She was also a “Today Girl” during the early years of the NBC-TV Today Show
By Lynn Elber, Associated Press (courtesy The Toronto Star) Nov. 25 2016
LOS ANGELES—Florence Henderson, who went from Broadway star to become one of America’s most beloved television moms in The Brady Bunch, has died, her manager and her publicist said. She was 82.
Henderson died Thursday night at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, after being hospitalized the day before, said her publicist, David Brokaw. Henderson had suffered heart failure, her manager Kayla Pressman said in a statement.
Family and friends had surrounded Henderson’s hospital bedside, Pressman said.
On the surface, The Brady Bunch with Henderson as its ever-cheerful matriarch Carol Brady, resembled just another TV sitcom about a family living in suburban America and getting into a different wacky situation each week.
But well after it ended its initial run, in 1974, the show resonated with audiences, and it returned to television in various forms again and again, including The Brady Bunch Hour in 1977, The Brady Brides in 1981 and The Bradys in 1990. It was also seen endlessly in reruns.
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RIP Mrs. Henderson.
A pretty lady a pleasant actress and a great t.v. mom. For many of us The Brady Bunch was a part of our t.v. culture. A show with good morals and family ethics. We could use a bit more of such today.
As most any young males of the time, we enjoyed seeing the Brady girls grow up. For me Maureen McCormick (Marcia) first, but Eve Plumb (Jan) really came out of her goofy young girl cocoon to become quite a hottie. Cindy was too young for me at thee time and I saw her only as a goofy little sister.
I still enjoy watching from time to time Brady Bunch reruns on MeTv. I’m sure MeTv will run a special Brady Bunch day to remember Florence Henderson.
I agree with Les H. that the Brady Bunch did extol good morals and ethics. That was probably why the entertainment media was gobsmacked when Florence’s costar, Robert Reed came out as a longtime gay years after the show ended. By all accounts, Florence and other cast knew Robert’s status but honoured his desire to keep the information private. (I’d always loved Robert’s first big series, The Defenders, when he portrayed son and legal partner of EG Marshall.)
RIP Florence Henderson.