TV's first divorced woman - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Lucylover22 · 07-06-2002, 10:59 AM

Ive heard many different things: that Carol brady was the first divorced woman but in another book it said it was Vivian Bagley Who is indeed the first divorced woman on television?

jayman75 · 07-06-2002, 12:28 PM

Was Dihann Carol divorced in her show where she was a nurse? I can't remember the name of it (it was just her first name)...

Plus, I don't think it was ever said that Carol Brady was "divorced." We knew Mike's first wife died, but I don't know about Carol's first husband...

TV Guy · 07-06-2002, 02:12 PM

jayman is right -- they never said Carol was divorced (no matter how much Sherwood Schwartz would like to rewrite history to make his show seem groundbreaking). Even if they did, Vivian Bagley was divorced, and "The Lucy Show" preceded "The Brady Bunch" by seven years.

BTW, Diahann Caroll's show was called "Julia", and her character was a widow.

JT · 07-06-2002, 02:58 PM

I know Julia's husband died in Vietnam. And I know exactley what you mean about Sherwood and the BB. He thinks that show was supposed to be groundbraking and controversial............

jayman75 · 07-06-2002, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TV Guy
jayman is right -- they never said Carol was divorced (no matter how much Sherwood Schwartz would like to rewrite history to make his show seem groundbreaking). Even if they did, Vivian Bagley was divorced, and "The Lucy Show" preceded "The Brady Bunch" by seven years.

BTW, Diahann Caroll's show was called "Julia", and her character was a widow.

Julia! Thank you!!!

Lucylover22 · 07-10-2002, 11:47 AM

Thanks for the info

ClassicComedyFan2 · 07-10-2002, 12:50 PM

I do know that they wanted Mary Tyler Moore's Mary Richards character to be divorced, but decided not to because they didn;t want the audience to think she had divorced Robert Petrie...

Penny Lane · 07-11-2002, 02:36 PM

Hi! I just wanted to tell you that I appreciate your avatar and signature of Mindy Cohn.! She gets so little recognition on these boards and really deserves more! She was always my favorite "Facts" girl. So natural and funny. Thanks!

Carmen_Epstein · 07-13-2002, 12:38 PM

I think Carol Brady was a widow.

Vivian Bagley is right. I remember from the reruns.

and then there's Maude.

I think Ann Romano was the 3rd.

these are the ones that I know of.

mstewart · 07-15-2002, 01:07 AM

It was never stated that Carol Brady was either divorced or widowed before marrying Mike.

Here is an interesting piece of information on the subject:
In 1975 Lee Grant starred in her own series playing the title character about a divorced woman. The show was called Fay. Very good series and well acted but it lasted 13 weeks.

In that same year Norman Lear brought on One Day At A Time featuring Bonnie Franklin as a recently divorced mom raising two teenage girls, carving out a career and fully learning how to be on her own after going from her parents roof into marriage at age 17. The show became a hit. Actually, if the truth is to be told, One Day At A Time is the first show that featured the lead as a divorced woman that became a hit.

Julia was a widow.

TV Guy · 07-16-2002, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mstewart
It was never stated that Carol Brady was either divorced or widowed before marrying Mike.

No, it wasn't, but since the girls took Mike's name and started calling him "Dad", I think it's a safe assumption. Also, the press releases sent out by ABC at the time clearly stated the sitcom was about a widow marrying a widower. Check out the TV Guide listing for the first episode sometime -- it says the same thing. It's only been in the past few years that Sherwood Schwartz has been trying to position Carol as a divorcee, in a silly effort to make the show appear more relevant.

07-06-2002, 10:59 AM	#1
Lucylover22 Young and Hopeless Forum Regular Join Date: Aug 15, 2001 Location: She-Town Posts: 769	TV's first divorced woman Ive heard many different things: that Carol brady was the first divorced woman but in another book it said it was Vivian Bagley Who is indeed the first divorced woman on television?
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07-06-2002, 12:28 PM	#2
jayman75 I Love the 80s! Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 27, 2000 Location: THE GREAT UNITED STATES Posts: 3,809	Was Dihann Carol divorced in her show where she was a nurse? I can't remember the name of it (it was just her first name)... Plus, I don't think it was ever said that Carol Brady was "divorced." We knew Mike's first wife died, but I don't know about Carol's first husband...
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07-06-2002, 02:58 PM	#4
JT Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 29, 2001 Location: USA Posts: 7,223	I know Julia's husband died in Vietnam. And I know exactley what you mean about Sherwood and the BB. He thinks that show was supposed to be groundbraking and controversial............
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07-10-2002, 12:50 PM	#7
ClassicComedyFan2 Coolicious! Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 28, 2001 Location: AL, United States, Alpha Quadrant Posts: 698	I do know that they wanted Mary Tyler Moore's Mary Richards character to be divorced, but decided not to because they didn;t want the audience to think she had divorced Robert Petrie...
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07-11-2002, 02:36 PM	#8
Penny Lane Butter Pie Forum Icon Join Date: Jul 03, 2001 Location: Beneath the blue suburban skies Posts: 51,121	To Jayman 75 Hi! I just wanted to tell you that I appreciate your avatar and signature of Mindy Cohn.! She gets so little recognition on these boards and really deserves more! She was always my favorite "Facts" girl. So natural and funny. Thanks!
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07-06-2002, 02:12 PM	#3
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	jayman is right -- they never said Carol was divorced (no matter how much Sherwood Schwartz would like to rewrite history to make his show seem groundbreaking). Even if they did, Vivian Bagley was divorced, and "The Lucy Show" preceded "The Brady Bunch" by seven years. BTW, Diahann Caroll's show was called "Julia", and her character was a widow.

07-10-2002, 11:47 AM	#6
Lucylover22 Young and Hopeless Forum Regular Join Date: Aug 15, 2001 Location: She-Town Posts: 769	Thanks for the info

07-13-2002, 12:38 PM	#9
Carmen_Epstein Epstein's Sister Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 18, 2002 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 259	I think Carol Brady was a widow. Vivian Bagley is right. I remember from the reruns. and then there's Maude. I think Ann Romano was the 3rd. these are the ones that I know of.
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07-15-2002, 01:07 AM	#10
mstewart mstewart Senior Member Join Date: Jan 25, 2002 Location: California Posts: 1,780	It was never stated that Carol Brady was either divorced or widowed before marrying Mike. Here is an interesting piece of information on the subject: In 1975 Lee Grant starred in her own series playing the title character about a divorced woman. The show was called Fay. Very good series and well acted but it lasted 13 weeks. In that same year Norman Lear brought on One Day At A Time featuring Bonnie Franklin as a recently divorced mom raising two teenage girls, carving out a career and fully learning how to be on her own after going from her parents roof into marriage at age 17. The show became a hit. Actually, if the truth is to be told, One Day At A Time is the first show that featured the lead as a divorced woman that became a hit. Julia was a widow.