Florence Henderson has passed away at age 82.

http://people.com/celebrity/florence-henderson-dead-obituary/



Very sad news.

Very sad news for all of us Brady Bunch Fans.

She will greatly be missed.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/florence-henderson-the-brady-bunch-mom-dies/2016/11/25/7a483454-b2d3-11e6-bc2d-19b3d759cfe7_story.html

Oh no! :(

My condolences to Ms. Henderson's family and friends. She was terrific.

One of my Facebook friends informed me about it.

Here's the link he shared: http://www.whio.com/entertainment/florence-henderson-the-brady-bunch-mom-dies/DmEHhWRc7yamEu2UL4TQ3I/

:crying:

RIP Florence Henderson

Florence Henderson has passed away at age 82.

http://people.com/celebrity/florence-henderson-dead-obituary/



Very sad news.
And I just saw a Brady Bunch episode on DVD last night. The one where Greg used Mike's home movie camera to make movies about the Pilgrims for his school project since that was somewhat a Thanksgiving episode. First Robert Reed who's been gone for nearly 25 yrs, then Ann B. Davis who left us not too long ago, now Florence Henderson who died on Turkey Day.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Very sad. I really liked her a lot. And she was great as Carol Brady. RIP Florence.

Goodbye, Mrs. Brady! You will always be America's Mom!!! :( :( :(

Sad. There didn't seem to be anything in the news about her being sick.

A true American icon. You will greatly be missed. Prayers are with friends and family.

It was a surprise. I did not hear about it until early the next day (today as of this writing).
I turned on the radio to a news channel and then soon heard the theme song of the Brady Bunch, and I figured that it has to mean that what the newscaster says next has to be about one of the cast of the Brady Bunch and that it probably is about one of them passing away. Not to sound insensitive or anything but I thought it would be about Maureen McCormick since she has had drug problems. I was actually surprised to hear it was Florence Henderson. She actually was very healthy for her age.
I also was surprised to hear that the time of her death was actually November 24 which was supposed to be Thanksgiving. It was ironic and very unfortunate and sad.
Back in 2001 George Harrison died about a week after Thanksgiving but it was revealed that he actually died days before it was announced.
There is such an unfortunate indignity to that.

An American Icon. R.I.P. Florence. :(

R.I.P. :(

:( :( :( :(

I always liked her.

RIP Florence.

:( :( :( :(

This is indeed a 'black" Friday

RIP Florence.

Sad to hear she has passed away. Florence Henderson was one of the great TV show moms, along with Barbara Billingsley from Leave It To Beaver.

:rip: Florence Henderson :(

Such very sad news. I know she was 82, but she seemed to still be in great health. As others have said, it truly is the passing of America's Mom.

Florence will never, ever be forgotten.

May she :rip:

I'm going to miss her!����

Link (http://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/tv/florence-henderson-mom-brady-bunch-dies-82-n688186)

Florence Henderson, who wrangled six unruly kids in a blended family on TV's "The Brady Bunch," died Thursday night. She was 82.

Kayla Pressman, Henderson's manager, said the actress died of heart failure surrounded by family and friends in Los Angeles.

At the time of her death, Henderson was hosting a talk show, "The Florence Henderson Show," and a cooking show, "Who's Cooking With Florence Henderson," on Retirement Living TV — showcasing the versatility that kept her in the public eye for decades.

She started in show business as a singer and soon moved into acting, studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. She was soon starring in musicals — notably the touring production of "Oklahoma!" — and she made her Broadway debut at age 18 in the 1952 musical "Wish You Were Here."

Beginning in 1954, Henderson gave almost 1,000 performances playing the title role in the Broadway hit "Fanny."

TV soon took notice. Henderson was one of what were then called "Today Girls," delivering the weather on NBC's TODAY.


But by far her best-known role was that of Carol Brady, which aired from 1969 to 1974 in its original format and never really went away. "The Brady Bunch Hour" aired 1977, followed by "The Brady Brides" in 1981 and "The Bradys" in 1990.

"It represents what people always wanted: a loving family. It's such a gentle, innocent, sweet show, and I guess it proved there's always an audience for that," Henderson said in 1999.

Maureen McCormick, who starred as daughter Marcia, called Henderson "a dear friend for so very many years" on Twitter early Friday.


Barry Williams, who played her eldest son, Greg, and has admitted to having developed a serious crush on his TV mom during the series' run, also expressed his condolences about the loss of his "life long friend" on social media on Friday.

