"Brady Bunch" cast visits Kings Island on 40th anniversary of episode

[David]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/20/brady-bunch-reunion-kings-island_n_3307386.html

'Brady Bunch' Reunion: Christopher Knight, Susan Olsen And Barry
Williams Head To Kings Island (PHOTO)

Reunited and it feels so good!

"Brady Bunch" cast members Christopher Knight (Peter), Susan Olsen
(Cindy) and Barry Williams (Greg) assembled in Kings Island, Ohio for
the 40th anniversary of when "The Brady Bunch" visited the amusement
park on the series. The three "Brady Bunch" stars did four shows on
Sunday, May 19, meeting fans, signing autographs and posing for
photographs after each show.

"I think everybody, at some point in their life, wanted to be a
Brady," Williamson said at the event, according to Cincinnati.com.
"Their whole family seemed so perfect. They were so nice. I think it
resonates with the child in all of us to want to be Brady."

There was talk of a new "Brady Bunch" making it to TV via CBS TV
Studios and Vince Vaughn. The script followed a widower and father of
three Mike Brady remarrying a Carol, who had with three kids of her
own.

Watch the full episode of "The Brady Bunch" at Kings Iland, which
first aired November 23, 1973, below.

[hanc...@bbs.cpcn.com]

On May 20, 2:32 pm, David <dimla...@yahoo.com> wrote:

> 'Brady Bunch' Reunion: Christopher Knight, Susan Olsen And Barry
> Williams Head To Kings Island (PHOTO)
> Reunited and it feels so good!

According to the memoirs, the original experience wasn't so good.
IIRC, the place was new and not quite finished, the hotel rooms were
dumpy, and crowd control and protection were non-existent---the cast
almost got mauled by fans.

The episodes were done there to promote the park, which was part of
the Paramount corporate family. (After Disney and ABC merged, many
ABC shows suddenly had episodes in Disneyland or Disney World).

The Schwartz son decided to take on a bit role as a park usher, which
he regretted doing.

They wisely made a test run of the camera on the roller coaster, where
they found it had insufficient clearance. Had they not tested it,
someone would've been badly hurt.


Regarding the Brady Bunch show, it was basically a 1950s fluff sitcom
just like Leave it to Beaver. There'd be some crisis with the kids,
and the calm wise father with help from the mother would patiently
help the children work it out, as well as do the right thing. In real
life Robert Reed cared deeply about the kids, and they were all
devastated by his passing.

meTV is running season five right now, and they're so syrupy that
they're hard to watch. By 1973 much of TV had moved away from the
1950s.

The Schwartz's did work hard to treat the cast well and reasonably
protect them from the outside world, while also trying to prepare them
for it. When not filming they had to attend regular school which was
difficult. The kids were allowed to run around and be kids during
breaks, even at the risk of falling and getting hurt.

In their book, the Schwartz's defended bringing in cousin Oliver. In
watching him interact, it does appear he was a better actor than the
other kids.

[Michael Black]

On Mon, 20 May 2013, hanc...@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:

> On May 20, 2:32 pm, David <dimla...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> 'Brady Bunch' Reunion: Christopher Knight, Susan Olsen And Barry
>> Williams Head To Kings Island (PHOTO)
>> Reunited and it feels so good!
>
> According to the memoirs, the original experience wasn't so good.
> IIRC, the place was new and not quite finished, the hotel rooms were
> dumpy, and crowd control and protection were non-existent---the cast
> almost got mauled by fans.
>

I"m sure you posted about their visit to the park some time back, indeed I
thought from the subject header it wsa you posting, until I saw who it was
from.

>
>
> Regarding the Brady Bunch show, it was basically a 1950s fluff sitcom
> just like Leave it to Beaver. There'd be some crisis with the kids,
> and the calm wise father with help from the mother would patiently
> help the children work it out, as well as do the right thing. In real
> life Robert Reed cared deeply about the kids, and they were all
> devastated by his passing.
>
> meTV is running season five right now, and they're so syrupy that
> they're hard to watch. By 1973 much of TV had moved away from the
> 1950s.
>
> The Schwartz's did work hard to treat the cast well and reasonably
> protect them from the outside world, while also trying to prepare them
> for it. When not filming they had to attend regular school which was
> difficult. The kids were allowed to run around and be kids during
> breaks, even at the risk of falling and getting hurt.
>
> In their book, the Schwartz's defended bringing in cousin Oliver. In
> watching him interact, it does appear he was a better actor than the
> other kids.
>

As I've pointed out before, The Partridge Family had that little kid who
moved in next door, and I'm sure when I posted I checked and discovered he
had bee on the show before COusin Oliver hit the Brady Bunch.

