I learned a long time ago not to brag about my collection, but for a long time I used to boast proudly that I had the world’s biggest Brady Bunch collection. OK, so it probably was never true, but I do have enough Brady-related goods that it would be hard to find a person with more. Darn, am I bragging again?
Compared to the Partridge Family or Monkees, there isn’t all that much vintage Brady stuff out there, so it’s not too hard to get a modest collection going. When The Brady Bunch debuted 40 years ago, the target audience was ripe for merchandising. Before the show even aired, there were items in the works, which are now probably the two most sought after of the Brady collectibles: The Kitty Karry-All doll and the Brady Bunch Lunch Box. The first season also spawned a series of paperback books that were sold in schools via the "Weekly Reader" program.
One of the most pricey items in the Brady milieu is a complete set of bubblegum cards. They were tested as a set of 55 in 1969 and more widely released in 1971 as a full set of 88. With a display box and wrapper, the set routinely goes for over $1,000. 1971 also saw the arrival of a pair of comic books with first-season press photos on the covers.
As The Brady Bunch grew in popularity, so did the list of items available. Afan club kit was released via Tiger Beat magazine in 1972; back then a whole slew of teen magazines featured articles on the Bradys. Some paper dolls and a View Master set appeared around that time. 1973 saw the biggest increase in Brady merch when the Larami company licensed the name and put out a dozen or so carded toys that had nothing to do with the Bunch, but had their picture on the blister card. The Fishin’ Fun Game, Chess and Checkers set and Toy Tea Set had nothing to do with the show, but were found in five-and-dimes across the country around the same time Davy Jones was singing at Marcia’s prom.
The Whitman company produced several paper doll sets and coloring books, but also manufactured a magic slate and frame tray puzzle. The eco-themed Brady Bunch Game is another highly sought-after item from this era, and has a way-before-its-time green theme that involves picking up trash as you go around the board.
Not including the Bradys' record collection, there are around 50 or so items that were sold in stores. Over the years, newer items have been added to the list, which is good to know for collectors since many of the vintage items are very difficult to find.
Lisa Sutton is co-author of Love to Love You Bradys: The Bizarre Story of the Brady Bunch Variety Hour. She lives minutes from the real Brady House in Southern California and has an enviable collection of Brady memorabilia and knowledge, garnering her the official title of "Bradyologist." Photos courtesy: Getty Images
The Summer of '69 packed a cultural punch that may never be equaled. The first men landed on the moon just weeks before a million hippies landed at Woodstock. The Stonewall riots rocked New York around the same time the Manson Family terrorized Los Angeles. News of the Vietnam War was still being served daily with our dinners, and the world was ready for a breath of fresh air. That breath — often thought of as a last gasp of TV innocence — came on Sept. 26, 1969 with debut of The Brady Bunch.
Although it was a sweet family sitcom, The Brady Bunch was actually a bold concept; two families coming together to become one. At the time it was happening in real life, but not on TV. It was never explained what happened to Carol’s first husband or Mike's first wife, but it didn’t really matter. The theme song explained the story well enough to convince millions to welcome the Bradys into their homes on a weekly basis for five years of prime-time viewing.
Always a favorite with families, the show never cracked the Top 30 in its original run. It did, however, become a staple in reruns as the perfect viewing for kids when they came home from school. As a result, since its original airdate each new generation has adopted the Brady family as their own, making it one of the most-watched sitcoms in TV history.
Many revivals and re-thinkings of the Bradys would come over the years: The Brady Kids Cartoon, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, The Brady Brides, A Very Brady Christmas and the dramatic The Bradys all had legions of fans tuning in to see what TV’s favorite family was up to.
The continuous exposure kept The Brady Bunch in our hearts and minds over the years, and it evolved into a full-fledged institution in the 1990s. A stage show called "The Real Live Brady Bunch" played in several cities to huge success. As a result, the Jan Brady of that show, Melanie Hutsell, ended up on Saturday Night Live and reintroduced the phrase “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!” to the masses via a series of appearances as Jan Brady on the show's “Weekend Update.” A second Bradymania swept the country, resulting in two very successful Brady Bunch movies.
It’s hard to explain why The Brady Bunch remains so popular, but it has a magical combination of simple plotlines that everyone can relate to with a universal sentimentality based on family values. The groovy threads and retro dialogue doesn’t hurt, either.