She was the first woman to host "The Tonight Show" for the vacationing Johnny Carson.

After "The Brady Bunch" ended its first run, Henderson alternated her appearances in revivals of the show with guest appearances on other programs, including "Hart to Hart," ''Fantasy Island" and "The Love Boat."

In later years she also made guest appearances on such shows as "Roseanne, "Ally McBeal" and "The King of Queens."

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences called Henderson "one of the truly great entertainers," saying in a statement: "Florence was not only America's favorite TV mom, but television royalty."

In her autobiography, "Life Is Not a Stage," Henderson admitted having cheated on her first husband, Ira Bernstein, whom she married in January 1956. One of her affairs, she wrote, was with John Lindsay, the dashing mayor of New York City during the 1960s.

Henderson and Bernstein, who had four children, divorced in 1985. Henderson later married hypnotherapist John Kappas, who died in 2002.

Suggest this thread be merged with the first one here. (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=355075)

Gosh this one was felt a little more than others. Sleep well Mrs Brady - you were a true gem.

I couldn't sleep for a couple of hours after learning this, I was up until 3 30 AM.

This lovely lady was like a genuine family member to so many of us.

She was such a staple in all our lives.

Its kind of poignant that she died on Thanksgiving because she embodied Americana so much.

Her beauty, her talent in so many areas, singing, acting, hosting, advocating for so many causes including being a benefactor to retired nuns is very inspiring.

I have a mother around her age and am so grateful to God she is still here. I was able to get her and myself copies of her autobiography and she led a very colorful yet remarkable life. I will say sometimes she told us more than we needed to know about her but that would be in keeping with her zest for life and her ability to connect with her fans.

She had quite the sense of humor which saw her through many hardships including an impoverished background which she was able to rise above to become one of our most versatile entertainers.

Apparently she was able to attend a taping of Dancing With The Stars just a few days before her death in support of Maureen McCormick.

What a wonderful life she led. She was active right up until the end. :)

To paraphrase one of her many memorable lines as the eternally optimistic supermom Carol Brady, she found out what she did best and did her best with it.

Brava!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Uwqngh4MBuI/SWt0Jtd8ADI/AAAAAAAAAIY/PsA-CyLt6KQ/s400/carolbrady.jpg

I couldn't sleep for a couple of hours after learning this, I was up until 3 30 AM.

This lovely lady was like a genuine family member to so many of us.

She was such a staple in all our lives.

Its kind of poignant that she died on Thanksgiving because she embodied Americana so much.

Her beauty, her talent in so many areas, singing, acting, hosting, advocating for so many causes including being a benefactor to retired nuns is very inspiring.

I have a mother around her age and am so grateful to God she is still here. I was able to get her and myself copies of her autobiography and she led a very colorful yet remarkable life. I will say sometimes she told us more than we needed to know about her but that would be in keeping with her zest for life and her ability to connect with her fans.

She had quite the sense of humor which saw her through many hardships including an impoverished background which she was able to rise above to become one of our most versatile entertainers.

Apparently she was able to attend a taping of Dancing With The Stars just a few days before her death in support of Maureen McCormick.

What a wonderful life she led. She was active right up until the end. :)

To paraphrase one of her many memorable lines as the eternally optimistic supermom Carol Brady, she found out what she did best and did her best with it.

Brava!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Uwqngh4MBuI/SWt0Jtd8ADI/AAAAAAAAAIY/PsA-CyLt6KQ/s400/carolbrady.jpg


Very nice sentiment Anna! ;) I know,very sad news!:( We all grew up with Mrs. Brady! Such a wonderful person and a lovely lady! She will be really missed! :(


RIP Dear Florence!


https://www.ftdimg.com/pics/products/S22-4485_200x225.jpg

Very tragic. She was one of my favorite TV moms. I loved 'The Brady Bunch' over 40 years ago.

One of the top TV moms. RIP Carol...er...Florence.

She is one of my favorite TV moms , Rest In Peace Mrs. Henderson.

P.S.- Am I the only one who goes into a state of shock when you find out that your favorite celebrity has died?

Very shocking news. May she RIP.

So sad to hear of her passing. Actually it was a shock to me. I grew up watching the Brady Bunch. Just a couple of weeks ago I saw her in the audience of Dancing With The Stars, she looked great.

