Cincinnati Kids

[Tankeryanker]

Where was the amusement park located?

Thanks

[CosmicCharlie]

Kings Island

6300 Kings Island Drive, Kings Island, OH 45034


Not to be outdone by “The Partridge Family” (who had filmed an episode at Kings Island in 1972), television’s “The Brady Bunch” paid a visit to the park during the second season of operation. Although filmed a year later, the “Brady” episode is the more popular and well known of the two.

There was actually a bit of nepotism involved in bringing “The Brady Bunch” to the park. You see, Paramount Studios Screen Gems Productions, who produced both “The Partridge Family” and “The Brady Bunch,” was a major shareholder in Taft Productions. Taft owned Kings Island and also owned Hanna-Barbera Studios. Paramount Studios was partnering with Taft to distribute HB’s first animated feature film “Charlotte’s Web” in 1973. So, following the success of “The Partridge Family” Kings Island episode, it made sense to further promote their investment by featuring it on another Paramount-produced TV show.

“The Brady Bunch” writers Al Schwartz and Larry Rhine, plus director Les Martinson, first paid a scouting visit to Kings Island July 29, 1973. They spent two days touring and studying the park, conceiving the plot and ironing through filming logistics. After arriving back in Hollywood, the writers finalized the script while the production team worked closely with Kings Island officials to organize filming requirements. The park’s name was not scripted as part of the show. However, several of the shots would feature the Kings Island logo and the closing credits would list the park by name. The episode would cost nearly $230,000 (that’s $1.2 million in today’s world) to produce, and Kings Island agreed to pay half. The week of August 8, Kings Island officially confirmed to the press that the deal was finalized and “The Brady Bunch” would be filming at the park August 20-24.

The cast and crew arrived August 19 and filming commenced at the Kings Island Inn the next morning. All of the scenes taking place at the hotel were filmed first and completed by mid-day, so filming then moved to inside the park that afternoon. However, weather was not co-operative and a rain storm moved into the area. If you watch the episode, you can tell the scenes filmed at the park that very first day because it is actually raining lightly -- most notably the last scene where Mike presents the correct plans to the park execs.

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blo...eres-the-story

[stevea]

Never knew any of this--thanks! I knew it had to be an expensive episode, as I'm sure the other trips were.

[Willbo]

I love this episode. It's one of my favorites.

[PracTz]

Of course what was chilling (in retrospect) was that they did NOT attempt to ensure that the camera rigging attached to the front car of the rollercoaster would be safe until Robert Reed personally did a walk-through of the tracks and saw spots which COULD have knocked the rigging off and straight into the other cast members faces! Mr. Reed had flatly refused to ride it saying that he loathed rollercoasters in general and wanted no part of that scene but he DID want to make sure the other cast members would be safe. Well, they did a trial run of the rollercoaster with camera attached and it wound up getting knocked right off its mountings!

After THAT, they cleared as much as they could from the overhanging spots AND secured that camera like it was superglued. Thankfully, they were able to safely film the other Bradys riding that coaster but, as Barry Williams would later recall, the reason all the characters looked downright scared (instead of joyful and relaxed) was that the cast WAS scared of what might befall them during the filmed 'coaster ride!

Yes,it's documented that the late Mr. Reed overreacted and made mountains out of molehills re script quality at other times, but he SHOULD be credited having been willing to stick his own neck out to ensure the others' safety (and not letting anyone blow off his concerns) when riding something he himself had already refused to ride. I mean, his actions quite literally may have saved the others' lives!

One would think that King's Island folks would have ALREADY cleared everything, tested everything in advance and bolted everything that needed bolting BEFORE attempting to film them in the rollercoaster- if for no reason than to ensure that there'd have been no bad publicity re possible injuries of the iconic cast of a very popular sitcom but, evidently, they did not take these measures!

[CosmicCharlie]

LOL not to mention that when Marsha & Jan ran through the park, there was much jiggling going on ... surprised that was was not edited to some degree

seeing the park visitors watching the scenes being filmed makes me smile - real life is not often seen in Hollywood +-

[stevea]

The handoff runs with the plans had to be really difficult to film. I'm sure Ann Davis was huffing and puffing.

[CosmicCharlie]

Originally Posted by CosmicCharlie

LOL not to mention that when Marsha & Jan ran through the park, there was much jiggling going on ... surprised that was was not edited to some degree

seeing the park visitors watching the scenes being filmed makes me smile - real life is not often seen in Hollywood +-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j92M9-c0GtA

[smittykins]

Originally Posted by CosmicCharlie

LOL not to mention that when Marsha & Jan ran through the park, there was much jiggling going on ... surprised that was was not edited to some degree

seeing the park visitors watching the scenes being filmed makes me smile - real life is not often seen in Hollywood +-

In one of the books, either Maureen or Eve admitted that they both tried to go braless as often as possible, with mixed success; Lloyd or Sherwood(which, ew)would sometimes put his hand on their backs and make them go back to the dressing room and put a bra on.

[BestTVever]

I have heard several of the kids say this episode was their least favorite to film. It was just too difficult to deal with all the nosey fans trying to spy on them in the hotel and during the park scenes. We get to see that in the show. You can see the paid extras that are supposed to be park goers, but we also see the gawkers looking at the film crew, etc. They hated filming like this. The icing on the cake was the roller coaster final. Robert Reed refused to be filmed on it and declined. However he saw how unstable the camera was on the coaster and saved them.

[CosmicCharlie]

Originally Posted by smittykins

In one of the books, either Maureen or Eve admitted that they both tried to go braless as often as possible, with mixed success; Lloyd or Sherwood(which, ew)would sometimes put his hand on their backs and make them go back to the dressing room and put a bra on.

LOL I saw an interview with Marcia saying Jan would OFTEN be topless in the dressing room flaunting her breasts, and would try to go braless on camera on occasion ... but stopped more often.

I know NO scene where anyone in the Brady Bunch were braless.

LOL let me know if there are any scenes braless +- (swim suits excluded)

[CosmicCharlie]

In Gilligan's Island "Water Water Everywhere" S1 E14 Ginger's White Gown is definitely Braless

[Tankeryanker]

Originally Posted by CosmicCharlie

LOL I saw an interview with Marcia saying Jan would OFTEN be topless in the dressing room flaunting her breasts, and would try to go braless on camera on occasion ... but stopped more often.

Did Jan have bigger boobs than Marcia? I am a chick so I have never looked.

[CosmicCharlie]

Originally Posted by Tankeryanker

Did Jan have bigger boobs than Marcia? I am a chick so I have never looked.

to my eyes ... the final season ... yup

[CosmicCharlie]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTX4LYnMuM0