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

Maureen McCormick is paying tribute to her TV mom and lifelong friend, Florence Henderson. To me, she was both.

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“She is the real thing”, wrote Walter Kerr of the New York Herald Tribune.

It was never revealed whether Ms. Henderson’s character was divorced or widowed, but she navigated the trials of parenthood with aplomb as the children of “The Brady Bunch” struggled to adapt to their new step-siblings. “The Brady Bunch” aired from 1969 to 1974 on ABC, but it returned in the form of various specials, including “The Brady Bunch Hour” in 1977, “The Brady Brides” in 1981 and “The Bradys” in 1990. She always looked for the fun and was always laughing and wanted to spread that.

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.

“I don’t ever remember not singing. and I would sing and pass the hat. and I would sing for groceries”, she said. And she will be truly missed. Henderson even hugged McCormick and told her how proud she was of her.

People close to Henderson say the TV star died to heart failure. “It is for them that my heart is aching”, Olsen posted.

Bernie Appugliese, former executive director of the Youngstown Playhouse and a theater professional who now works in Chicago, met Henderson in 1986 when he worked with her in a variety show for the Kenley Players that also starred Jim Nabors. Outside of The Brady Bunch, she appeared on shows like Ally McBeal, The Cleveland Show, 30 Rock, The Loveboat, WWE Raw and Dancing with the Stars.

While appearing on “Today” a year ago, Henderson said she didn’t “get the memo” that she was supposed to be slowing down with age.

The actors and actresses who grew up with Henderson as their TV matriarch responded to her death with heartbreak and sadness on social media. Later in her career, however, Henderson would often joke that she imagined Carol had killed her husband in interviews.

According to the sources, the role she has played during her tenure, no one else would be able to play equally.

Henderson, who had competed on season 11, was a bright spot.