It just was a incomplete movie and was ruined with a replacement Cindy. I;m sorry but I think all the original actors and actresses have to be involved in a reunion movie for it to work. Watching it Now on ABC Family and just can't help from turning my head when they put the camera on the replacement Cindy.

Why in the World was Susan Olsen not involved in the movie? I know the Cindy character was kind of SLOW but I didn't know the actress who played her was SLOW too-lol

It just was a incomplete movie and was ruined with a replacement Cindy. I;m sorry but I think all the original actors and actresses have to be involved in a reunion movie for it to work. Watching it Now on ABC Family and just can't help from turning my head when they put the camera on the replacement Cindy.

Why in the World was Susan Olsen not involved in the movie? I know the Cindy character was kind of SLOW but I didn't know the actress who played her was SLOW too-lol

Of course that is ideal, but because so many are involved in reunions it's always seems they can never get everyone. It's a pity because I agree with you a reunion with ALL the cast would be fabulous. But if I had to choose between no reunion or a reunion w 1-2 replacements, I could live with replacements if they were well chosen.

BTW, Merry XMAS

Of course that is ideal, but because so many are involved in reunions it's always seems they can never get everyone. It's a pity because I agree with you a reunion with ALL the cast would be fabulous. But if I had to choose between no reunion or a reunion w 1-2 replacements I could live with replacements if they were well chosen.

BTW, Merry XMAS--(hope you didn't get any Entemen's pies:lol:)



Two replacements????-lol One is bad enough

Two replacements????-lol One is bad enough


Yes one is surely better than two, and Thank God, I can't think of an instance where a reunion has had two. Two would be my max for replacements. BUT one of couse is much much better. And zero w/b devine. But to not have a reunion at all would be very disappointing.

Susan Olsen did not participate in the Brady Christmas movie because she was on her honeymoon. I don't think it would've been fair to her to postpone the honeymoon, or to everyone present on the movie wait for her, so it would've been easier to just recast this once. Susan Olsen DID return for the short-lived Bradys series that followed a couple of years later.

To be fair, I think Jennifer Runyon did a credible job in the role of Cindy. She did resemble Susan Olsen quite a bit, and she looked comfortable with the cast. Maureen McCormick and her replacement in The Bradys, Leah Ayres Kalish, looked absolutely nothing alike. So they could've done worse!!

Honeymoon??? Yeah that sounds like bullsh*t to me

Read any article about the Brady Christmas movie, or any Brady website and it'll tell you. Susan married her first husband in August 1988, right when the movie was set to begin filming.

The movie sure has endured longer than the marriage, which ended after only a couple of years! Here are pictures of the two Cindys - Susan Olsen and Jennifer Runyon.

I'm just surprised she couldn't just postpone the honeymoon, it wasn;t like she was going to do the reunion for free

Here's a bit of trivia: this was not the first time Jennifer Runyon worked with Chris Knight (Peter Brady). They previously played boyfriend and girlfriend in 1981 on the soap opera Another World. One of the magazines printed a photo of them together from their AW days. If I can find it, I'll scan it and post it here one of these days.

I remember watching the Brady Bunch variety shows and hating to see that girl who replaced Eve Plumb (Jan Brady)...it wasn't the same.

I really didn't think "Fake Cindy" and "Fake Jan" weren't that bad, considering. I don't know about "Fake Marcia", since I never saw The Bradys. Can anyone enlighten me there??

I remember watching the Brady Bunch variety shows and hating to see that girl who replaced Eve Plumb (Jan Brady)...it wasn't the same.


Exactly, its like a class picture with a subsitute teacher, just ain't right-lol

I really didn't think "Fake Cindy" and "Fake Jan" weren't that bad, considering. I don't know about "Fake Marcia", since I never saw The Bradys. Can anyone enlighten me there??

I didn't like the Fake Marcia at all. The Fake Jan was bad also. I liked Fake Cindy the best out of the three. I think she did a decent job. While it is disappointing that Susan wasn't involved, I still enjoyed the movie. It would have been great to have her there but I would rather have it without her than no movie at all.

Here's a pic of Fake Marcia in case you haven't seen her:

I haven't seen 'The Bradys' or the one in '77...

I did like the 'fake Cindy' but she didn't have much of a plotline anyway...

Here's a pic of Leah Ayres Kalish from when she was on Edge of Night in the early 1980s, and another from a movie called Bloodsport. I read she is now retired from acting and works as a yoga therapist. She also produces yoga videos.

I wouldn't say that Susan's absence destroyed the movie... I also thought Runyon did a good job... besides, she was hot, :lol:
Never saw her in anything else though

Geri Reischel wasn't a great Jan, but she was nice-looking too... of course, the whole variety show was just bad anyway, and I'll bet that a few cast members wished they'd passed on that one.
The thing I remember about the debut of the Variety Hour is how my friends and I all thought that Susan Olsen had turned into quite a "fox". :lol:

But Fake Marcia was the worst fake Brady. I don't know if Leah Ayers was their first choice in casting, but that just never worked imo. It's also possible that Marcia would have been the most difficult role to replace.

