The Brady Bunch Hour Explained

Alt Name:The Brady Bunch Variety Hour
Genre:Variety
Creator:Sid and Marty Krofft
Director:Art Fisher
Jack Regas
Endtheme:"United We Stand" performed by the Bradys
Composer:George Wyle
Country:United States
Num Seasons:1
Num Episodes:9
Executive Producer:Sid and Marty Krofft
Location:Golden West Videotape Division
Camera:Multi-camera
Runtime:60 minutes
Network:ABC

The Brady Bunch Hour is an American variety show featuring skits and songs produced by Sid & Marty Krofft Productions in association with Paramount Television. It ran on ABC from November 28, 1976, to May 25, 1977.

The series starred the original cast members of The Brady Bunch, with the exception of Eve Plumb, who was replaced by Geri Reischl (popularly called "Fake Jan").[1] The show began as a 60-minute special titled The Brady Bunch Variety Hour on November 28, 1976. The special garnered high ratings and led to eight additional 60-minute episodes which were produced and aired sporadically under the shortened title The Brady Bunch Hour from January 23 to May 25, 1977.

Later Brady Bunch revival series and TV reunion movies do not include or mention the show's events.

Premise

When the family is chosen to star in a new variety series for ABC, Mike Brady gives up his architectural career and moves his family into a beach-side home somewhere in Southern California. In addition to the Brady clan, next-door-neighbor Jack Merrill (Rip Taylor) frequently finds his way into the act and is a love interest for the Bradys' maid, Alice (her former boyfriend, Sam the Butcher, is never mentioned). Each episode features the obligatory variety show song-and-dance numbers and sketches, as well as a show-within-a-show behind-the-scenes story which takes place in the Bradys' home.

Cast

The Krofftettes and Water Follies

Background

Development

In 1976, ABC president Fred Silverman concocted the idea of reuniting the cast of The Brady Bunch on an episode of the Donny & Marie variety show.[2] Florence Henderson, Maureen McCormick, Mike Lookinland, and Susan Olsen were booked and when the show aired on October 8, it was a ratings success, prompting Silverman to begin developing a variety show starring the Brady family. Donny & Marie producers Sid and Marty Krofft agreed to helm the show, as their paths had crossed with the Brady Bunch stars on numerous occasions, but no one bothered to seek the approval or involvement of Paramount Pictures (the producers and then-property holders of The Brady Bunch) or Sherwood Schwartz (the series creator). Both parties eventually gave their approval of the new series, mainly as a way to keep interest in the original series. The variety hour remains the only Brady project to not have Schwartz's involvement during production.

Casting

Although Robert Reed's dissatisfaction with other Brady Bunch incarnations is well-known, he quickly signed on to star in the variety show. Maureen McCormick recalled: "We joked that it was the first time any of us could remember him wanting to do something Brady-related."[3] Barry Williams once wrote: "The Brady Bunch Hour was incredibly bad, but even more incredible was the fact that Robert Reed (who you'd expect would be foaming at the mouth about this mess) really enjoyed being on it."[4] When Williams asked him why, Reed said: "I've studied voice and dancing. I'm terrible at both, and it proved to be true, but when Sid and Marty met with me, they described the whole thing in very positive terms and I thought, 'What fun! This'll be a hoot!'" Quipped McCormick, "He sang and danced without caring that he was lousy and the show itself was worse. His inner Dorothy had found her calling."