Very sad, I'm a huge fan. RIP. I saw her on Dancing With The Stars and remarked that it was so cool she was on and among the living. Now of course she is gone.

https://www.yahoo.com/celebrity/florence-henderson-became-carol-brady-180337217.html

Florence Henderson was known for her iconic role as everyone’s favorite TV mom, Carol Brady, on The Brady Bunch - but the star, who died Thursday at the age of 82, didn’t initially want to audition for the part. Prior to scoring the leading role that would propel her to international stardom on the 1969 sitcom, Henderson had a successful career on the Broadway stage (https://www.yahoo.com/music/florence-hendersons-musical-moments-oklahoma-sound-music-muppets-092637052.html) - appearing in Wish You Were Here (1952), Fanny (1954), The Girl Who Came to Supper (1963) and South Pacific (1967). The American Academy of Dramatic Arts graduate was living in New York City when the audition for The Brady Bunch came up - and she wasn’t exactly thrilled about moving to California to film a TV series.

Link (https://www.yahoo.com/celebrity/florence-henderson-became-carol-brady-180337217.html)

Florence Henderson was known for her iconic role as everyone’s favorite TV mom, Carol Brady, on The Brady Bunch — but the star, who died Thursday at the age of 82, didn’t initially want to audition for the part.

Prior to scoring the leading role that would propel her to international stardom on the 1969 sitcom, Henderson had a successful career on the Broadway stage — appearing in Wish You Were Here (1952), Fanny (1954), The Girl Who Came to Supper (1963) and South Pacific (1967).

The American Academy of Dramatic Arts graduate was living in New York City when the audition for The Brady Bunch came up — and she wasn’t exactly thrilled about moving to California to film a TV series.

“My agent called and they said, ‘They’re doing this new series and they want you to come to Paramount and read for it,’ ” she told the Archive of American Television in 2010. “And I said, ‘I don’t want to do a series — I live in New York!’ ”

Her agents eventually convinced her to go to the audition, as she was performing in California at the time. So she went to Paramount Studios, where she met with Sherwood Schwartz, the creator of The Brady Bunch; John Rich, one of the most known directors in television at the time, and producer Doug Kramer.

“I had no idea who they were,” she joked. “But they said you me, ‘Would you mind learning this scene and coming back a little later and doing a screen test for me?’ ”

Henderson did just that — filming the screen test on the Star Trek set. “They made me up in the Star Trek dressing room,” she explained. “William Shatner was there — not overly friendly, I might add. I’ve razzed him about that many times over the years.”

After her screen test, Henderson flew off to Houston, Texas — where she had a scheduled engagement at the famed Shamrock Hotel that begin the next day. But before she could begin, she learned she had won the role and was needed back in Los Angeles to do the pilot.

“I went to the gentleman who ran the room at the hotel and explained what the deal was,” Henderson said. “And I said, ‘If this show becomes a hit, I’ll come back at the same money and make up this engagement.’ So they let me out, they got another entertainer — I believe Jerry Vale came and filled in for me. And I went back and did the pilot.”

Her engagement in Houston wouldn’t be the only time another gig would nearly take her away from The Brady Bunch. Before the show was picked up, Henderson was cast in the big picture musical The Song of Norway — which told the story of Norway’s greatest composer, Edvard Greig. Henderson played his wife, Nina.

The movie was only supposed to take a few weeks to film, but production delays turned it into months. Lo and behold, The Brady Bunch was picked up — but Henderson wasn’t there to play Carol Brady.

“It was really a chaotic time,” she said. “They were screaming for me to leave the movie. I had to fly back and go right to L.A.”

It’s a wonder she wasn’t recast — but Schwartz truly believed in her. So instead of delaying production, they did something unheard of: they shot around Henderson for the show’s first six episodes.

“I had to catch up,” Henderson said. “I was meeting myself coming and going for days until I caught up with them. The rest is TV history. I don’t quite understand it, but there you have it!”

Henderson brought a lot of things to the role. The youngest of 10 children, she said she always felt like she was the mother of her siblings. She was also married and a young parent to four kids herself — Barbara, Joseph, Bob and Elizabeth.

“I understood kids — I think I felt close to them,” she explained. “I was the only one on the set who was married — who had children, who had an ongoing relationship. The others didn’t.”

“In a way, I became sort of the stability of the show,” she added. “And I think Sherwood saw that — that I could be very funny but also bring the empathy or what is necessary for a show like that to make it. That the audience really cares about these people. I think that’s what I was able to bring and still stay within the framework of what he envisioned for the show.”

It was a collaborative effort — though sometimes Henderson had to put her foot down.

