The other morning on the TODAY show, they were interviewing some of the kids from The Brady Bunch (Barry Williams who played Greg is now 70 years old) and I couldn’t help but stop what I was doing to watch.
They were helping raise money for the charity No Kid Hungry with a contest: for the price of a $25 ticket, you’ll be entered into a drawing. Five winners will be selected, and those winners (and their guests) will be flown to Los Angeles for a tour of the Brady Bunch house recreated by HGTV, followed by brunch with the Bradys in the house.
What’s on the menu? Pork chops and applesauce, of course. Hotel accomodations and meals are included in the prize.
I know a lot of bad things are happening in the world right now, this country included (more like this country ESPECIALLY); but as someone who grew up with this show, I’d love the chance to see that house in person.
Having lunch on the premises with the kids, including Eve Plumb (who played middle daughter Jan)? That’s the icing on this groovy cake.
I’ve shared this story too many times to count, but will just once more; the night this show premiered in September 1969, I watched it with my family on our new Zenith Colormatic console tv. Afterwards our mom said to Dad “What I want to know is, who do they think is going to watch this #%^&?”
Dad pointed down at the floor, us 3 boys and 2 girls and said “Them.”
(A few years later when Mom gave birth to our sister Courtney, we’d be just like those Bradys, kids-wise. Three boys, three girls.)
If you don’t already know, five years ago the owner of the real home (used for filming exterior shots on the show) passed and her son put the house up for sale. Several celebrities stepped up with offers, but HGTV got the house for 3.5 million dollars.
They spent an additional 2 million dollars ripping out the interior and recreating an exact duplicate of the Brady house, right down to the vintage… everything. It was a summer-long series on HGTV, and the most-watched HGTV show in the history of the channel.
Say what you will, but I dig this pad just as much now as I did 50 years ago; if they handed me the keys to the house, I wouldn’t change a thing here!
After the renovation series ended, HGTV put the house on their website where you could study every square inch of the interior if you so desired. I’m sure many of those obsessive fans did just that and hey, do you know I spent over 3 hours on there and could find only one clock in the entire house? A small alarm clock on Alice’s nightstand in her bedroom off the service porch. Isn’t that crazy? The one clock I mean… cough
I guess I should include the website where you can buy your own tickets, click here. I’d say good luck, but you know I wouldn’t mean it.
Perhaps they needed only one house clock since just about everyone wore wrist watches back then. I agree, it is a very pretty setting! No Kid Hungry certainly sounds like a good cause, and should you win -- BONUS!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Florence! 🙂
DeleteWell...I hope you've got the golden ticket, friend, because if you do, we'll all be having a virtual tour!
ReplyDeleteThank you Debby, and boy you've got that right. PS So happy to see your comment here 🙂
DeleteThat's amazing! The stairway is so dangerous but very '70s. :) Hope you win, Doug! I too was a devoted watcher of The Brady Bunch.
ReplyDeleteThank you Margaret! Just when I thought I couldn't like you any more... :^)
DeleteOh no. Another column I know nothing about.
ReplyDeleteI’m with your mum on that show, although who am I to judge as I’ve not seen a single episode?
I don’t think I was the target audience. By 1969 I had already graduated from university and been working several years.
By 1974 I had quit that job, moved to San Francisco (well, Berkeley to be exact) where I lived on a yacht for some time, travelled round America and across Canada, returned to Melbourne, got married and then divorced.
Not much time to watch the program.
One thing my place shares with theirs is that I don’t have a clock. A good watch is all.
Peter, you've certainly lived a full life! Well, I have a clock or two in every room--I don't know how it is outside the United States, but here I believe that's the norm :^)
DeleteI can't answer to number of clocks; my grandfather was a jeweler who collected clocks and I am still surrounded by them. But I can speak to the house! I was the same age as Marcia Marcia Marcia and was just enamored with her. I would study her groovy bedroom with it's groovy bedding, her groovy outfits, her groovy hair styles, her groovy eye rolls, her groovy shoes. Of course Davy Jones came to her house and serenaded her. I would expect no less of Marcia Marcia Marcia. You are good, I did not buy a ticket. I went to the site but I prefer to use PayPal and it wasn't a choice. I am not standing in your way.
