Here's to the Bunch

Back on September 26^th, The Brady Bunch turned 40. I’m old enough to have watched the Brady Bunch in its original once a week airing. However, I don’t recall waiting a full week between episodes. I do vividly recall the Brady’s in full syndication. Monday through Friday I would laugh along enjoying the antics of, what I thought at the time, was the traditional American family.

As I grew older so did the Brady’s. Remember 1977 when the Brady’s had their own musical variety hour? Then, as time passed, the Brady girls got married and scored another series. Skip forward a few years and it was a TV movie that reunited the Bunch, A Very Brady Christmas. Following this, you guessed it, another series, The Brady’s. No matter where I was in my life or what I was doing the Brady’s were there.

There isn’t many TV series that can claim so many reincarnations. With the Brady’s celebrating 40 years it was only fitting that I visited the Brady Bunch house in North Hollywood. The exterior of the house was only filmed once and used countless times on nearly every episode. I also visited Stage 5 at Paramount (where the Brady’s filmed the interior of their shows.)

The 40^th anniversary was officially recognized, not by a reunion special but by a new book, Love to Love You Brady’s – The Bizarre Story of the Brady Bunch Variety Hour. I was memorized by it. With only 9 episodes in total, who would have thought so much went on behind the scenes?! The book was written by Ted Nichelson, Susan Olsen (Cindy herself) and Lisa Sutton. It’s worth every cent.