Any fake Brady is not good.

BLOODSPORT now that's where I saw her and she's not bad to look at either but I still have a crush on Marcia !! Marcia !! Marcia !!

IMO The fake Cindy was better than the fake Marcia

I remember watching the Brady Bunch variety shows and hating to see that girl who replaced Eve Plumb (Jan Brady)...it wasn't the same.

Geri Reischel, forever known in Brady lore as "Fake Jan."

The only reunion they did right, in regards to have the entire original cast, was The Brady Brides (aka The Brady Girls Get Married). Other than that, there's always been one "Fake Girl" in the reunions. Hell, they even had a "Fake Sam" in the Christmas movie.

I thought at the time that Geri Reischel looked too young, younger than Susan Olsen, but she was actually about the same age as Eve Plumb.

Susan Olsen obviously didn't care. Rescheduling a trip, even a honeymoon, is simple. I'd think plenty of notice was given when filming was to begin. If she wanted to participate, it could have been worked out. Looks to me as if she just moved on, and there's nothing wrong with that.

I thought it was a bit weird in the movie when she was reminiscing to the 1969 Christmas show that she wasn't even apart of. :lol:

I love Jennifer Runyon though.

I think Jennifer Runyon was hotter than Susan Olson.

I thought it was a bit weird in the movie when she was reminiscing to the 1969 Christmas show that she wasn't even apart of. :lol:

I love Jennifer Runyon though.

She was playing Cindy, and Cindy was part of it.

i remember back in 1988 when the movie first aired i thought it was great.it was sad to see susan olsen was not able to appear but at least they showed flashbacks of her in the brady bunch.and then i remember about a year and a half later they made the bradys and i was excited again because there was another brady reunion but then susan olsen was back and maureen mccormick was gone.it was kind of upsetting that maureen mccormick was not in the bradys but still watchable but they didnt even show flashbacks of her in the brady bunch and they even changed the headshot of maureen mccormick as a kid in the opening credits.i mean in a very brady christmas in the opening credits they at least kept susan olsens picture as a kid.about 5 years later fam(now known as abc family) had aired the brady girls get married and it was great to see that movie because all the original cast had returned for that one.i didnt see the brady bunch hour until a few years ago but that wasnt as enjoyable as the other reunions with or without all of the original cast.but when u think about it leah ayres in the bradys had really big shoes to fill because the character of marcia brady was always the most popular girl in the cast and was always portrayed by maureen mccormick until this.leah ayres did the best she could but its not like she was recast in a show that was only in its first or second season the brady bunch and reunions had been airing for 20 years at that time.im just curious does any one know if maureen mccormick,eve plumb or susan olsen ever said in an interview what they thought of leah ayres's portrayal of marcia,geri reischl's portrayal of jan or jennifer runyons portrayal of cindy?if anyone knows of any interviews online please let me know.thanks

[QUOTE=Tweety]I wouldn't say that Susan's absence destroyed the movie... I also thought Runyon did a good job... besides, she was hot, :lol:
Never saw her in anything else though

Well Jennifer did have a very good career in TV look at this link.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001690/

[QUOTE=Tweety]I wouldn't say that Susan's absence destroyed the movie... I also thought Runyon did a good job... besides, she was hot, :lol:
Never saw her in anything else though

Well Jennifer did have a very good career in TV look at this link.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001690/


Cool... most of the things she's been in, I haven't seen... and the few things I have seen, I remember her, but didn't know her name at the time... but, lol, I see she played the "female student" in "Ghostbusters"... that must have been the pretty blond that Bill Murray was hitting on ("I was just about to say... eight o'clock?" lol)

...does any one know if maureen mccormick,eve plumb or susan olsen ever said in an interview what they thought of leah ayres's portrayal of marcia,geri reischl's portrayal of jan or jennifer runyons portrayal of cindy?if anyone knows of any interviews online please let me know.thanks

Interesting question. I wouldn't think that any of the originals would be too critical of the fakes, but I haven't seen or heard any interviews one way or the other.

It's tough to step in and take part in an iconic setting like Bradyland when you're not an original, so I'm sure the cast members appreciated that fact. I wouldn't think that any of the girls would be critical of an actress who played either their own part or the part of one of their sisters. It's not like they were ever passed over for a part...they simply chose not to participate for whatever reasons.

I've read somewhere that Leah (Ayres) Kalish wasn't a Brady viewer, and she thought that's what got her the role of Marcia. She was able to put her own spin on the role without being intimidated by the iconic Maureen McCormick. I've only seen a couple of episodes of The Bradys, but I think Leah did a very credible job.

