During a past interview, The Brady Bunch actress Florence Henderson opened up about why being a television mom came to her so easily.
As fans of the popular 1970s sitcom know well, Henderson played Carol Brady for all five seasons of the hit show. From 1969 to 1974, Henderson was the mother to three daughters Marcia, Jan, and Cindy on the sitcom. Of course, her character had three stepsons from her marriage to Mike Brady as well – Greg, Peter, and Bobby.
While The Brady Bunch wasn’t exactly a critical success while on-air, the show became a staple of TV viewing in syndication. The Brady family turned the show’s actors into household names. Additionally, Henderson’s character became well-known as one of American television’s greatest moms.
In November 2016, the 82-year-old actress sadly passed away. But earlier that year she sat down with FOX News in a segment where she answered fan questions. One fan of the show specifically asked her how it makes her feel to be called “TV’s favorite mom?” The Brady Bunch star said she’s “very proud” to be recognized in that way.
“It’s interesting that I’m known as America’s favorite TV mom. I’m very proud of that,” Henderson said to FOX News.
She went on to explain how her upbringing shaped who she is as a person. Henderson came from a huge family of 10 children, and she was the baby of the group. Further, she had four children of her own and five grandchildren. Therefore it was second nature to the actress to be six children’s mother on TV.
“I’m the youngest of 10 children,” she added. “And yet, I always feel like the mother of my siblings. That’s just the way it is. I have four children. I have five grandchildren. And, I don’t know, it’s like I’ve always been a caregiver.”
“The Brady Bunch” Mom Reveals Why the Bradys Were Relatable to Any Family in the World
The Brady Bunch became part of classic American TV viewing for numerous reasons. Yet one of them is how well the sitcom depicts the trials and tribulations of families traversing the day-to-day difficulties of living in the same household.
The Bradys lived in the suburbs of Los Angeles, California in a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house. With two parents and six kids all under one roof, there was plenty of chaos at times. The show dealt with a myriad of school-aged issues like boy problems and girl problems. The sitcom showcased issues with sharing bathrooms, lost pets, injuries while playing, and other daily events around a busy household full of kids of all ages.
While speaking to the Archive of American Television in 1999 about her life and career, Florence Henderson spoke about the show’s incredible reach. As popular as it is in America, the sitcom means so much more to so many around the globe.
“I think The Brady Bunch reflects the idealized version of a family. And I don’t mean an American family. I mean a family anywhere in the world,” Henderson said to the outlet. “Because this show has been on the air for so many years, I get mail from so many different countries- like 122 countries or something. So I know that this show represents something to people, you know, all races, all colors, religions. I know that minority groups absolutely adore this show. Because I travel around so much, and I see that, and I experience it.”