You can sort of contrast the two shows, because nominally they were the
same, family sitcoms from the exact same era.

Yet I can think of the time the Partridge Family went to save a whale (I
seem to recall they rode a roller coaster when visiting the Marineland type place). Some
of them refused to cross a picket line. They bump into Lou GOssette Jr.
and Richard Pryor who run a hip nightclub (and then Danny ropes in the
local equivalent of the Black Panthers). They find a folk singer who had
faded from view. Keith signs them up to perform at a "women's lib" rally
at the high school. Danny gets drafted. They meet one or two runaways.
They perform at a prison (just like Johnny Cash). They have two run-ins
with a motorcycle gang. It goes on. They even had Holly Near on one
time, before she was a famous lesbian folksinger.

It was all light, but it actually reflected what was going on. The Brady
Bunch, some of that appeared, but only when it could hit the school. The
Partridge Family, since they were out on the road performing (though that
faded with time), they got to see more of the world than if they'd stayed
at home in school.

Michael

[hanc...@bbs.cpcn.com]

On May 20, 7:00 pm, Michael Black <et...@ncf.ca> wrote:

> You can sort of contrast the two shows, because nominally they were the
> same, family sitcoms from the exact same era.

In those broad terms they were similar, but I think they had distinct
differences. The B/B was very much a 1950s show. It had almost no
edginess or relation to modern issues (beyond the kids saying
"groovy"). In contrast, the P/F was more about having fun and being
silly. As you pointed out, the P/F touched on more topical issues.

Supposedly among the catss there was a slight rivalry. Robert Reed
felt the B/B was superior since the kids acted while P/F kids sang.

But Schwartz was pretty smart. He purposely wrote and structured the
B/B so it would hold up well over time, and it did. It's done
extremely well in syndication, AFAIK, much better than P/F. Everybody
knows "Marcia, Jan, and Cindy"; "Keith & Laurie" not so much.

Ironically, Reed wanted it to have more sophistication, but given it
was a children's fluff show, Reed probably was wrong.

"Murphy Brown" failed miserably in syndication. It was way too
topical, and after the fact, the show had no interest. She had a
"Socks" episode. What would that mean to people today?

[Captain Infinity]

Once Upon A Time,

Michael Black wrote:

>I can think of the time the Partridge Family went to save a whale (I
>seem to recall they rode a roller coaster when visiting the Marineland type place). Some
>of them refused to cross a picket line. They bump into Lou GOssette Jr.
>and Richard Pryor who run a hip nightclub (and then Danny ropes in the
>local equivalent of the Black Panthers). They find a folk singer who had
>faded from view. Keith signs them up to perform at a "women's lib" rally
>at the high school. Danny gets drafted. They meet one or two runaways.
>They perform at a prison (just like Johnny Cash). They have two run-ins
>with a motorcycle gang. It goes on. They even had Holly Near on one
>time, before she was a famous lesbian folksinger.

Don't forget the episode with a young Jodie Foster, who had to kiss Danny
Bonaduce. I'm pretty sure that's what turned her gay.


**
Captain Infinity

[Michael Black]

I don't think that's in there with the topical episodes I mentioned.

But yes, a lot of people appeared on the show as guests, either famous or
before they were famous. I mentioned Holly Near, she played a friend of
Laurie's at school, but Mark Hamill appears in the episode where Laurie
gets braces (and gets radio reception on them).

Michael

[hanc...@bbs.cpcn.com]

On May 21, 10:29 am, Michael Black <et...@ncf.ca> wrote:

> But yes, a lot of people appeared on the show as guests, either famous or
> before they were famous.  I mentioned Holly Near, she played a friend of
> Laurie's at school, but Mark Hamill appears in the episode where Laurie
> gets braces (and gets radio reception on them).

Likewise with the Brady Bunch.

The woman who played Bob Newhart's office secretary had a role (her
first, IIRC), as Marcia's teacher.

[Jim G.]

David sent a presser with the following on 5/20/2013 1:32 PM:

> The three "Brady Bunch" stars did four shows on
> Sunday, May 19, meeting fans, signing autographs and posing for
> photographs after each show.

I'm feeling like an interstellar visitor again, since I wouldn't go out
of my way for a photo or autograph involving one of the hottest names in
Hollywood at this very moment, let alone someone and something like this.