ReplyDeleteHahaha, thanks for the chuckles Miss Merry--and for staying out of my way!
DeleteBest of luck with that ticket. Visualize being in the Brady house! I never saw the show, but my younger siblings did.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joanne and wha--wha--what??! I never met an American who hadn't seen the show a thousand times over. I am a little in awe :^)
DeleteFun post and good luck! I was a Brady watcher to some extent. I'm sure my parents left the room. Nice to see the post. Hope that means you're having more good days than lousy ones. Kim in PA
ReplyDeleteThank you Kim, you're very kind--I am having some good hours off & on throughout the days, am hoping it keeps up. I need to be fully recovered when I'm picked as one of the winners, you know :^)
DeleteDug, I'm familiar with the show and probably saw some of the episodes, but in September 1969 I was married, had a toddler, and another on the way - so didn't watch much TV. But I do hope you get fully recovered and have the winning ticket!
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Rian, I know you've got a few years on me but I'm catching up with you! 🙂
DeleteI've never watched the show but certainly wish you good luck in getting one of those tickets, Doug. I am in the same boat as Tibbles.
ReplyDeleteThank you DJan, I know this show was more for mine and your son Chris generation, but it still amazes me you never watched it. But I appreciate the good luck wishes! 🙂
DeleteI never watched the show so don't have the same emotional connection you have. But, I do love that oval dining set that seats eight.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gigi-- I have to admit I'm amazed how many people never saw the show though. :^)
DeleteI recall getting off the bus and running into the house to watch The Brady Bunch, and the Partridge Family. I had such a crush on David Cassidy. :) I remember thinking the Brady brothers were cute, but I wasn't as big a fan.
ReplyDeleteWishing you much luck in winning the trip! It would be so much fun.
Thank you Maebeme, I have a sister who was a big David Cassidy fan too. I don't think the Brady boys could hold a candle to him! Thank you for the wish for luck, I'd sure love to blog the trip here 😊
DeleteMy nieces and nephew were great fans of Brady Bunch. Even today if you mention David Cassidy the nieces face's will light up. They had is posters up in their room. What an interesting project HGTV did with that house and what a curious detail about the lack of clocks! I'm guessing that's a reflection on the set director's error rather than what was common in the times.
ReplyDeleteThanks MoW--I know this was a silly post (especially with everything else going on) but this contest couldn't have along at a better time than now. As for the clocks, I told my friend Diana that I remember the episodes with bedside clocks in everyone's bedrooms so I'm sure it was an oversight here, haha.
DeleteI saw a few of the episodes in reruns when our daughter was little (late 70s/early 80s) but never really cared for it. I sure hope you win and can have a great time out in California.
ReplyDeleteThanks dkzody--well, I know this is a silly thing but anything to take my mind off everything else happening.
DeleteHi Doug, I don’t think I watched Brady Bunch when I was growing up but recall watching some in reruns. The Brady house is funky! 🤞🏻you win!❤️
ReplyDeleteRobin
If by funky you mean really groovy, then I agree! Thank you Robin 🥰
DeleteDefinitely groovy! The brickwork and the incredible wood stairs!
DeleteHaha--nicely said! :^)
DeleteI have fond Memories of that Show too and the Mid-Century Decor is still Trending to this Day, if done well, it's timelessly Adored. Good Luck, I Hope you Win.
ReplyDeleteBohemian, I do believe you made my day--thank you! :^)
DeleteThe Brady Bunch used to be ones of my favorite shows! I would love to see this house in person, and as a cabinet painter, I'd love to see what the kitchen looks like now.
ReplyDeleteHi CPR--well, the house HGTV bought was entirely different inside, a lighter colored kitchen that they replaced with an exact replica of the kitchen from the show, a brown walnut. They even found the original manufacturer of those orange formica countertops who still had that stuff in stock. :-)
DeleteWow that is awesome. I had no idea, thank you for sharing your knowledge!
DeleteWhat an amazing story—and such a nostalgic trip down memory lane! The idea of brunch with the Bradys at the recreated house is just too groovy to pass up.
ReplyDeleteThanks JBs Handyman, I'm glad someone else gets it :^)
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