In honor of the 40th anniversary of the show's debut, Collectiblog will examine The Brady Bunch and its lasting mark on popular culture.
Lisa Sutton is co-author of Love to Love You Bradys: The Bizarre Story of the Brady Bunch Variety Hour. She lives minutes from the real Brady House in Southern California and has an enviable collection of Brady memorabilia and knowledge, garnering her the official title of "Bradyologist." Photos courtesy: Getty Images
What happened after that lady met that fellow, anyway? Well, many of the cast members are still hard-working industry types – some of them in front of and behind the camera. Others have written books about, yep, you guessed it… their time on that original '70s show.
Florence Henderson (Carol)
Henderson remains one of the busiest women in show biz. Aside from being one of TV’s all-time favorite moms, she currently tours in an autobiographical musical, "All the Lives of Me." Reruns of her recent talk show, The Florence Henderson Show can be seen daily on RLTV.
Robert Reed (Mike)
Tragically, Reed passed away in 1992 as a result of cancer. He was also suffering from AIDS. He will always be remembered as one of TV’s favorite fathers, and is remembered fondly by all his Brady family members.
Barry Williams (Greg)
One of the most prolific Bradys, Williams became a best-selling author with his autobiographical account of The Brady Bunch in Growing up Brady. He appears regularly on stage and has toured in everything from "Man of La Mancha" to "Tony & Tina’s Wedding." He also has a regular radio program. Current updates can be found on his website.
Maureen McCormick (Marcia)
Maureen made a lot of headlines in October 2008 with the release of her best-selling autobiography Here's the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice. The book was released in paperback on Sept. 9.
Christopher Knight (Peter)
Knight has been keeping perhaps the brassiest profile of the Brady Six: His appearance on VH1’s Surreal Life lead to three successful seasons on the eyebrow-raising reality show My Fair Brady, also featuring his beloved wife and former Surreal Life co-star Adrienne (a previous winner on America's Next Top Model). For the past year, Knight has served as host of the syndicated game show Trivial Pursuit.
Eve Plumb (Jan)
Plumb has had a successful career as an actress and currently does voiceover work. Additionally, she's an accomplished artist with a studio in Laguna Beach, Calif. She recently participated in the group show "New York, New York" at the Wynne-Falconer gallery in Chatham, Mass.
Mike Lookinland (Bobby)
Lookinland first picked up a camera in the mid '70s, when his TV dad gave each of the Brady kids a Super 8 camera to make a record of their experience. He developed an interest in camera work and eventually made a career of it; he has a long list of credits behind the camera. Lookinland's son Scott played him in the TV movie Growing up Brady.
Susan Olsen (Cindy)
Olsen co-authored the new book Love to Love You Bradys: The Bizarre Story of the Brady Bunch Variety Hour. Always a fan of animals, Susan is an advocate for animal fostering and is actively involved with PreciousPaws.org.
Ann B. Davis (Alice)
Everyone’s favorite live-in maid has hung up her feather duster. Davis is now retired after many years of performing on the stage and small screen, though she occasionally returns for Brady-related reunions, most recently on the 2007 TV Land Awards.
Robbie Rist (Cousin Oliver)
Brady Fans know him as Cousin Oliver, but Robbie Rist has a long list of credits both as a child actor and an adult. Aside from providing the voice of Michelangelo on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Robbie is an accomplished musician and plays in several bands in the Los Angeles area.
Sherwood Schwartz (Creator)
The mastermind behind The Brady Bunchreceived a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008. Always busy, Sherwood and his son Lloyd Schwartz (a producer on the show) have written a forthcoming book about the show, Brady, Brady, Brady. It is due for release in 2010.
About the Author:
Lisa Sutton has been collecting TV toys and retro memorabilia pretty much from the first time she refused her mother's orders to turn off the TV and clean her room. A lifetime of obsessing over television and teen idols led her to a career as a journalist and TV producer. As a maven of pop culture, she has been involved in a variety of music and television projects including Rhino's Grammy-nominated "Have A Nice Decade" box set, the RLTV talk show "The Florence Henderson Show" and is co-author of the book "Love to Love You Bradys: The Bizarre Story of the Brady Bunch Variety Hour."
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