--
Jim G. | A fan of the good and the bad, but not the mediocre
"Can you and your stupid hair let us in?" -- Carlton Lassiter, PSYCH

[hanc...@bbs.cpcn.com]

On May 21, 2:50 pm, "Jim G." <jimgy...@geemail.com.invalid> wrote:

> > The three "Brady Bunch" stars did four shows on
> > Sunday, May 19, meeting fans, signing autographs and posing for
> > photographs after each show.
>
> I'm feeling like an interstellar visitor again, since I wouldn't go out
> of my way for a photo or autograph involving one of the hottest names in
> Hollywood at this very moment, let alone someone and something like this.

I doubt the lines for autographs were too long.

But despite weak ratings during its original run, the B/B is clearly
national cultural icon. It has been in syndication ever since it
ended. It spawned several spinoff shows (most of which we choose to
forget), and some cute movies. It spawned a moving about making the
show, and several books by the cast and producers. The original cast
has remained more or less friends over all these years.

[anim8rFSK]

In article <kngfeb$spg$1...@dont-email.me>,

"Jim G." <jimg...@geemail.com.invalid> wrote:

> David sent a presser with the following on 5/20/2013 1:32 PM:
> > The three "Brady Bunch" stars did four shows on
> > Sunday, May 19, meeting fans, signing autographs and posing for
> > photographs after each show.
>
> I'm feeling like an interstellar visitor again, since I wouldn't go out
> of my way for a photo or autograph involving one of the hottest names in
> Hollywood at this very moment, let alone someone and something like this.

If I was already there ... I'd get an autograph for Jude Cormier. I
think he'd like that. If I didn't have to stand in the rain or
something.

--
"Every time a Kardashian gets a TV show, an angel dies."

[Captain Infinity]

Once Upon A Time,
Michael Black wrote:

>On Mon, 20 May 2013, Captain Infinity wrote:
>
>> Once Upon A Time,
>> Michael Black wrote:
>>
>>> I can think of the time the Partridge Family went to save a whale (I
>>> seem to recall they rode a roller coaster when visiting the Marineland type place). Some
>>> of them refused to cross a picket line. They bump into Lou GOssette Jr.
>>> and Richard Pryor who run a hip nightclub (and then Danny ropes in the
>>> local equivalent of the Black Panthers). They find a folk singer who had
>>> faded from view. Keith signs them up to perform at a "women's lib" rally
>>> at the high school. Danny gets drafted. They meet one or two runaways.
>>> They perform at a prison (just like Johnny Cash). They have two run-ins
>>> with a motorcycle gang. It goes on. They even had Holly Near on one
>>> time, before she was a famous lesbian folksinger.
>>
>> Don't forget the episode with a young Jodie Foster, who had to kiss Danny
>> Bonaduce. I'm pretty sure that's what turned her gay.
>>
>>
>I don't think that's in there with the topical episodes I mentioned.

Jodie Foster's gaiety is very topical, but OK, I see what you're saying.

>But yes, a lot of people appeared on the show as guests, either famous or
>before they were famous. I mentioned Holly Near, she played a friend of
>Laurie's at school, but Mark Hamill appears in the episode where Laurie
>gets braces (and gets radio reception on them).

"Ohhhhhhh, Dr. Kessler!" One of my favorite lines from the show.



**
Captain Infinity

[Jim G.]

hanc...@bbs.cpcn.com sent the following on 5/21/2013 2:47 PM:

Oh, I'm not ripping on the show. I enjoyed it myself back in the day.
But that's a very different thing than looking for photos and autographs
from its aging stars. And it's just as true for *current* shows that I
really like. Photos with stars and autographs of TV and movie stars just
aren't a thing for me. At all.

[Jim G.]

anim8rFSK sent the following on 5/21/2013 3:48 PM:

Who is Jude Cormier? I actually Bingled this one (instead of being my
usual lazy self) and I'm not seeing an obvious connection to anything...

[Michael Black]

On Tue, 21 May 2013, Jim G. wrote:

> anim8rFSK sent the following on 5/21/2013 3:48 PM:
>> In article <kngfeb$spg$1...@dont-email.me>,
>> "Jim G." <jimg...@geemail.com.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>> David sent a presser with the following on 5/20/2013 1:32 PM:
>>>> The three "Brady Bunch" stars did four shows on
>>>> Sunday, May 19, meeting fans, signing autographs and posing for
>>>> photographs after each show.
>>>
>>> I'm feeling like an interstellar visitor again, since I wouldn't go out
>>> of my way for a photo or autograph involving one of the hottest names in
>>> Hollywood at this very moment, let alone someone and something like this.
>>
>> If I was already there ... I'd get an autograph for Jude Cormier. I
>> think he'd like that. If I didn't have to stand in the rain or
>> something.
>
> Who is Jude Cormier? I actually Bingled this one (instead of being my usual
> lazy self) and I'm not seeing an obvious connection to anything...
>

I think he was a prominent poster here in the past.