Florence Henderson, the only cast member with real experience singing and dancing, was leery of the project but also agreed to appear, so the producers then set their sights on reuniting the Brady kids. Barry Williams was working on Broadway when he got a call from Marty Krofft, who pitched the show as "The Barry Williams Variety Hour with The Brady Bunch", promising the young entertainer featured solos and elaborate dance routines. Maureen McCormick was excited at the prospect of singing and working with the Krofft brothers; and Susan Olsen loved the idea of doing Saturday Night Live-type skits. Christopher Knight had turned his back on the entertainment industry and was aware of his own singing/dancing limitations, but he agreed to do the show when he was promised that his work would be limited to the opening and closing numbers and comedy sketches. Knight later said that it did not work that way "and I learned one of life's lessons—always get it in writing!"[5] Mike Lookinland was uncomfortable dancing and had no desire to do the show, so he demanded twice the salary he was offered in hopes that the producers would be forced to recast his role. To his surprise, this resulted in an increased salary for each cast member. Even then, he did not want to do the show and often skipped the rehearsals, until one day Florence Henderson found him in the parking lot and reminded him that they were all doing their job and "if his heart wasn't in it, neither should he be".[6] Ann B. Davis had left Hollywood in 1974 and was working as a volunteer in a clergy house in Denver, Colorado when the series was hurried into production. Originally, no one thought to include Davis, but at the last minute the crew decided to offer her a guest-starring role, which she retained throughout all nine episodes of the series. The producers made a deal which allowed her to be on the set only a few days a week so she could commute to Denver and fulfill her responsibilities to the church.

Contrary to popular belief, Eve Plumb was originally slated to appear in the variety hour. She said in her interview from 1976: "I wanted to do the show but there was a built-in option for thirteen more shows and possibly five years".[7] Plumb agreed to appear in five of the thirteen planned episodes, but when the network demanded that it was all-or-nothing, she backed out of the project. In late October 1976, producers scrambled to find a replacement and met with over 1500 hopefuls, eventually settling on Geri Reischl to fill the void. Reischl, who had extensive singing experience, auditioned several times and landed the role only one day before rehearsals began. Reischl's costars made her feel at home (Robert Reed told her it felt like she had always been a part of the Brady family,[8] and she developed a lasting friendship with Susan Olsen), but because of the recasting, Reischl was later dubbed "Fake Jan", a moniker which she has openly embraced.[8]

After the pilot was shot, producers decided that they needed a regular comedian on the show, so Rip Taylor was brought aboard to portray the Bradys' realtor, moving man, next-door-neighbor, general Jack-of-all-trades and Alice's boyfriend, Mr. Jack Merrill. Like Reischl, Taylor felt welcomed by the cast—with the exception of Ann B. Davis, who barely spoke to him except when they were doing scenes. Series writer Mike Kagan commented that Rip Taylor is a "salty guy, he's got a dirty sense of humor and Ann B. Davis is a born-again Christian."

Krofftettes

The Krofftettes were a dance troupe, who also performed water ballet created by Sid and Marty Krofft as a spin-off of The Ice Vanities, which performed skating routines on their other variety endeavor, Donny & Marie. When ABC programming executive Michael Eisner asked the Kroffts to create a new show for The Brady Bunch, Sid decided that the next best thing to ice would be a gigantic swimming pool, inspired by Esther Williams movies of the 1940s and 1950s. On October 25, 1976, the Kroffts held auditions for the group with choreographer Joe Cassini in the ABC headquarters at 1313 North Vine Street in Hollywood. There, they met Charkie Phillips, a classically trained dancer from Florida and competitive swimmer with an extensive background in synchronized swimming. Phillips was selected to help Cassini choose dancers who could also handle the rigors of synchronised swimming.

Production

The series was taped on Stage 2 at KTLA Studios in Los Angeles. The first episode was taped over three days beginning Monday, November 22, completing just days before its air date that Thanksgiving Sunday. The 47756gal NaNfeet, 68inches deep pool arrived in sections that were bolted together and made watertight. The pool included windows along the sides of the tank to ease filming underwater. When the pool was first filled, early taping tests were unsuccessful. Assistant director Rick Locke commented that "it looked like milk". The pool was then filled with of Sparkletts bottled water, chlorinated and filter and pump facilities added outside the studio.

Both the swimmers and stage crew faced many challenges with the swimming pool during production. Because the pool was located next door to the ice rink for Donny & Marie on Stage 1, the Krofftettes entered and exited the water in frigid air temperatures while rehearsing for the pilot episode. This caused steam to rise out of the water. Attempts to equalize the temperature of both the water and air then turned the pool into a warm bath.