She insisted Carol was painted as a relatable character for young mothers out there, and pushed for progressive scenes not often seen on television. “For instance, I would never wear an apron,” she said. “They tried to make me wear an apron. I wanted to wear sexy nightgowns because we were the first couple to sleep in the same bed on television, so I wanted to make her as human as possible.”

There was also one time she fought to have speaking roles for two child actors who played friends of Marcia (Maureen McCormick). “I called Sherwood and I said ‘This is absolutely stupid. Kids don’t come into your house and don’t say anything. Let the kids say hi to me and act like normal kids. I’ll pay for it. I don’t want to be in a scene that’s so totally unbelievable.’ ”

Schwartz let the kids speak. “And paid for it,” Henderson said, laughing.

Henderson starred in every episode of all five seasons of The Brady Bunch and later appeared as Carol Brady in spin-offs The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, The Brady Girls Get Married, The Brady Brides, The Bradys and The Brady Bunch Movie.

She said she was very close to the kids on the show — actors McCormick, Barry Williams, Eve Plumb, Christopher Night, Susan Olsen and Mike Lookinland.

“We liked each other,” she gushed. “I think professionally we respected each other. And it just kind of took off… It was the time we spent trying to rehearse a scene, or preparing, or having lunch together, or the kids would come over to my house, or my kids would go to their houses — those kind of things built up over the years.”

There was one challenge — remembering everyone’s on-screen and off-screen names. “That was hard,” she laughed. “Just learning everybody’s names! Very difficult.”

And she wasn’t just protective of her own on-set children either. She would mother the kids of celebrities like John Wayne and Henry Kissinger when they brought them to visit the set.

“They would all want to go up those stairs and see what’s upstairs. And I would go ‘Oh no, I don’t think you want to go up there. The rooms are a mess!’ Because I didn’t want to disappoint these little kids,” Henderson explained. “‘Cause you’d climb the flight of stairs and you’d get up there and there was nothing. Except a lot of lights and wires. So I’d try to preserve their fantasies.”

In the end, Henderson said she loved being TV’s favorite mom.

“I think The Brady Bunch reflects an ideal version of a family,” she said. “It was very pure, very innocent and very much in its own category. It’s not your average sitcom. It’s just something that strikes a chord in people’s hearts.”

Rest in peace.

RIP Carol(e) Brady.....though Shirley Partridge is still alive (interesting..Buffy (Anissa Jones, 1958-1976) from Family Affair and Tracy (Suzanne Crough,1963-2015)from Partridge are both gone but Cindy (Susan Olsen 1961-) from Brady and Prudence from Nanny and the Prof. are still with us..though Cindy is now an aritst and Prudence is a reality show star..Prudnce (Kim Richards 1964?-)) by the way, in 2007, played Christina Ricci's mom in the film "Black Snake Moan.." had no idea she'd still be around now!)

:(

RIP Mrs. Brady; always a class act on and off screen.

What a terrible week for lovers of 1970s sitcoms. :(

https://www.buzzfeed.com/andyneuenschwander/heres-how-celebrities-are-remembering-florence-henderson-fro

Celebrities are tweeting their memories of the TV star after she died on Thursday.

RIP Carol(e) Brady.....though Shirley Partridge is still alive (interesting..Buffy (Anissa Jones, 1958-1976) from Family Affair and Tracy (Suzanne Crough,1963-2015)from Partridge are both gone but Cindy (Susan Olsen 1961-) from Brady and Prudence from Nanny and the Prof. are still with us..though Cindy is now an aritst and Prudence is a reality show star..Prudnce (Kim Richards 1964?-)) by the way, in 2007, played Christina Ricci's mom in the film "Black Snake Moan.." had no idea she'd still be around now!)

Hmm, in a way you could say that when the actor dies , then the character who she or he portrayed also dies, but it was Florence Henderson who ceased living.
"Shirley Partridge" ? You mean Shirley Jones.
Anissa Jones died a very long time ago, tragically. Suzanne Crough died fairly recently and yes she was the youngest of the regular cast members of The Partridge Family.
Kim Richards is approximately in her early 50s and unless she is sick, or has severe drug or alcohol problems, she is living out her normal life span, and she has quite a while until she is in her 80s like Florence Henderson.
I am not sure what you mean by saying "I had no idea she'd still be around now."
Florence actually lived well beyond what is a majority of people's life spans. I think statistically and/or medically and/or typically people today in modern society live only to their late 60s to mid 70s and that is only because of their biological age, not counting accidents or sudden illnesses etc. I recall hearing decades back that the normal lifespan for men was about 60 and for women it was about 65. Living into the 7th decade was rare.
BTW, Fidel Castro died a day after Florence Henderson, and he was 90 years old. It was an indignity that Florence died on Thanksgiving day, then Fidel Castro died the following day giving him more attention for dying.

