Barry, Chris and Mike recently made a rare public appearance together at Big Apple Comic Con in New York City. It was a fantastic crowd and the boys greatly appreciate everyone who came out. For those of you who couldn’t make it though, I had a chance to chat with the guys about growing up together in TV’s most famous family.

If you’d like to hear from more of the great guests at Comic Con, click here.

It was a great run, but Florence finally said farewell to Dancing With the Stars after being eliminated in week five of the competition. “You have got to week five on merit. It’s not a fluke,” said judge Len Goodman after her performance. “You got there because of your dancing talent.”

Of course, it was only appropriate that Florence made it to TV theme week, where she got a special visit from our own Barry Williams. Watch Barry and Florence reunite 33 minutes into the show, followed by a rousing Tango to the tune of The Brady Bunch theme.

Eve Plumb is making her New York City theatrical debut and Barry and The Greg Brady Project want you to be there! We have a pair of tickets to give away for an October performance of Miss Abigail’s Guide to Dating, Mating and Marriage with your name on ‘em. To enter, just answer the following question:

What is the name of Jan Brady’s fictional boyfriend?
A) Phil Packer  B) George Glass  C) Stanley Vogel

Send your answer to eric.greenberg@thegregbradyproject.com and we’ll randomly select one of the correct entries to win a pair of tickets. Good luck! And by the way, the nice people at Miss Abigail’s are offering all of Barry’s readers 40% off tickets by using the exclusive promo code: BRADYLOVE.

Attention New Yorkers! The boys are getting back together this Friday – Sunday at Big Apple Comic Con for their very first New York City joint appearance, and one of the very few that Barry, Chris and Mike have done together since The Brady Bunch went off the air. As the Banana Convention would say: “It’s gonna be a really big show. Really big!”

The guys will be signing autographs throughout the weekend as well as taking part in some very special events. Here are some tentative times to keep in mind:

- Photo Opportunities: Friday, 6:35pm, Saturday, 5:00pm & Sunday, 12:40pm

- Brady Boys Reunion Panel Discussion: Saturday, 4:00 – 4:45pm

- Brady Brunch: Sunday, 8:30am – 9:30am

To confirm times, purchase advance tickets and learn more about all the other cool guests and events, visit Big Apple Comic Con’s Official Site.

Bursting with big Brady news, here are your Greg Brady Project Labor Day Links…

Get fired up Florence fans! It’s Henderson vs. The Hoff in the upcoming season of Dancing With the Stars. America’s favorite TV mom has officially signed on for the show’s eleventh season along with David Hasselhoff, Jennifer Grey and The Situation. Do I feel a Charleston coming on?

Susan’s back on the small screen! The youngest Brady girl showed up on The Young and the Restless last week. Meanwhile, word on the street from Entertainment Weekly is that Chris Knight will appear in the September 15 episode of The Bold and the Beautiful. (Chris, can you confirm???)

Barry had some fun with the 13 News morning gang in Topeka the other day. Brady World is running a Brady Bunch trivia contest. And Marcia’s hair dryer is marked down on eBay (TGBP cannot verify authenticity).

And finally, The Boys are Back in Town! Barry, Chris and Mike will be appearing together at Big Apple Comic Con in New York next month. According to Chris, the three have only gotten together for two other autograph signings since The Brady Bunch went off the air. Hope to see you there!

The House That Brady Built

 As a self-professed “Bradyholic,” my obsession has been with the space that surrounded the Brady cast during production. In addition, the mystique that surrounds the North Hollywood house used only for exterior shots is incredible by anyone’s standards. Really, can you think of any other TV house on this planet that has received such fame and pop culture status?

My curiosity about the Brady Bunch house led me to do some research about ranch-style homes, design trends, and the post-WW2 culture that bred them. These homes came out of a culture of optimism (among other things), a virtue which The Brady’s wholeheartedly stood for.

For me, the iconic Brady Bunch house, both in true form as well as fictional form, represents the American ideal, and I’ve always wondered what they looked like from an insider’s perspective. Curious about  both  forms (real and fictional) of the house, I began making sketches of all the Brady spaces a number of years ago. Eventually, I acquired a CAD program for my computer which would allow me to bring my sketches to life. Having spent dozens of hours watching reruns of the show, I’ve gradually developed a “virtual tour” of sorts, which are on both Flickr and You Tube. In the virtual tour, Brady fans are given a perspective of what the set of The Brady Bunch may have looked like from an actor’s perspective. Additionally, this virtual tour also takes viewers through the famous Brady Bunch house in North Hollywood.

The whole project was just a chance for me to have fun, explore, and interact with other Brady fans. Now check out the Brady house like you’ve never seen it before…

Porkchops and Applesauce Served Here

The Bradys' Ultra-Modern Living Room

Here is what the entry hall of the REAL Brady Bunch house in L.A. might look like (more or less) from an interior view, which bares very little resemblance to what we saw on the Brady set.

