OK, boys and girls, here is the much awaited answer to that burning question:What happened to Mike and Carol's previous spouses?
Let's start with Mike, as his situation is more clear cut. In the pilot episode, (The Honeymoon) there is a scene where Bobby is putting away a picture of his mother in deference to his new mom's feelings. The advice/lecture that Mike gives Bobby leads us to believe that his first wife has died.
Now, on to Carol. The series creator, Sherwood Schwartz, had intended that Carol be divorced. This was a typical scenerio in the 60's, when the idea was conceived. (40% of all households contained children from previous marriages. Obviously, not all of these households were the result of widowed parents; It was more likely the result of the climbing divorce rate. Despite this, network execs worried that it would be too controversial and refused to proceed unless Mr. Schwartz changed the divorce premise. Eventually, he compromised by leaving out all mention of her first husband other than a brief reference in the pilot episode, when Carol says, "A few years ago...I thought it was the end of the world.."
And we bought it. I never thought about their previous spouses when I watched it as a kid. It took a generation before anyone started thinking, "Hey, wait a minute...." Mike adopted Carol's daughters from the beginning and Marcia nominated him for Father of the Year so it kinda makes you wonder what Carol's ex could have done to be so shut out of their lives. Speaking of lives. I really should return to mine.
Now, on to Carol. The series creator, Sherwood Schwartz, had intended that Carol be divorced. This was a typical scenerio in the 60's, when the idea was conceived. (40% of all households contained children from previous marriages. Obviously, not all of these households were the result of widowed parents; It was more likely the result of the climbing divorce rate. Despite this, network execs worried that it would be too controversial and refused to proceed unless Mr. Schwartz changed the divorce premise. Eventually, he compromised by leaving out all mention of her first husband other than a brief reference in the pilot episode, when Carol says, "A few years ago...I thought it was the end of the world.."
And we bought it. I never thought about their previous spouses when I watched it as a kid. It took a generation before anyone started thinking, "Hey, wait a minute...." Mike adopted Carol's daughters from the beginning and Marcia nominated him for Father of the Year so it kinda makes you wonder what Carol's ex could have done to be so shut out of their lives. Speaking of lives. I really should return to mine.
But before you do, take this quiz to test your Brady acumen. http://www.quizland.com/brady-bunch.mv
Just one more thing. In the above photo, Marcia should have a caption bubble saying, "Get your filthy hand off my knee, Florence." While Carol is defending herself with, "Barry asked me out, Maureen. What was I sopposed to do?" And another thing. Our very own Jan takes issue at not being included in the cookie poll. She makes an extremely memorable and much requested chocolate chip cookie...but it's always Marsha, Marsha, Marshmallow shaggy dogs snickerdoodled with poorly drawn pineapple oatmeal cookies....
8 comments:
Diana! You are so funny! I love the Brady trivia, so interesting. It is so great how we didn't need in depth explanations back then, things could be taken at face value. I think you should do Brady trivia every week, it should be a staple.
Thank you Donette, but I should probably leave off the pop culture and stop dragging down the collective integrity of Jaydine's Finer Things. I just didn't want everyone getting too fancy pants. It's out of my system now and I can move on. I actually haven't watched a Brady episode in 20+ years--it's just so ingrained in my psyche--and your comments brought it all back. There is a possibility however should we get too full of ourselves, my endless stores of useless knowledge will again rear it's sophmoric head.
The previously deleted comment was about RICHARD NIXON. I have been instructed to destroy the reference made of "our very own Jan's" involvment in his administration. (Again,I remind you that she was NEVER physically attracted to him.)
I think this is exactly what this blog needs more of....the trivial. Where's the potty humor promised in the blog description? I think discussions of 70's sitcoms are very much in the "finer" category. Thank you Diana.
P.S. I don't think the Skipper and Gilligan were gay. However, I'm pretty sure Bert and Ernie were comitted life partners.
I think it's pretty obvious the only gay person on that island was the professor. (The jury is still out on Thurston Howell the Third)
First, let me just say that Lovey Howell was hot. No way Thurston was gay. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
Did you know that Alan Hale (The Skipper) was considered for the part of Sam the Butcher on the Brady Bunch? Ready for other trivia?
1. What was the full names of the castaways?
Jonas Grumby (Skipper)
Roy Hinkley (The Professor)
Thurston Howell III (Mr. Howell)
Eunice "Lovey" Wentworth Howell (Mrs. Howell)
Ginger Grant (Ginger)
Mary Ann Summers (Mary Ann)
Gilligan didn't have a first name. However, Sherwood Shwartz, the producer, mentioned that if he had to give Gilligan a name, it would be "Willy."
2. Jerry Van Dyke was originally cast in the role of Gilligan. Carrol O'connor was the first choice for the Skipper, Jayne Mansfield was the first choice for Ginger, and Raquel Welch auditioned for the part of Mary Ann.
Jayne Mansfield and Raquel Welch on the same deserted island? {There was a coconuts reference here, but this is a family blog}. If they could have pulled that off, the series would have lasted far more than 98 episodes.
3. In the Ginger vs. Mary Ann contest, Mary Ann consistently out polls Ginger 2-1.
4. Natalie Schafer (Lovey Howell) was 62 when the pilot was filmed. She had a clause in her contract that there would be no close-ups of her.
5. There were two versions of the theme during the run of the show, one for the first season and another for the second and third. In the original theme song, the Professor and Mary Ann were referred to as "and the rest". Actors Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells were originally considered "second-billed co-stars", but with the growing popularity of their characters, their names were inserted into the lyrics. Wells has stated that it was Denver who went to the studio executives to get them added to the opening credits. The studio originally refused, stating that it would cost too much to re-shoot and re-score the opening. Denver pointed out that it was in his contract that he could have his name anywhere he wanted in the credits, so they could move it to the end credits along with Johnson and Wells. The studio capitulated. Wells said that Denver never mentioned this to anyone in the cast, and she did not find out until years after the show ended what he had done.
Whoah! Way to horn in on the Bradys. Get your own post. Might I suggest "GilliGAYtion by Jim"
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