Since its first episode aired in 1969, The Brady Bunch has epitomized the wholesome, functional values all families seek to achieve. Of course, it helps that they're fictional and have writers tying up any lose ends that might occur in each storyline. But it's the actors' shining smiles and perky personalities that kept us tuning in each week to see what they'd gotten themselves into this time.
But behind the scenes, it wasn't always a "Sunshine Day" for the six kids portraying the siblings being blended together by their parents' marriage. We've heard scandalous claims from each of the youngsters over the years, most notably from Barry Williams, who played eldest son, Greg, when he penned his memoir, Growing Up Greg: I Was A Teenage Brady.
Aside from the fact that he and his onscreen sister had a teenage romance while filming, there were plenty of other secrets that came to light when the cameras stopped rolling.
Take a look and let us know if we forgot any of your favorite tidbits about the Brady kids.
And don't forget to SHARE with your friends!
Thumbnail Credit: YouTube 1, 2
1. Bobby Actually Had Hair Of Gold
Actor Mike Lookinland's hair was regularly dyed brown during the series in order to match his fictional brothers and father, but you can see his natural blonde locks on the later reunion specials.
2. They Begged For Better Fashion
All of the young actors would occasionally be frustrated by the plain outfits they were expected to wear and request more stylish options, but producer Sherwood Schwartz would always refuse, as he wanted the show to maintain a timeless feel.
3. They Inspired The Iconic Theme Song
Or at least the decision to have the actors serenade the tune after the first season.
According to stories from the set, Christopher Knight, who played middle brother, Peter, was heard singing it to himself in between takes. Since then, it was him and his fictional siblings cheerily welcoming viewers into each episode.
4. The Older Sisters Really Didn't Get Along
Susan Olsen, who played Cindy, has commented several times that the sibling tension seen on screen wasn't far off from the actual animosity between the two actresses on set.
Things were apparently particularly rocky when Eve Plumb became jealous of Maureen McCormick's plot line with teen idol Desi Arnaz Jr.
5. The Brothers Were Actually Close
On the other side of the coin, actors Barry Williams and Christopher Knight were such good friends that Barry had Christopher as his best man in his wedding.
Barry has also cited fictional mom Florence Henderson as his biggest mentor and best friend.
6. Marcia Actually Injured Her Nose
The episode where Marcia infamously suffers a nose injury from a flying football was written around the fact that Maureen McCormick had actually been injured in an automobile accident shortly before filming.
7. Jan Found Love First
Despite her reputation as the "outcast" sibling on the show, Eve Plumb was the first of all the six siblings to get married in real life.
8. Greg Did His Own Stunts
When it came to filming the surfing scenes in Hawaii, at least, Barry Williams is the man on the board.
When we see Greg wipe out from the "Tiki's curse," Barry was actually injured, and filming was postponed until he recovered.
9. Cindy Finally Lost Her Lisp
Not only was the adorable speech impediment 100 percent real for Susan Olsen as she portrayed the youngest Brady child, but it was something she battled to fix most of her life with speech therapists before finally receiving a surgical remedy.
10. Bobby Went Behind The Scenes
After bouncing around from job to job when the series ended, Mike Lookinland eventually found a career as a cameraman for movies and TV shows shot in Salt Lake City, UT.
11. Marcia And Peter Dropped An Album
Maureen McCormick made several attempts at a recording career after the series wrapped, including one album with Christopher Knight which, unfortunately, didn't do much on the charts.
However, she did find mild success with her later single, "Little Bird."
Did we miss any hidden facts behind the adorable young Brady kids? Let us know below and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
