Florence Henderson, the beloved matriarch of the Brady Bunch, died Thursday at the age of 82.
The world is a sadder place after news broke late Thursday night of the death of Florence Henderson. She died on Thanksgiving as a result of heart failure at the age of 82. Henderson has always been in good health, even appearing to rave reviews on Dancing with the Stars. Henderson was rushed to the hospital Wednesday after taking ill, and she died the next day.
“It’s the story of a lovely lady who was bringing up three very lovely girls.” Most people don’t realize that Florence Henderson was already a Broadway star when she landed the role of Brady Bunch matriarch Carol Brady. Her career took off as the show shot to the top of the ratings among kids and parents alike. The idea of a father of three boys, played by Robert Reed, marrying a mother of three girls was a novel concept for the time, and after throwing in zany housekeeper Alice (Ann B. Davis) the show hit cult status.
Henderson’s popularity transcended her role as the Brady matriarch. Henderson embraced the spotlight the show gave her and she took on cameo roles in other television series along with spinoffs of The Brady Bunch, including A Very Brady Christmas. She was also the first woman to take over hosting duties on The Tonight Show when Johnny Carson was on vacation.
Controversy swirled around the cast of The Brady Bunch after the 1992 death of Robert Reed, who was suffering from HIV. The wholesome image of the Brady patriarch was shattered when news broke that he was gay. Henderson and the cast defended Reed, saying that his sexuality had nothing to do with the show. Controversy popped up again when eldest Brady son Barry Williams wrote of a major crush he had on Henderson when the show was filming, but Henderson denied that any kind of relationship ever took place.
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Henderson passed away surrounded by friends and family and is survived by her children and their families.