The beloved sitcom clan of The Brady Bunch made a triumphant return in 1988, 14 years after their five-season run ended. This time, they reunited for the TV movie A Very Brady Christmas, bringing back original cast members Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, Barry Williams, Maureen McCormick, Christopher Knight, Mike Lookinland, and Ann B. Davis. The only absence was Susan Olsen, with Jennifer Runyon stepping in to play Cindy Brady for the reunion.
Premiering on CBS on December 18, 1988, A Very Brady Christmas was a massive success, becoming the second-highest rated TV movie of the year. However, as producer Sherwood Schwartz recalled in an interview with The Television Academy, there was a quirky situation on set. All of the male cast members showed up with beards, leading Schwartz to joke that it should be renamed “A Very Brady Beard” instead.
In Herbie Pilato’s book Christmas TV Memories, he also recounted the beard situation, noting that Schwartz had to request at least two of the actors shave their mustaches to avoid calling the movie “A Very Brady Mustache.” Despite this minor hiccup, the movie was a dream come true for Jerry Houser, who played Marcia Brady’s husband and shared scenes with the iconic Brady Bunch actors.
The success of A Very Brady Christmas was a Christmas miracle in the eyes of cast member Barry Williams, as he detailed in his book Growing Up Brady: I Was a Teenage Greg. The ratings were through the roof, with a 39 share meaning that nearly 40% of all TVs in America were tuned in to watch the Bradys’ holiday reunion.
Even today, the magic of A Very Brady Christmas lives on, with the movie available to watch on MeTV and Plex. The enduring popularity of this TV movie speaks to the timeless appeal of The Brady Bunch and their heartwarming holiday tale.
Peace Nero is a writer and blogger who loves to explore different topics of self-development. She shares her personal experiences in order to help people discover their true purpose in life.