Mine and Ours, starring Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball.
Mike Brady, a widower with sons Greg, Peter, and Bobby and a wisecracking housekeeper named Alice, married Carol Martin (born Carol Tyler), whose daughters were Marcia, Jan, and Cindy; the daughters take the Brady surname. Carol's circumstances were never explained; producer Sherwood Schwartz had intended to make her a divorcée, but relented when ABC censors learned of his idea.
The new family, including Alice, all moved into a new home designed by Mike. Episodes detailed the family learning to adjust to their new circumstances and become a unit, as well as typical problems of childhood and teen-agers (such as dating, rivalries and family squabbles). While there were no very special episodes to deal with complex issues (such as racism or drug use), subtle references to "the real world" occassionally found their way into the dialogue.
The show is something of a cultural phenomenon, having lasted in the minds of Americans for over 30 years. Since its first airing in syndication, an episode of the show has been on TV somewhere in the world every single day. This is despite the fact that The Brady Bunch was not a particularly high-rated show during its first run on television. When the episodes were repeated in syndication, usually appearing every weekday in early-afternoon slots so kids could watch the episodes when they returned from school, the program became widely popular and achieved iconic status among children who were too young to have seen the series during its original early 1970s primetime run.
The teenage talent on the show spun off singing careers as they toured the USA in the 1970s, calling themselves The Brady Bunch Kids.
Cast
The 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:
Also appearing on occassion was Alice's boyfriend, Sam Franklin (Allan Melvin ), the owner of a local meat shop. The two were engaged in a 1973 episode.
In 1974, during the show's waning years, the producers attributed declining ratings to several of the child stars approaching adulthood (Barry Williams was 19 during the show's final season). To that end, a new character was created – Cousin Oliver (Robbie Rist ), purportedly to renew interest in the show by younger viewers.
In the episode Oliver was introduced ("Welcome Aboard"), Carol explained that Oliver's parents were moving to Africa to engage in an archeological dig, and that they were unable to bring their young son along.
However, the change did more harm than good. Already being beaten soundly in the ratings by Sanford and Son, the popular sitcom then running opposite The Brady Bunch on NBC, the producers finally acknowledged the show had run its course and ended the show at the end of the 1973-1974 season before it could be cancelled by ABC. However, as Mark Twain might have put it, the rumours of the death of the Bradys were greatly exaggerated.
Spinoffs and Sequels
A variety show called The Brady Bunch Variety Hour was spun-off (Eve Plumb was the only actor who declined to be in the series; the role of Jan was recast with Geri Reischl ) in 1977 and was canceled after only a handful of episodes were aired.
A TV reunion movie called The Brady Girls Get Married, and a spin-off sitcom as well as a dramedy were attempted (The Brady Brides and The Bradys, the latter of which Maureen McCormick refused to be a part of. She was replaced in that series with Leah Ayres ). While the reunion movie fueled new interest in the clan, the television shows were not successes and were canceled almost immediately.
A 1995 movie, The Brady Bunch Movie placed the original 1970s sitcom characters, with their 1970s fashion sense and 1970s sitcom family morality, in a contemporary 1990s setting, and parodied the resulting culture clash. It featured cameos from four original castmembers as well as Davy Jones. The resulting movie was successful enough that in 1997 a reasonably well-received sequel, imaginatively titled A Very Brady Sequel, was produced, which made sly comment on the well-documented real-life sexual tension between some of the teenage cast members of the original TV series. In 2002, a telefilm called The Brady Bunch in the White House was produced, which recieved poor reviews. The movies featured plot references and songs from the TV show.
The Brady house
The house used in exterior shots of the series is located in North Hollywood in the San Fernando Valley, within the city limits of Los Angeles, California. The house was only one-story, but a false window was attached to make it look like it had two. In the years since the show first aired, those who have owned the house have had problems with visitors who trespass on the property to peep into the windows (perhaps expecting to see an interior that looked like set of The Brady Bunch), or who even come to the front door asking to see the Bradys. As a result, the house's exterior has been extensively re-landscaped, so that to someone casually driving by it most likely would not be recognizable as the house used in the exterior shots from the TV show. For one who knows already knows the house's history, though, it is indeed still recognizable as the Brady house.
Albums
During the run of the television show, the cast recorded several albums:
- Merry Christmas from the Brady Bunch
- Meet the Brady Bunch
- Kids from the Brady Bunch
- The Brady Bunch Phonographic Album
- Maureen McCormick and Chris Knight from the Brady Bunch
Two very popular songs were "Sunshine Day" and "Keep On."
References on The Simpsons
The Simpsons has referenced The Brady Bunch and its sequels in several episodes, including:
- The couch gag in the eighth-season episodes "Home Sweet Home-Diddily-Dum-Doodily " and "Lisa the Iconoclast ". The screen is divided into nine panels (a la the opening credits); Lisa, Marge and Grampa are in the top panels; Maggie, the couch and Bart in the middle; and Snowball II, Homer and Santa's Little Helper in the bottom row. Near the end of the gag, everyone (except Grampa) run out of their frames and onto the couch.
- In the eighth-season episode, "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase " (which detailed three "pilots" based on The Simpsons), the final skit has the Simpsons starring in a variety show "as themselves." The skit even includes a teen-aged actress "replacing" Lisa (who found the concept so ridiculous she declined to participate, much like how Geri Reischl stepped into the role of Jan when Eve Plumb was a no-show).
- In "Eight Misbehavin' , Lisa remarks about being "wildly popular, only to become a superegotistical freak who upsets her classmates, much like Jan in "Miss Popularity."
- In the "Last Tap Dance in Springfield " episode, Lisa is a marginally talented dancer who is not invited to participate in a much-anticipated recital, much in the same manner as the clumsy Jan in "Try, Try Again."
- In the "Treehouse of Horror XI" segment titled "Scary Dreams Can Come True" (a "Hansel and Gretel" parody), the witch says she has a boyfriend. When Bart asks for a name, the witch declares hastily, "George ... Cauldron," much how Jan made up imaginary boyfriend "George Glass."
- Much of the first segment of "The Regina Monologues" is inspired by the Brady episode "The Treasure of Sierra Avenue." Bart plans to spend a $1,000 bill he found (and Mr. Burns had lost, only for Marge to make Bart advertise for its owner; Mr. Burns arrives later to claim his cash, but refuses to pay a reward. In the Brady version, the boys had found a wallet loaded with $1,100 in a vacant lot, are made to advertise for its owner, and turn it over to its rightful owner (who offers a reward, unlike the selfish Burns).
The Brady Bunch is also a derogatory name for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
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