Florence Henderson’s passing has been met with an outpouring of love and sadness from fans and colleagues in the entertainment industry.
Florence Henderson, the actress best known as Carol Brady on the popular sitcom The Brady Bunch, has died at the age of 82.
One day after being admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles for treatment of heart failure, Henderson died, according to her publicist David Brokaw.
According to the actress’ manager, Kayla Pressman, Henderson was in the hospital surrounded by family and friends when she died. During a long career, Henderson appeared in films, television shows, and on Broadway. She was adored by many and will be sadly missed in the world of entertainment.
When Henderson created the title part of Fanny in the Broadway musical of the same name in the 1950s, she shot to prominence. She later rose to fame as the “Today Girl” on the popular NBC morning show Today. She made history in 1962 when she replaced Johnny Carson as the first guest host of The Tonight Show. Throughout her career, Henderson has made frequent appearances on variety and game shows and served as a spokesperson for a vegetable cooking oil brand.
However, Henderson became known for her role as Carol Brady on The Brady Bunch. From 1969 to 1974, she portrayed the mother of the blended Brady family on the popular ABC comedy.
The program followed the adventures of newlyweds Mike and Carol Brady as they dealt with the difficulties of co-parenting their six children. Although only five seasons old, the program has become a cultural phenomenon and is still popular in syndication.
For the role of Carol Brady, Henderson was one of many actresses to be seriously considered. The character was first portrayed by Joyce Bulifant, but character creator Sherwood Schwartz changed the cast after realizing there was a chemistry problem. Henderson was initially hesitant to start the series when he got to read for the part.
However, she was eventually persuaded to do a screen test, which she did on the set of Star Trek, before flying to Houston for a nightclub gig. The next day, Henderson was called back to Los Angeles to do The Brady Bunch pilot, and the rest is history.
Henderson’s portrayal of Carol Brady served as a turning point in her career, and she was proud of it. Henderson said, “There were a few things I brought to the role from my experience as a young mother, the fact that I understood the children and the fact that I felt close to them,” in a 1999 interview with the Archive of American Television. ” she was the only person on set who was married with children. I guess you could say I’ve embraced a certain stability in the program.
The Brady Bunch wasn’t Henderson’s first example of success. She acted in several films, such as The Song of Norway (1970), and also had a flourishing theater career.
She developed a passion for musical theater in high school and later attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York to further her education. She quickly landed her first Broadway role in the musical comedy Wish You Were Here thanks to her obvious skills.
Throughout her career, Henderson has made frequent appearances on talk shows and game shows.
She has guest starred on shows such as The Hollywood Squares, Password All-Stars, To Tell the Truth, and I’ve Got a Secret. In recent years, she has continued to work in television, appearing in shows such as The King of Queens, 30 Rock, and Samantha Who?
Florence Henderson will be sadly missed by many fans. Florence, you are loved.
Henderson’s death is a loss to the entertainment industry and her many fans around the world. However, her legacy lives on in the countless lives she touched, the memories she created, and the love and joy she brought to the world.