Unlike traditional synchronized swimming, the Krofftettes were expected to sit on the bottom of the pool floor in various formations. In order to accomplish this, the women had to completely exhale all of their breath so that they would sink in a state of hypoxia. The ABC network would not allow the use of goggles and any unsightly air bubble escaping from a desperate nostril was absolutely forbidden. Because the Krofftettes had double duty as dancers on stage with the Bradys during the day, swimming sequences were often relegated to late night hours. This required the women to work more than 15 consecutive hours on days they were filming.

Other hazards with the swimming pool included props weighed to the bottom, which presented unwelcome obstructions. In addition, the Kroffts decided in one production number to have gas canisters in the pool, which they ignited during filming as a special effect. The Krofftettes were also forced to smear Vaseline into their scalp so that everything would stay in place while under water. This could only be removed with a recipe of Spic and Span household cleaner along with Joy dishwashing liquid, which turned everyone's hair green. Turbans and other head pieces were then used for the remainder of the series.

The Krofftettes were the first water ballet troupe to be recorded on video tape, which presented its own set of challenges. The Kroffts experimented with an underwater camera, but relied more on large porthole windows in which cameras taped from outside of the pool itself. Cast, crew, and visitors alike were known to visit the stage and observe the young women during rehearsals through these windows, which included Chevy Chase and Paul Shaffer who were working at the studio on a television special. According to Shaffer, Chase would cut production meetings short so that everyone could go watch the Krofftettes.[9]

Apart from the first episode, the production crew were very resistant to the expense of doing multiple takes, even allowing bloopers to appear in the finished episodes rather than re-shooting the sequences.[8]

Scheduling

The show was intended to air every fifth week in the same slot as The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, but was scheduled sporadically throughout the season, leading to inconsistent ratings. A promo was often shown with Reed and Henderson stating, "The Brady Bunch Variety Hour won't be seen this week, but we will be back again soon."