That's just one of those things that popped into my head, not from the
first post, but from your post.

Since I didn't know why I knew, I just checked, and yes, he disappeared 4
years ago, the first google groups result from putting his name in the
search engine was a thread "what happened to Jude Cormier". So I wsa
right, even though I can't off hand remember anything about him.

Michael

[anim8rFSK]

In article <kngu8d$i37$9...@dont-email.me>,

"Jim G." <jimg...@geemail.com.invalid> wrote:

> anim8rFSK sent the following on 5/21/2013 3:48 PM:
> > In article <kngfeb$spg$1...@dont-email.me>,
> > "Jim G." <jimg...@geemail.com.invalid> wrote:
> >
> >> David sent a presser with the following on 5/20/2013 1:32 PM:
> >>> The three "Brady Bunch" stars did four shows on
> >>> Sunday, May 19, meeting fans, signing autographs and posing for
> >>> photographs after each show.
> >>
> >> I'm feeling like an interstellar visitor again, since I wouldn't go out
> >> of my way for a photo or autograph involving one of the hottest names in
> >> Hollywood at this very moment, let alone someone and something like this.
> >
> > If I was already there ... I'd get an autograph for Jude Cormier. I
> > think he'd like that. If I didn't have to stand in the rain or
> > something.
>
> Who is Jude Cormier? I actually Bingled this one (instead of being my
> usual lazy self) and I'm not seeing an obvious connection to anything...

He's an ex-RAT regular.

[anim8rFSK]

In article <alpine.LNX.2.02.1...@darkstar.example.org>,

Michael Black <et...@ncf.ca> wrote:

> On Tue, 21 May 2013, Jim G. wrote:
>
> > anim8rFSK sent the following on 5/21/2013 3:48 PM:
> >> In article <kngfeb$spg$1...@dont-email.me>,
> >> "Jim G." <jimg...@geemail.com.invalid> wrote:
> >>
> >>> David sent a presser with the following on 5/20/2013 1:32 PM:
> >>>> The three "Brady Bunch" stars did four shows on
> >>>> Sunday, May 19, meeting fans, signing autographs and posing for
> >>>> photographs after each show.
> >>>
> >>> I'm feeling like an interstellar visitor again, since I wouldn't go out
> >>> of my way for a photo or autograph involving one of the hottest names in
> >>> Hollywood at this very moment, let alone someone and something like this.
> >>
> >> If I was already there ... I'd get an autograph for Jude Cormier. I
> >> think he'd like that. If I didn't have to stand in the rain or
> >> something.
> >
> > Who is Jude Cormier? I actually Bingled this one (instead of being my usual
> > lazy self) and I'm not seeing an obvious connection to anything...
> >
> I think he was a prominent poster here in the past.

yes

>
> That's just one of those things that popped into my head, not from the
> first post, but from your post.
>
> Since I didn't know why I knew, I just checked, and yes, he disappeared 4
> years ago, the first google groups result from putting his name in the
> search engine was a thread "what happened to Jude Cormier". So I wsa
> right, even though I can't off hand remember anything about him.

He made a brief resurgence; I tried to get him back from his new perch
on Facebook, but it didn't last

[hanc...@bbs.cpcn.com]

On May 21, 6:56 pm, "Jim G." <jimgy...@geemail.com.invalid> wrote:

> Oh, I'm not ripping on the show. I enjoyed it myself back in the day.
> But that's a very different thing than looking for photos and autographs
> from its aging stars. And it's just as true for *current* shows that I
> really like. Photos with stars and autographs of TV and movie stars just
> aren't a thing for me. At all.

But for a lot of people it's a big deal. Heck, if you saw Taylor
Swift or June Lockhart near you at some sort of event, wouldn't you be
even a little in awe?

[Captain Infinity]

Once Upon A Time,

My answers: Who? and No.



**
Captain Infinity

[Michael Black]

No.

In 1982, Joan Baez performed here, and I knew some people with a backstage
pass, so I went with them. When it was time to actually meet her, I had
nothing to say. I realized the only reason I was back there was because
she was famous, and that was a horrible reason to try to interact with
her.

