The world lost a beloved icon when Florence Henderson, who played the cherished matriarch, Carol Brady, on “The Brady Bunch,” passed away in 2016.
During her career, which spanned over six decades, she captured viewers everywhere with her charm, beauty, and talent.
Over the sitcom’s five seasons, Henderson gave audiences many laughs, tears, and heartwarming lessons to live by. On what would’ve been Henderson’s 87th birthday, here are just a few of those memorable moments we’ll never forget.
Her Role As a Mediator
For countless episodes, Henderson played the role many moms are familiar with: settling arguments between their daughters. The sibling rivalry between Jan and Marcia was unlike any other, and Carol Brady was the only one who knew how to put out the fire between the on-screen sisters.
When She Stood Up to Sexism
Don’t let the sweet smile fool you: Carol Brady was a force to be reckoned with. After a car accident in one episode, she and the man involved in the collision agreed to pay for the damage to their cars themselves. However, when he later tried to get Carol to pay for all the damage — stating that she’s a less competent driver because she’s a woman, Carol didn’t take the comment lightly.
When Carol Brady Saved Christmas
In the Brady Bunch universe, the worst thing you can come down with is laryngitis merely days before you’re supposed to sing at church. When Carol’s laryngitis nearly ruined her planned holiday performance after losing her voice, Cindy confessed to Santa that all she wanted for Christmas was for her mom to sing again. As expected, when Carol woke up on Christmas morning, she could save Christmas with her beautiful voice.
Her Performance With Marcia
Besides the Christmas episode, there were other moments when Carol broke out her angelic voice. At Marcia’s high school “Family Frolic Night,” Carol and Marcia did a mime-song-dance performance that ended with a standing ovation from the Brady family.
Carol Brady’s Countless Words Of Wisdom
You don’t become one of the world’s most loved television moms without some trustworthy words to live by. Countless times, Carol Brady offered her motherly advice to youngest daughter Cindy
She delivered lines like: “You shouldn’t put down a loser, Cindy, because you might be one yourself someday. Just remember that.”
Here’s to Florence Henderson on what would’ve been her 87th birthday.