Want to see more? Take my full Brady house tour at Flickr and You Tube.

 

If you missed the season  premiere of Monk last night, then run (don’t walk) over to USA Network while the episode is still available for streaming.  You’ll find a show that affectionately satirizes the Brady Bunch phenomenon, from the dedication of trivia-spouting fans to dropped jaws at the most lurid revelations of a tell-all memoir. 

In “Mr. Monk’s Favorite Show,” the obsessive-compulsive crime solver is excited at the prospect of meeting Christine Rapp, former child star of “The Cooper Clan.” Rapp has just written a shocking autobiography called “Re-Cooper-ating,” and when her publicity tour is interrupted by an attempt on her life, Monk’s devotion leads to an assignment as her bodyguard.  Starstruck and preoccupied with memories of a show that provided an escape from his dysfunctional youth, Monk remains blissfully ignorant of the discrepancies between Rapp and her TV alter-ego, Cathy Cooper…until he finds time to read the book.

Though a number of artistic liberties are taken in the approximation of a certain iconic TV series from the 70′s, Brady fans will find many amusingly familiar references in the details, right down to the episode titles and groovy graphics of a “Cooper Clan” DVD menu.  Check it out, and enjoy the pained expression on the face of a “Clan” costar as he endures Monk repeating the former actor’s well-worn catchphrase.

Now Search & Win for Great Brady Prizes!

As someone who’s done some singing and dancing with his own “brothers and sisters,” I can appreciate just how talented Michael Jackson was and am glad we got the chance to cross paths.

Farrah Fawcett and her poster were an important part of my growing up. For a while, I kind’ve resented Lee Majors! Of course, I didn’t show it the day he and Farrah made an appearance on The Brady Bunch Hour.

The script called for me to act tongue tied when I saw them. I can tell you, I didn’t have to do a whole lot of acting. While it may not be the scene either is best remembered for, I’ll always be thankful I shared the screen with those two TV icons.

Michael and Farrah will be missed.

 

Who will win the first-ever GBP Brady Awards?

Did you catch the Academy Awards recently?  Greg Brady Project friend David H. did, and the sight of all those Oscars being handed out inspired him to propose “the first annual ‘Brady’ awards, honoring outstanding achievements in an episode of The Brady Bunch.”  David suggested six award categories, with all us of collaborating to produce five worthy nominees for each category.  After the nominations are finalized, winners will be decided by popular vote.  We love the idea, David, and so it is that we now officially open the call for nominations for the award categories listed below.  I’m really tempted to serve up a full slate of contenders, but I’m going to limit myself to the honor of choosing the first nominee for each award.  The rest is up to all of you, loyal Brady fans.

BEST ACTOR (any male cast member can be nominated for a specific episode):  I nominate Mike Lookinland for “Bobby’s Hero.”  Not only does he create a credible change of heart for the Jesse James-obsessed Bobby, he conveys real terror (as coached by Lloyd Schwartz) during the fantasy train robbery.

BEST ACTRESS (same for female cast member):  I nominate  Eve Plumb for “The Not-So-Rose-Colored Glasses.”  Eve has a lot of great moments in this one, from her glib dismissal of Marcia’s concern for her eyesight to the tearjerker scene in which Mike learns that Jan has sold her bike to pay for a second family portrait.

BEST WRITING (nominate episodes):  I nominate Brad Radnitz for “Confessions, Confessions,” a beautifully paced episode that peaks in the middle with the famous leaking-vase scene and then builds the tension up again until nearly the last second, keeping the audience wondering if Peter will ever tell the truth.

BEST GUEST STAR PERFORMANCE – MALE:  I nominate Davy Jones for “Getting Davy Jones.”  The sight and sound of the beloved Monkee clasping hand to headpone and warbling “Girl” has been treasured by Brady fans for decades.

BEST GUEST STAR PERFORMANCE – FEMALE:  I nominate Imogene Coca for her eccentric yet endearing performance as “Jan’s Aunt Jenny.”

BEST EPISODE:  Well, I gotta go with the top of my Brady Six for this one.  I nominate my all-time favorite, “Cyrano de Brady.”

And while we’re at it, here’s one more category for us to consider.

BEST CATCH PHRASE:  I nominate “Something suddenly came up,” the all-purpose date-breaker.

And there you have it, the first round of nominations for the 2009 GBP Brady Awards.  Four more slots are open for each category, so hit the “Comment” button and clack away at your keyboard like Scoop Brady on a hot tip!

Now Search & Win for Great Brady Prizes!

Mark your calendars and rearrange your holiday travel plans for this Monday. Courtesy of the great website SitcomsOnline, TV Land will hold a President’s Day “Brady Bunch” marathon from 10am – 2pm. Here are the episodes you can expect to catch. And for our readers in Milwaukee, the site also reports that Me-TV has added the show to its weekday schedule at 6:30pm. Enjoy!