Florence Henderson Wished Carol Brady Had Job

[Ubiquitous]

By Edward Lovett

Carol Brady on �The Brady Bunch� had a lot � three daughters, three
stepsons, snazzy clothes and hair � but she didn�t �have it all,� i.e., a
family and a career. If it had been up to Florence Henderson, the actress
who played her, she would have.

�I fought so hard to have Carol Brady get a job,� Henderson told ABC News
in an interview for the special �Best in TV,� which airs Sept. 18.

Henderson feared viewers would think Carol was �spoiled�:

�I said, you know, she�s got Alice � people are going to hate [her]. I
worked all my life. And through all pregnancies. � [The network] wouldn�t
do it.�

�I mean, I did needle point,� Henderson continued. �I helped Alice
prepare food. But I guess they wanted me to be the perfect wife and
mother.�

Henderson�s wish never died. After the hit show ended its run, she was
asked to participate in reunion specials.

�I said, Not unless you give me a job. And you know what job they gave
me? � Real estate,� Henderson said.

�The Brady Bunch� was more progressive when it came to divorce and sex,
Henderson said.

�It was the first blended family on television. And we were the first
couple to sleep in the same bed, to actually let people know how you get
six children,� Henderson said.

Carol�s sexy appearance in bedroom shots drove the point home � and they
were no accident � Henderson said.

�That was one thing I got my way on, that I would wear a sexy nightgown,
and I�d have makeup on. In reality, I go to bed with baggy pajamas, of
course, and no makeup,� Henderson said with a laugh. �But I thought, Yes,
let people know that we were a couple that really had sexual chemistry,
that we really loved each other.�

Watch more of Henderson�s frank and fascinating interview on �Best in TV�
Tuesday, Sept. 18, at 9 p.m. ET.

--
"Re-electing Obama is like backing The Titanic up and hitting the iceberg
a second time."