Episodes

AirdateTitleDirectorWritersGuest stars
1 November 28, 1976 The Brady Bunch Variety Hour Art Fisher Ronny Graham, Terry Hart, Bruce Vilanch, Steve Bluestein Tony Randall, Donny Osmond, Marie Osmond, Patty Maloney
Plot: The Brady kids fear their father is not talented enough to appear on their variety show, so Bobby schemes to replace him with Tony Randall.
Music
Notes
  • Barry Williams performs Corner of the Sky from Pippin, the Broadway musical which he resigned from to appear in this series.
2 January 23, 1977 0101 Jack Regas Ronny Graham, Terry Hart, Bruce Vilanch, Steve Bluestein, Mike Kagan Lee Majors, Farrah Fawcett, Kaptain Kool and the Kongs (Michael Lembeck, Louise DuArt, Debra Clinger and Mickey McMeel)
Plot: When the Bradys spend their first night in their new home, they find themselves with two unexpected houseguests: Lee Majors and Farrah Fawcett.
Music
Notes
  • Rip Taylor joins the cast, credited as a guest-star.
  • Geri Reischl re-recorded "Your Song" in 2011. It was first released on the single "Fake Jan Sings for Real"[10] and later included on her full-length album 1200 Riverside.[11] Footage from this episode is incorporated into the official music video,[12] along with many other Brady Bunch references and brief cameo appearances by Susan Olsen and Mike Lookinland.
  • The debut broadcast was sponsored by Oscar Mayer and, as the Bradys exited the stage, an animated mascot marched across the screen brandishing the company's logo.[13] This bit of animation was omitted from subsequent reruns.
  • During the "Car Wash" number, the headdress worn by dancer Charkie Phillips was fastened so tightly that she was in excruciating pain and discovered her head was bleeding when it was removed.
  • Guest-star Debra Clinger (of Kaptain Kool and the Kongs) was one of singers for "Rock Flowers",[14] a line of dolls for Mattel toys which were marketed with tie-in record albums. Geri Reischl starred in a series of commercials for Mattel culminating with the Rock Flowers campaign[15] [16] and was the prototype for the "Heather" doll.[17]
3 February 27, 1977 0102 Jack Regas Ronny Graham, Terry Hart, Bruce Vilanch, Steve Bluestein, Mike Kagan, Carl KleinshmittMilton Berle, Tina Turner, Collette
Plot: When Bobby asks Milton Berle to appear on the show, the showman promptly runs amok.
Music
Notes
  • A puppet named Collette sings a duet with Peter. Collette appeared in various Krofft productions dating back to The Dean Martin Show.
  • The lyrics to "Hooray for Hollywood" were altered to include references to H. R. Pufnstuf, Laverne & Shirley and Jo Anne Worley.
  • Writer Bruce Vilanch accosted guest-star Milton Berle backstage and asked to see his infamous endowment, but his request was denied.
4 March 4, 1977 0103 Jack Regas Ronny Graham, Bruce Vilanch, Steve Bluestein, Mike Kagan, Carl Kleinshmitt Vincent Price, H.R. Pufnstuf (Van Snowden), Kiki Bird (Sharon Baird)
Plot: When Greg decides to move out on his own, Vincent Price warns him that his new apartment is haunted.
Music
Notes
  • Ted Knight was originally slated to guest-star, but he backed out and was replaced by Vincent Price.[18]
  • In a lurch without a musical guest, they brought in H.R. Pufnstuf,[19] who pantomimed to an original Elton John song that was recorded for a puppet show at the recently-defunct theme park The World of Sid & Marty Krofft.[20]
5 March 21, 1977 0104 Jack Regas Ronny Graham, Bruce Vilanch, Steve Bluestein, Mike Kagan, Carl Kleinshmitt Charo, The Hudson Brothers
Plot: When his family criticizes his singing and dancing talents, Mike decides to prove he can carry a tune. But when he teams up with Charo for rehearsal, Carol becomes jealous.
Music
6 March 28, 19770105Jack Regas Ronny Graham, Bruce Vilanch, Steve Bluestein, Mike Kagan, Carl Kleinshmitt Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, Rich Little, Melanie Safka and Van Snowden
Plot: Rich Little develops amnesia and believes he is one of the Brady children.
Music
7 April 4, 19770106Jack Regas Ronny Graham, Bruce Vilanch, Steve Bluestein, Mike Kagan, Carl Kleinshmitt Robert Hegyes, Redd Foxx, Ohio Players, Sharon Baird
Plot: Marcia announces her engagement to Winston Beaumont (Robert Hegyes), a carefree hippie. Meanwhile, Redd Foxx lurks around the set in preparation for his upcoming variety show, The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour.
Music
Notes
8 April 25, 19770107Jack Regas Ronny Graham, Bruce Vilanch, Steve Bluestein, Mike Kagan, Carl Kleinshmitt Fred Berry, Haywood Nelson, Ernest Lee Thomas, Danielle Spencer, Rick Dees, Patty Maloney, Mike Kagan, Bruce Vilanch
Plot: When the Brady Kids announce that they have invited the kids from What's Happening!! to appear on their variety show, their parents inform them that a last-minute addition to the show is not possible.
Music
9 May 25, 19770108Jack Regas Ronny Graham, Bruce Vilanch, Steve Bluestein, Mike Kagan, Carl Kleinshmitt Paul Williams, Lynn Anderson
Plot: When Paul Williams arrives to rehearse for the show, he confesses his love for Carol. Meanwhile, Jan swoons over guest star Lynn Anderson.
Music
Notes
  • Florence Henderson's recording of "Born to Say Goodbye" was released on the album . This is the only audio recording from the show to be officially released.
  • Geri Reischl re-recorded a solo rendition of "I Believe in Music" for her 2011 album 1200 Riverside.
  • The producers asked aspiring country singer Geri Reischl which country star she would like to see appear on the show and she chose Lynn Anderson and Tammy Wynette.
  • The recording of "The Hell of It" is lifted from the soundtrack for Phantom of the Paradise. Paul Williams performed the song in an attempt to boost awareness of the film.[21]
  • Lynn Anderson later referred to Paul Williams as her "almost brother-in-law." Although they never married, Anderson maintained a decades-long relationship with Williams' brother, whom she began dating in the early 1980s.
  • "What Have They Done to My Song, Ma?" was written by previous guest star Melanie Safka.
  • According to various cast and crew members, former alcoholic Paul Williams got very drunk before they filmed the closing number.

