A look back at the life of Florence Henderson, ‘America’s mom’

Her on-screen children have paid tribute to her, taking to social media to share heartwarming memories and photos of the beloved actress.

She was known as Carol Brady by generations of fans, the always cheerful, dutiful mom to the six Brady kids on the popular TV show “The Brady Bunch” from 1969 to 1974. As an adult, she studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and went on to become a radio talk show host, an artist, a designer who worked with Converse on their glow-in-the-dark sneakers, and an animal-welfare advocate.

In later years she also made guest appearances on such shows as “Roseanne, “Ally McBeal” and “The King of Queens.”.

WILLIAMS: Well, Florence Henderson was busy making a movie when we started filming our show.

“Brady Bunch” matriarch Florence Henderson has passed away at the age of 82. “She remains more than just another “’80s Kids Remember” nostalgia achievement, because she never peaked: “She kept rocking, and shocking, and surprising us at every turn with her clear-eyed IN values and street-savvy show business know-how. Just three days before her death, Henderson made an appearance at “Dancing With the Stars” to support McCormick, who is competing on the show.

Her death was reportedly unexpected, as Henderson, who resided in Beverly Hills, had not shown any physical signs of illness in the time leading up to her hospitalization on Wednesday.

But it was as a fine singer of “God bless America” and “America the beautiful” during the pre-race ceremonies at the Indy 500 that Henderson became a firm favorite with race fans. “From 1959-60, she was the “Today Girl” on the “Today” show”, presenting weather and light news stories. But she had a busy career as an actress and singer for almost 20 years before she became Carol Brady. In the end, it spawned television movies and reunion specials, short-lived spinoffs (including “The Brady Bunch Variety Hour” in the mid-’70s) and eventually two feature films.Ms. Henderson defended the original television show from its detractors, who ridiculed it for its simplistic, impossibly wholesome plots and its idealized portrait of family life.

Celebrities from Joan Lunden to George Takei and Rosie O’Donnell took to Twitter on Thursday night and Friday morning to pay their respects.

Florence is survived by her children Barbara, Lizzie, Joseph, Robert, and their spouses, as well as five grandchildren. Florence Henderson was well-loved and will be missed by many.

To broaden her career, Henderson took acting, dancing, singing and guitar lessons, even studying French and Italian. And I just thought she was cute (laughter). “I kept performing through “The Brady Bunch” and still do”.

He spoke with us about her life and legacy. “None of them had any idea who I was or made any attempt to be friendly, which really bugged me”, she recalled in TV son Barry Williams’ 1992 memoir, “Growing Up Brady”. That ran for nine years. The couple was married for 29 years until they were divorced.

Her second husband, John Kappas, died in 2002.