I realized then that the famous have to deal with this sort of thing, when
in reality they'd much rather be treated like "normal" people.

I'd never tried much for autographs before that, Hunter S. Thompson and
Jerry Rubine (the latter includes a great story that's worth more than the
autograph), but I then decided I wouldn't try to brush up against the
famous simply because they are famous. YOu get nothing from it, they get
nothing from it.

So when Desmond Tutu came here in the eighties, I made a point of going,
but despite him just being over there having his photo taken, I didn't
approach him. I took someone to the playground instead, which is a better
story. When Abbie Hoffman was here around the same time, I didn't join
the groupies flocking around him after the speech, though I regretted not
having anything significant to say to him when I heard in 1989 that he'd
killed himself.

I have met some "minor" celebrities, but they've been on a more realistic
level. Not because they are famous (even if most people wouldn't know
them as famous) but just because they came into wherever I was.

There was a period when "famous" people posted to Usenet. Not many, but
they came because they were interested in the topic, not to fuel the fans.
So I can remember Arlo Guthrie in the folk and Guthrie newsgroups, I can
remember, I can remember Roger McGuinn in the Byrds newsgroup, I remember
Tom Clacny in his newsgroup, I can remember Homer Hickam telling us we
should get off the internet and read books instead (hopefully his). I
even remember the other Peter Deutsch (the one of Archie fame, and
bringing the internet to Montreal, not the one in Steven Levy's Hackers)
suddenly appearing in the local newsgroup to help someone who needed to
know where a certain street number was. And of course, Dennis Ritchie in
the folklore newsgroup.

And generally, they were all treated as equals. I suspect some of it was
that if we treated them like famous, we feared they'd disappear (so in
some ways, we did still treat them as famous, just not publicly), but they
generally weren't hounded. Well except for Roger McGuinn, who apparently
was stalked off Usenet (and he has a long history of interest in
technology, when he comes next month, I'm tempted to give him an early
Sony transistor radio to add to his collection).

That's the difference, approaching the famous because they are famous
leaves a big differential between us and them, approaching them as equals,
because we share something in common, is a whole different thing.

I did have an interaction with Leonard Cohen about 1990. It was an early
day in the spring when the weather was nice. I was waling up the street
and there was a bar near Marie Anne street, the front window open because
it was nice. For some reason I glance in, and there's Leonard Cohen. I
must have showns omething on my face, because he nods in acknowledgement.
"Leonard Cohen noticed me!". ANd I continued on my way. Later, I
realized it was likely a defensive mechanism on his part, if he
acknowledged me, I wouldn't go over and say "aren't you Leonard Cohen?"
and bother him. And it worked. 20 years later, I have a great Leonard
Cohen story, a much better story than if I'd actualy gone up to him and
tried to mumble a few words to him.

Michael

[Michael Black]

I keep thinking the former was an "Americon Idol" winner, but apparently
not. I doubt she's that different from their graduates.

Michael

[Jim G.]

hanc...@bbs.cpcn.com sent the following on 5/21/2013 9:56 PM:

Nope. They're just people, and people are people. With Richard Feynman
long gone, I doubt that anyone could get me to "Squee!" like a little
girl just by their mere presence in the same room as me.

--
Jim G. | A fan of the good and the bad, but not the mediocre

"I was wondering if you could give me some advice on how to handle
stress." -- Norma Bates, BATES MOTEL

[Jim G.]

anim8rFSK sent the following on 5/21/2013 7:49 PM:

I thought that he did work on the show, or something. And I'm not the
most veteran veteran around here, but it's weird that I've been here as
long as I've been here and yet that name doesn't really register with
me. I take it he was one of the good guys?

--
Jim G. | A fan of the good and the bad, but not the mediocre

[anim8rFSK]

In article <kniv3u$e5r$9...@dont-email.me>,

Yeah, he got tired of the filth like Clodreamer and finally bailed.

[Jim G.]

anim8rFSK sent the following on 5/22/2013 4:16 PM:

That's too bad. And given that any future newbies are probably not going
to have much of a handle on setting up filters, I can only assume that
any new blood won't be sticking around for long.

(Every once in a while, I look through my nuke traps and some of the
stuff that I see there is ... well, damn.)

[anim8rFSK]

In article <kno77a$dum$1...@dont-email.me>,

Yeah, they get ... lengthy. I don't follow more than a couple
newsgroups any more; when I was a regular poster in a dozen or more, my
killfiles were pretty complex.