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The doorman

Tankeryanker — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:44:29 GMT

Have you ever lived in a place that had a doorman? I have not.

What is the purpose of a doorman?

In the show Family with Kristi McNichol, the first episode in season one had one of the daughters living in a place with a doorman.

Kathy Garver reveals 'Family Affair' almost moved to ABC before 'The Brady Bunch'...

TMC — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 03:24:39 GMT

...debut

https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainm...cab8fa7d&ei=76

Quote:

Story by Victoria Miller

Family Affair was one of the most beloved television shows of the late 1960s, but another family-themed sitcom seemingly stole its thunder near the end of its run.

In a new interview on the Classic Conversations Podcast with Jeff Dwoskin, Kathy Garver, the actress who played Cissy Davis on the CBS series, revealed that there was a solid deal for Family Affair to move to ABC amid CBS� infamous "Rural Purge� in 1971.

Garver, 80, noted that Family Affair was still popular when CBS ended its five-season run as part of a sweeping network house-clearing. But producers had an idea for a path forward for the show about a bachelor uncle (Brian Keith) raising his orphaned nieces and nephew (Garver, Anissa Jones, and Johnny Whitaker).

�The truth that was CBS, they were getting away from the rural shows, the family shows, and they were going more into All in the Family instead of Family Affair,� Garver shared on the podcast. �But our producers Don Fedderson and Ed Hartmann, I mean, they were really brilliant. I must say they had a vision for this show � so they went to ABC and they said, �How about we'll do the show here?� They were just about to sign on the dotted line when The Brady Bunch appeared.�

Garver added that with its blended family theme, The Brady Bunch copied many of the elements of Family Affair.

�After we had set the groundwork for a different kind of family,� she said. �And you will watch The Brady Bunch with Susan Olsen, she will even say that she put her hair in little ponytails like Anissa. She even had a little doll. They really imitated and copied what had been a success from our show, and they put it in a different kind of family, different kind of mode. That's what happened, that's where it went.�

Garver also explained that The Brady Bunch used the same type of problem-solving formula that Family Affair did, ending with a little moral at the end of each episode.

The Brady Bunch aired on ABC for five seasons, from 1969 to 1974. Fans barely had a chance to miss the Bunch when they returned for a musical variety show in 1976 and went on to become a full-fledged franchise with TV movies and spinoffs.

�We could have gone on like that, but God had different things for our clan,� Garver said of Family Affair.

The youngest one in curls

The pig-tailed character Buffy Davis made Jones a star on Family Affair. Her signature bespectacled doll, Mrs. Beasley, is still available six decades later via Ashton-Drake.

On The Brady Bunch, Cindy Brady (Olsen) wore her blonde hair in spiraled pigtails and carried around a doll named Kitty Karry-All.

Olsen, now 64, appeared on The Social Club Live and revealed she competed against Jones for a movie role and lost. She also revealed she loved Cindy Brady�s pigtails at first �because they made me look like Buffy on Family Affair and I really liked her.�

After a while, Olson tired of the routine, which required her to sleep in curlers due to her straight hair. She also had to bleach her hair to make it blonder.

By the end of The Brady Bunch, Olsen �hated� the pigtails and convinced producers to let her wear her hair down.

Kathy Garver "Cissy" Family Affair, Bewitched, Star Trek, & Gunsmoke Secrets Revealed

TMC — Thu, 28 May 2026 22:57:24 GMT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68DwT7dVldg

Quote:

What happens when Cissy from Family Affair and Tabitha from Bewitched team up with John Cato to swap Hollywood secrets? Pure classic television magic on That's Classic Throwback Thursday!

In this incredibly special episode of That's Classic, host John Cato is joined by legendary guest co-host, Erin Murphy (Bewitched) for an unforgettable, deep-dive interview with the wonderful Kathy Garver (Family Affair).

Kathy opens up like never before, sharing the hilarious behind-the-scenes chaos of her green-haired audition, what the iconic Brian Keith was truly like behind his macho Marine exterior, and the heartbreaking reality behind the tragic passing of her young co-star, Anissa Jones (Buffy).

But the nostalgia doesn�t stop there! The duo dives into a goldmine of 1960s pop-culture history, including stories about Cecil B. DeMille on the set of The Ten Commandments, the late Dawn Wells (Gilligan's Island), a hilarious run-in with James Arness on the Gunsmoke lot, and what it was like visiting the original Star Trek set during the golden age of television.

If you love the golden era of TV, Hollywood trivia, and heartwarming nostalgia, this is an episode you cannot miss!

Hosted by John Cato, actor, voiceover artist, and moderator for over 20 years for the television and movie industry. John's background brings a unique insight and passion to the podcast.

0:00 � Introduction/regarding Johnny Whitaker
1:46 � The tragic truth behind Anissa Jones� early passing
3:22 � John welcomes Kathy Garver (Family Affair) & guest co-host Erin Murphy (Bewitched)
4:04 � Kathy�s chaotic audition story
5:45 � "Your hair is turning green!" Breaking the ice with the producer of Family Affair
6:14 � The Family Affair roles originally offered to Glenn Ford and Terry-Thomas
7:16 � Max Factor transformations and the "Alice in Wonderland" wig disaster
8:51 � Erin Murphy on Kathy being the "perfect big sister" she always wanted
9:38 � Meeting for the first time at the Michael Landon Celebrity Tennis Tournament (1987)
10:34 � Spiderman connection: Voicing Firestar alongside Dan Gilvezan
11:57 � Secret history of the Hollywood Museum (The old Max Factor building)
14:11 � What Family Affair patriarch Brian Keith was really like behind his macho image
17:24 � The personal tragedies and triumphs Brian Keith faced during production
19:07 � The "Federson Method": How My Three Sons creator revolutionized TV star contracts
21:57 � Photographic memories and having a 145 IQ on a fast-paced Hollywood set
23:31 � Clint Howard, Kim Karath, and other legendary child actors who guest-starred
24:44 � How Real Housewives star Kathy Richards (Hilton) intersects with classic TV lore
27:10 � Erin brings out a rare 1968 Academy Players Directory (featuring Annette Funicello & Terry Garr)
31:50 � The heavy toll of merchandising: Forcing a 14-year-old to carry a Mrs. Beasley doll
40:26 � Meeting "God" on set: Kathy�s terrifying and wonderful encounter with Cecil B. DeMille
43:53 � A touching tribute to the late Dawn Wells (Gilligan�s Island) and her final years
52:12 � The hilarious moment Kathy's dog peed on Gunsmoke legend James Arness
55:17 � Visiting the original Star Trek set and the culture shock of 15-minute panning shots
56:46 � The 1966 color transition: Elizabeth Montgomery's historic Bewitched intro line