Another BTW, I heard that Eve Plumb was an artist (painter) and her artwork is in certain art galleries and museums, but I did not know that "Cindy" (if you mean Suzan Olsen) was also an artist.
Are you sure you don't mean Eve Plumb?

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/brady-bunch-kids-pay-tribute-to-tv-mom-florence-henderson-w452404

In Memoriam
‘Brady Bunch’ Kids Pay Tribute to TV Mom Florence Henderson
November 26, 2016 @ 9:36 AM

By Joyce Chen

“I have not had many people this close to me pass,” Barry Williams, who played eldest son Greg Brady, told the Daily News Friday. “I would go to her sometimes when I was struggling with issues. [She was] very wise, worldly and helpful.”



Williams, 62, famously recalled how he once had a crush on Henderson during filming of the series. “I did have a crush on her — I was also, like, 16,” he told the News with a laugh.



Christopher Knight, who played middle son Peter Brady, shared a recent photo of himself with Henderson to Twitter Friday, along with a touching message. “I grieve for the passing of my dear friend, Florence,” he wrote. “Privileged to have known her and the kindness of her heart. She will be missed. RIP.”

Mike Lookinland, who was just 8 years old when the series first debuted in 1969, told the News that he was stunned by the tragic news of Henderson’s passing.




“I woke up today to the sad news,” the 55-year-old actor said. “I just got to my mother’s cabin in the woods in southern Utah, and I’m still shocked and amazed. … She was the kind of person that is just great to be around. Just to be in the same room with her was a pleasure. You can’t say that about most people.”



Maureen McCormick, who played oldest daughter Marcia on The Brady Bunch — and who recently danced with her TV mom on Dancing With the Stars — was one of the first Brady kids to react to Henderson’s death.

On Thursday, the 60-year-old actress shared an image of the pair together on Twitter, writing, “You are in my heart forever Florence.”


Eve Plumb, who played middle sister Jan Brady, shared a nostalgic message about her time on the show as one of the “kids.” “Florence was a wonderful role model for me and all of us ‘kids,’” Plumb, 58, wrote. “She taught me how to be a professional actor by her example of preparedness and respect for the work and her fellow cast and crew members.”

“She was also loving, warm, generous, and could tell a funny, dirty joke,” she continued. “I’m fortunate to have been able to know and to work with her. She will be missed by her children, grandchildren, and us ‘kids.’”



Susan Olsen, who played youngest Brady kid Cindy, told Variety that though she and the rest of Henderson’s TV children are devastated by their loss, she is thinking of Henderson’s four real-life children and family.

“My heart right now is going to her four children,” Olsen, 55, told the site. “I always felt we stole the limelight from them.”



Henderson was hospitalized at Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Wednesday, November 23, and died Thursday evening of heart failure, surrounded by family and friends. She was 82.

It's really sad too. She had no issues prior to her hospitalization, and died of heart failure just a day after she was hospitalized.

Henderson died on November 24, 2016, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, surrounded by family and friends. She was 82 years old. She had been hospitalized the previous day, and her manager, Kayla Pressman, reported that she died of heart failure. Pressman reported that Henderson had not been ill prior to her sudden hospitalization and that her death was a "shock" On November 21, 2016, just three days before her death, Henderson attended a live taping of Dancing with the Stars in support of her friend and former on-screen daughter Maureen McCormick. She is buried at Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. R.I.P. Flo.

RIP Florence. You were "America's" mom. I'm thankful that The Brady Bunch will live on and you will continue to be seen by millions. RIP.

https://www.franciscanmedia.org/source/saint-anthony-messenger/

https://www.franciscanmedia.org/source/saint-anthony-messenger/

This looks like a nice tribute to Florence coming in this magazine

I thought Florence Henderson's death was a shock to me also. I always thought she was in good health at her current age, and I don't think she formally retired from acting. When I first heard of Ms. Henderson's death, I thought it would have been from a horrific accident or something. Regardless, this is just an unfathomable loss for me. :rip:

To be fair, I actually liked Florence Henderson more than Ann B. Davis.