Home media

The first and fourth episodes were released on VHS[22] [23] and DVD[24] in the United States in 2000 by Rhino Entertainment.

The Brady Bunch Variety Hour in popular culture

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Geri Reischl: The Legend. June 6, 2014.
  2. Book: Nichelson, Ted . 2009 . Love to Love You Bradys: The Bizarre Story of the Brady Bunch Variety Hour . ECW Press . 978-1-55022-888-5.
  3. Book: McCormick, Maureen. 2009. Here's the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice. Harper Collins. 978-0-06-149015-6. registration.
  4. Book: Williams, Barry. 2009 . Growing Up Brady . Harper Collins . 178–180 . 978-0-06-109122-3.
  5. Web site: BradyHour.com Presents An Interview with Christopher Knight . June 6, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20020111041019/http://www.bradyhour.com/ckinterview.html . January 11, 2002.
  6. Web site: The Talk: Florence Henderson's 80th Birthday & Brady Bunch Reunion. 19 August 2014 . November 28, 2014.
  7. Web site: Excerpt from: The News Citizen – December, 1976 . June 6, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20030225105808/http://www.bradyhour.com/newscitizen.html . February 25, 2003.
  8. Eury. Michael. August 2020. Fake Jan Gets Real: An Interview with The Brady Bunch Variety Hour's Geri Reischl. RetroFan. TwoMorrows Publishing. United States. 10. 46–52.
  9. Book: Ritz. Paul Shaffer with David. We'll be here for the rest of our lives: a swingin' showbiz saga. 2010. Anchor Books. New York. 978-0-7679-2886-1. 1st Anchor Books.
  10. Web site: CD Baby: Fake Jan Sings for Real. June 3, 2014.
  11. Web site: amazon.com: 1200 Riverside. Amazon . June 3, 2014.
  12. Web site: You Tube: Your Song (2011 Version) Geri Reischl. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/fFLABZWri7E . 2021-12-22 . live. . October 2011 . June 3, 2014.
  13. Web site: The Brady Bunch Variety Hour #2 (with commercials!). https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/oJW4VDb06xg . 2021-12-22 . live. . June 6, 2014.
  14. Web site: All-American Girl Debra Clinger Stars in "Midnight Madness" . June 7, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090804155742/http://geocities.com/TelevisionCity/1378/artclinger.html . August 4, 2009.
  15. Web site: Rock Flowers doll commercial with "Fake Jan" (30 second version). https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/srkA41F0U6k . 2021-12-22 . live. . 7 June 2014 . June 7, 2014.
  16. Web site: Rock Flowers doll commercial (60 second version). June 7, 2014.
  17. Web site: The Real Life of Fake Jan: A Conversation with Brady Bunch Alumni Geri Reischl. June 7, 2014.
  18. Book: Nichelson . Ted . Love to Love You Bradys . 111 . Ted Knight was one celebrity who bailed on the Bradys at the last second and was replaced by Vincent Price..
  19. Book: Nichelson . Ted . Love to Love You Bradys . 111 . Dore was struggling to book anyone and even had musical guests canceling, so at one point she was forced to bring in H.R. Pufnstuf to fill the void when nobody else would..
  20. 1976 . Magic in Midtown: The World of Sid & Marty Krofft . 2021-07-12 . 11:50 .
  21. Web site: You Tube: Paul Williams Interview – Phantom of the Paradise At The Museum of the Moving Image. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/zSVMKGC728g . 2021-12-22 . live. . 26 January 2013 . June 6, 2014.
  22. Web site: amazon.com: The Brady Bunch Variety Hour Volume 1. Amazon . 24 October 2000 . June 6, 2014.
  23. Web site: amazon.com: The Brady Bunch Variety Hour Volume 2. Amazon . 24 October 2000 . June 6, 2014.
  24. Web site: amazon.com: The Brady Bunch Variety Hour DVD. Amazon . 24 October 2000 . June 6, 2014.

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