Florence Henderson - # 144

Florence Henderson, TV's Carol Brady, dies at 82

She was number 144 on the list.

She was one of America's moms, a television icon that endured through generations. Florence Henderson, who played Carol Brady on "The Brady Bunch," died Thursday from heart failure at the age of 82.

Her death was unexpected. Henderson had not been sick, her manager, Kayla Pressman, said. Just this week, Henderson attended a taping of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" to cheer on Maureen McCormick, who played her TV daughter Marcia Brady.

Henderson had made some TV and movie appearances this year.

"We are all in a state of shock," said Pressman, who spoke with the actress Wednesday night. Henderson died in a Los Angeles hospital, surrounded by family and friends.

Henderson played Carol Brady from 1969 to 1974 on "The Brady Bunch," a show that became a huge hit in syndication.

"The Brady Bunch" was a story about a lovely lady and a man named Brady, a widow and widower with three children each.

Even 40 years later, parts of the show are still staples of pop culture: The upbeat theme song and Rubik's cube-style opening, "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia," the football moment and of course, Henderson herself -- with her big blue eyes and signature blonde coiffure.

Her former castmates expressed their shock and grief at her passing. 

 

"Florence Henderson was a dear friend for so very many years & in my <3 forever. Love & hugs to her family. I'll miss u dearly #RIPFlorence," tweeted Maureen McCormick, whom Henderson had seen just days before her death.

You are in my heart forever Florence💕 pic.twitter.com/PABCuPubA2

— Maureen McCormick (@MoMcCormick7) November 25, 2016

 

Barry Williams, who played Greg Brady, told CNN's Brooke Baldwin that people ask him whether Henderson was really that nice, really that giving, really that maternal.

 

Yes, he said.

"She took what she did very, very seriously," Williams said Friday. "She was very gracious, always. She was an inspiration with how to conduct yourself in public as a famous person. She was so kind and would always take time. I want to remind people that -- and there are many many of us that will miss her -- that she was a genuine person."

 

Other cast members such as Mike Lookinland, Susen Olsen, Eve Plumb and Christopher Knight also expressed their thoughts.

 

From the beginning, to Broadway, to Brady

Henderson's life story wasn't as ideal as the one she was a part of on TV. She grew up poor in Indiana, with an alcoholic father and a mother who left when she was 12 years old.

She was a talented singer, and would use her voice to entertain the family and help make ends meet.

Applegate: Florence Henderson: "She was maternal"

"I don't ever remember not singing. And I would sing and pass the hat, and I would sing for groceries," she told the Archive of American Television in 1999.

Her big break came in 1951 when she was offered a starring role in the musical "Oklahoma!" Her voice carried her to a successful Broadway career, and eventually she began landing high-profile television gigs.

In 1959, she was on set as an NBC "Today Girl," and in 1962, she became the first woman to guest host the "Tonight Show."

Henderson became Carol Brady in 1969.

"I created the kind of mother that I wished I'd had, and I think everyone longs for," she said.

Henderson married her first husband, Ira Bernstein, in 1955, and had her first child, Barbara, in 1956. The fact that she was a young wife and mother helped her bring the role of Carol Brady to life.

"I understood kids. I was close to them," she said in the 1999 AAT interview. "I was the only one on the set who was married."

Henderson had four children with Bernstein. They were married for 29 years.

In 1987, she married John Kappas, a hypnotherapist. He died in 2002.

 

An enduring figure

When "The Brady Bunch" ended, Henderson continued to be a figure on screen and on the stage. She stuck with her musical career for a while, reviving her role as Annie Oakley in "Annie Get Your Gun" in 1981. And, of course, she brought back Carol Brady for numerous "Brady Bunch" spinoffs and specials.

As the decades passed, she continued to be a presence through cameos and guest appearances. She showed up on "Murder She Wrote," "Ellen," "Roseanne," "30 Rock," and curiously, as a guest host on "WWE Raw" in 2010.

 

She dabbled in movies, appearing in "The Brady Bunch Movie" and most recently, "50 Shades of Black." She also had a fondness for game show appearances, delighting audiences on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," "The $100,000 Pyramid" and "Dancing with the Stars."

 

Remembering America's mom

Stars from all genres paused their Thanksgiving festivities to honor their colleague and friend.

"It was a true honor to have known and worked with her," wrote Al Yankovic.

So terribly sad to hear of the passing of the great Florence Henderson. It was a true honor to have known and worked with her. pic.twitter.com/bhgLigHEI4

— Al Yankovic (@alyankovic) November 25, 2016

"[She] was a doll and a dame and funny as hell," wrote actor Michael McKean. McKean was a contemporary of Henderson's, starring in the 1970's sitcom "Laverne and Shirley."

Florence Henderson was a doll and a dame and funny as hell. RIP

— Michael McKean (@MJMcKean) November 25, 2016

"Heartbroken," wrote "Dancing with the Stars" host Tom Bergeron. "I'll miss you, my friend."

