'Brady Bunch' Mom Florence Henderson Dies at 82
by EG
Florence Henderson, the matriarch of TV's original blended family, died Thursday in Los Angeles. He sudden death from heart failure reportedly came as a shock to her family and friends.
Henderson was most famous for her role as Carol Brady on the sitcom The Brady Bunch, which ran from 1969 to 1974. She played a divorced mother of three girls who marries the father of three boys. Their large combined family engaged in wacky yet wholesome hijinks throughout the series' run, and the show became one of the most beloved comedies in TV history.
Henderson's career began much earlier, though, with her debut at the age of 18 in 1952 in the Broadway musical Wish You Were Here.
After The Brady Bunch ended its run, Henderson became a staple on television, making guest appearances in shows like Fantasy Island and The Love Boat. She appeared on more contemporary series, too, including Roseanne and The King of Queens.
Her most recent projects were two series, The Florence Henderson Show and Who's Cooking with Florence Henderson, on the Retirement Living TV cable channel.
Henderson died at Cedars-Sinai hospital with her family and friends in attendance. She is survived by four children, ten grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.