The Brady Bunch Episode #1

Hello and welcome to my Brady blog! I love The Brady Bunch and plan on reviewing all 117 episodes for you. Aren’t you lucky?  Let’s begin with The Brady Bunch Episode #1.

The very first episode of The Brady Bunch premiered on September 26, 1969 and starred Robert Reed as Michael Paul Brady, a widower with three boys (Greg, Peter, and Bobby) and Florence Henderson as Carol Ann Martin, a widow with three girls (Marcia, Jan, and Cindy). This pilot episode was all about their wedding day and honeymoon.

The opening scene is at Mike’s groovy pad. Alice is serving the men breakfast while Mike spoons half a pound of sugar into his cup of coffee. He’s getting married AND diabetes. Alice talks about how Mrs. Martin is a lovely woman while the boys say things like “Out of sight”, “Groovy”, and “Neato”.

Carol meanwhile is freaking out with her three blond girls (who could have been three dark haired girls – see trivia below). The girls tell Carol how much they like Mike. Thindy says they like Mike “thith much” and holds out her arms. Carol tells Mike on the phone that she has butterflies in her stomach. Poor stupid Cindy thinks they’re real butterflies in her stomach. Carol suggest Mike take tranquilizers to calm his stomach. The drugs have begun.

Tiger

The boys are all ready to leave for the wedding when they walk up with Tiger. Mike firmly states that they are not taking a dog to a wedding. The next scene is of the men and the dog riding in the car. Way to be a parent and hold firm in your decisions, Mike.

Carol freaks out when they arrive with Tiger because he will scare Fluffy the cat to death. The boys put the dog back in the car. Poor thing. It’s hot in there. Don’t leave your pets in a hot car. Lame.

As the reverend pronounces them man and wife and they engage in a deep passionate kiss, Fluffy comes out of her cat house and meows loudly. Everyone laughs while Tiger is busy using his new power windows he just installed. (The earlier scene shows a crank to roll down the window. In this scene, they have power windows. Oops.)

Wedding Chaos

Tiger gets out of the car and chases Fluffy. Chaos ensues. Everyone is screaming and running around trying to catch the animals. Both animals run across a fat lady in pink. She acts like a drama queen and pretends to faint. The waiter rushes over with ice and accidentally dumps it down her front.

The animals run on top of the food tables and then under the one with the wedding cake. Tiger’s big ass tips the table which nearly sends the cake to the ground. Mike runs over and saves it at the last minute. Carol runs over and pushes him back which forces the cake into his face. They kiss. Everyone laughs. (Robert Reed told Sherwood Schwartz, “Why don’t you save this type of thing for Gilligan’s Island?” Robert Reed did not like to do comedy.)

The next scene shows Mike and Carol checking into their honeymoon suite. Bow chicka bow wow. They drink champagne (even though he took tranquilizers earlier in the day – way to mix pills & alcohol) and they start getting sexy, but the mood is quickly gone because of the guilt they feel for yelling at the kids during the wedding. The mood continues through dinner until they can no longer take it. It was the most depressing honeymoon ever. They run out of the hotel and drive home to get the kids.

They all head back to the hotel. “If there’s one thing that’s better than a honeymoon for two, it’s a honeymoon for eight.” What? Why you stupid, Carol? It’s more than eight since they brought the animals along. Seriously? The episode ends with them all marching up the stairs.

Trivia

 

• This pilot episode was filmed in 1968.
• One network refused to buy The Brady Bunch unless Sherwood Schwartz removed the ending of the pilot. They said no two sane people on their honeymoon would bring their kids. Sherwood thought people would love them for loving their kids so much.
• This is Fluffy the cat’s only appearance.
• Peter was credited as Chris Knight. I believe the rest of the series credits him as Christopher Knight.
• J. Pat O’Malley portrayed Henry Tyler. He had over 230 acting credits before his death in 1985. A few of his shows are Lassie, The Lucy Show, The Big Valley, The Flying Nun, Alias Smith & Jones, The Dukes of Hazzard, and Taxi.
• Joan Tompkins portrayed Mrs. Tyler. She appeared on many other shows including Eight is Enough, Little House on the Prairie, Emergency, The Waltons, Mod Squad, and My Three Sons.
• Dabbs Greer was the minister who married the couple. He also played a reverend in Little House on the Prairie. In addition, he had roles in Charles in Charge, Charlie’s Angels, Gunsmoke, The Rookies, Bonanza, and Empty Nest.
• James Millhollin portrayed Mr. Pringle. He appeared in other sitcoms like Dennis the Menace, Happy Days, and Nanny and the Professor.
• Sherwood Schwartz wrote the theme song.
• The Peppermint Trolley Company performed the theme song during the first season. The actual Brady kids performed the theme song all the other seasons.
• Sherwood Schwartz created the checkerboard beginning so that all members could get a close-up.
• When casting, Schwartz was looking for three dark haired girls and three blond boys OR three blond girls and three dark haired boys. There could have been a completely different cast.
• The wedding scene was about 20 minutes away from Paramount Studios in the valley.
• Schwartz said the kids were all good kids and delightful to work with.

 

I hope you enjoyed my review of The Brady Bunch Episode #1.  Check back soon to see my review of episode two. Click here to see my Brady Bunch items for sale. See you soon!