Heartbroken. I'll miss you, my friend. #RIP @ItsFloHenderson pic.twitter.com/HQ7x7hPAxJ

— Tom Bergeron (@Tom_Bergeron) November 25, 2016

Film

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1970      Song of Norway                Nina Grieg          

1992      Shakes the Clown             The Unknown Woman  

1994      Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult                Herself Cameo appearance

1995      The Brady Bunch Movie                 Grandma (Carol's mother)            Cameo appearance

1996      For Goodness Sake II      Video Store Customer   

1998      Holy Man             Herself Cameo appearance

1999      Get Bruce            Herself Documentary

2003      Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star              Herself Cameo appearance

2008      For Heaven's Sake            Sarah Miller       

2010      The Christmas Bunny      Betsy Ross          

2016      Fifty Shades of Black       Mrs. Robinson  

2017      Bad Grandmas   Mimi      Released posthumously

Television

Year       Title       Role       Notes    Refs

1954      General Foods 25th Anniversary Show: A Salute to Rodgers and Hammerstein      Laurey   TV Movie            

1956      I Spy       Nymph Episode: "The Abbe and the Nymph"      

1957      The United States Steel Hour      Mary Jane Wilk Episode: "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"

1958      The United States Steel Hour      Gladys Pratt        Episode: "A Family Alliance"      

1958      Little Women     Meg March         TV musical special           

1958–62               Tonight Starring Jack Paar             Herself Regular guest    

1959–60               The Today Show               Herself Today Girl           

1962–67               Password             Herself Contestant         

1968      The Dean Martin Show                  Guest appearance          

1969–74               The Brady Bunch              Carol Ann Brady                117 episodes    

1976      The Love Boat                    pilot for series  

1976      The Muppet Show           Herself Series 1 Episode 7: "Florence Henderson"            

1976      The Paul Lynde Halloween Special            Herself                 

1976–77               The Brady Bunch Hour   Carol Ann Brady                9 episodes         

1981      The Brady Girls Get Married        Carol Ann Brady                TV reunion movie            

1981      The Love Boat    Annabelle Folker              Episode: "Country Cousin Blues"               

1981      The Brady Brides              Carol Ann Brady                5 episodes         

1982      Police Squad!     Shot woman       Episode: "Rendezvous at Big Gulch (Terror in the Neighborhood)"            

1982–85               The $25,000 Pyramid      Herself Contestant         

1983      Alice      Sarah James       Episode: "It Had to Be Mel"         

1985–86               The $100,000 Pyramid   Herself Contestant         

1986      Murder, She Wrote         Maria Morgana Episode: "Death Stalks the Big Top" (Parts 1 & 2)               

1987      It's Garry Shandling's Show                          Guest appearance          

1988      A Very Brady Christmas Carol Ann Brady                TV reunion movie            

1990      The Bradys          Carol Ann Brady                TV series; canceled after six episodes. Also sang third version of theme song       

1990      Murder, She Wrote         Patti Sue Diamond           Episode: "Ballad for a Blue Lady"              

1993–95               Dave's World     Maggie Occasional; Beth's mother           

1994      Roseanne            Flo Anderson     Episode: "Suck Up or Shut Up"   

1995      Fudge    Muriel   Episode: "Fudge-a-mania"           

1995–96               Our Generation                Herself Co-host               

1996      Ellen      Madeline             Episode: "Joe's Kept Secret"       

1997      Nightmare Ned     Herself Episode: "Monster Ned"              

1999–2000          Later Today        Herself Presenter           

2000      Saturday Night Live         Herself (parody)               Guest appearance (uncredited)

Episode: "Jackie Chan/Kid Rock" (May 20, 2000)

2000      The King of Queens         Lily         Carrie Heffernan's stepmother

Episode: "Dark Meet"    

2001      Who Wants to Be a Millionaire   Herself Contestant         

2001      Legend of the Candy Cane            Thelma (voice) TV movie            

2002      Mom's on Strike               Betty     TV movie            

2002      Whose Line Is It Anyway?             Herself Guest appearance          

2003      Mrs. America     Herself Host      

2003      The 26th Annual Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts   Herself Special appearance                

2004      The Brady Bunch 35th Anniversary Reunion Special           Herself TV reunion special          

2006      The Surreal Life                 Herself Cast member    

2006      Loonatics Unleashed      Mallory "Mastermind" Casey      3 episodes         

2007      The Ellen DeGeneres Show          Herself Guest appearance          

2007–09               The Florence Henderson Show   Host       52 episodes       

2008      Ladies of the House         Rose Olmstead TV movie            

2009      Samantha Who?               Loretta Guest appearance          

2010      WWE Raw           Herself Guest host         

2010      Dancing with the Stars   Herself Contestant         

2012      The Cleveland Show        Nanny Barbara (voice)    Episode: "The Men in Me"           

2012      Handy Manny    Aunt Ginny          Episode: "Handy Manny and the Seven Tools"    

2012      Happily Divorced              Elizabeth              Episode: "Meet the Parents"      

2012      30 Rock                Herself Episode: "My Whole Life Is Thunder"      

2012      Matchmaker Santa          Peggy    Hallmark Channel TV movie        

2013      Who's Cooking with Florence Henderson               Host       12 episodes       

2014      Trophy Wife       Frances Harrison              Episode: "The Wedding - Part Two"         

2014      Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off         Herself Episode: "Boardwalk Bites"         

2016      K.C. Undercover               Irma       Episode: "Dance Like No One's Watching"            

2016      Chelsea                Herself Episode: "Ellen Page & Inspiring Role Models"    

2016      Sofia the First     Grand Mum (voice)         Episode: "Best in Air Show"         

Stage

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1949      Carousel               Carrie Pepperidge           

1952      Wish You Were Here      The New Girl     

1952      Oklahoma!          Laurey  

1953      The Great Waltz                Resi       

1954      Fanny    Fanny   

1961–62, 1968, 1978      The Sound of Music         Maria Rainer     

1963–64               The Girl Who Came to Supper     Mary Morgan    

1965      The King and I    Anna     

1967      South Pacific      Nellie Forbush  

1974, 1981          Annie Get Your Gun        Annie Oakley