I've read somewhere that Leah (Ayres) Kalish wasn't a Brady viewer, and she thought that's what got her the role of Marcia. She was able to put her own spin on the role without being intimidated by the iconic Maureen McCormick. I've only seen a couple of episodes of The Bradys, but I think Leah did a very credible job.


Ah, ok... I never knew that.

But I can see how that could happen. It would be natural for anyone auditioning for the role of Marcia to try to act the way Marcia did in Jr High or High School. Or at least, project a lot of Marcia's Jr High & High school personalities into their audition.

Ayres may have gotten the role simply by acting like an adult.

I agree!! Here's some trivia - Leah's husband Bruce Kalish is the son of Irma & Austin Kalish, producers/writers of many a classic sitcom, including Good Times. :cool: Here's what Leah looks like today:

Wouldn't it have been great if Christine Taylor (Marcia in The Brady Bunch Movie(s)), was known of then, and was old enough, replaced Maureen, for The Bradys? I don't think anybody would have had much of a problem with that, (since she's the spittin image of Maureen!)

I can't tell from the way your post is worded whether 'old enough' is included with the qualifier 'if'. Christine was 18 when Maureen was 33. That was not likely to have passed the smell test.

Well, she was the perfect MARCIA, in The Brady Bunch Movie, if fact she's half the reason the movie was such a success. Of course I know she wouldn't have been old enough to play the adult Marcia in The Bradys, I was imagining if only she could have been!

Life is a soap opera - or at least it was for Chris Knight and Jennifer "Fake Cindy" Runyon. Prior to playing stepsiblings in Brady Christmas, they had played lovers from 1981-82 on the now-defunct NBC soap, Another World. Here's a picture of them in character as Sally Frame and Leigh Hobson.

[QUOTE=The Flying Dutchmans]but, lol, I see she played the "female student" in "Ghostbusters"... that must have been the pretty blond that Bill Murray was hitting on ("I was just about to say... eight o'clock?" lol)

That was her!! :cool:

Life is a soap opera - or at least it was for Chris Knight and Jennifer "Fake Cindy" Runyon. Prior to playing stepsiblings in Brady Christmas, they had played lovers from 1981-82 on the now-defunct NBC soap, Another World. Here's a picture of them in character as Sally Frame and Leigh Hobson.


Now i understand, thank you tvresearcher:)

No problem, Sol!! Here is Jennifer Runyon today, who now goes by her married name of Jennifer Corman. Her husband, Todd, is an assistant director for the show Whitney. She hasn't aged all that much - she looks great. :cool:

No problem, Sol!! Here is Jennifer Runyon today, who now goes by her married name of Jennifer Corman. Her husband, Todd, is an assistant director for the show Whitney. She hasn't aged all that much - she looks great. :cool:
I remember Jennifer mostly from Charles in Charge. She still looks good.

She does - and she still looks a lot like Susan!! :cool: :D

Life is a soap opera - or at least it was for Chris Knight and Jennifer "Fake Cindy" Runyon. Prior to playing stepsiblings in Brady Christmas, they had played lovers from 1981-82 on the now-defunct NBC soap, Another World. Here's a picture of them in character as Sally Frame and Leigh Hobson.

Wow! That's a trip! I thought I knew everything there is to know in "The Brady" World! :eek:

She does - and she still looks a lot like Susan!! :cool: :D


I think they look more alike now than when Jennifer took Susan's place in the movie

Wow! That's a trip! I thought I knew everything there is to know in "The Brady" World! :eek:

And they say that Marcia and Greg were incestous? ;) :crazy: :lol:

I think they look more alike now than when Jennifer took Susan's place in the movie

I think so, too. I recently was friended by Jennifer on FB and she is an absolute doll; such a sweetheart. :cool: :D

It just was a incomplete movie and was ruined with a replacement Cindy. I;m sorry but I think all the original actors and actresses have to be involved in a reunion movie for it to work.

Nope, A Very Brady Christmas did just fine without Susan Olsen.

Wouldn't it have been great if Christine Taylor (Marcia in The Brady Bunch Movie(s)), was known of then, and was old enough, replaced Maureen, for The Bradys? I don't think anybody would have had much of a problem with that, (since she's the spittin image of Maureen!)

I've said before that I believe that one of the reasons why The Bradys came and went so quickly is because of Maureen McCormick's lack of involvement. Of course, it isn't the only reason why The Bradys failed. But among the Brady kids, at least as far as the girls are considered, Maureen was the hardest to replace. Marcia is by far, the most popular and iconic of the Brady kids. Maybe the producers felt that a precedent had already been set since Cindy had been recast for A Very Brady Christmas not to long ago and if you consider The Brady Bunch Variety Hour as canon, Jan was recast long before that.

I loved the movie and I didn't really miss Susan Olsen. I liked her replacement.

I loved the movie and I didn't really miss Susan Olsen. I liked her replacement.

I did too. She was cute.