Susan Olsen who played Cindy Brady in classic TV show The Brady Bunch has opened up about the scandalous real life happenings on set of the cheery retro show.
Just like her childhood character Susan, 53, tattletales on her and her co-stars drug habits, shoplifting escapades and secret pash sessions.
“We led a sheltered life for part of the year so if there was anybody to get a crush on or try to date, it would be our counterparts,” Susan told News.com.au.
“So I had Mike Lookinland (Bobby Brady) and we used to make out in the doghouse when we were nine.”
Adding: “Eve (who played Jan Brady) always had a crush on Chris (Peter Brady), they did kind of hook up later on.”
The youngest of the brady clan also talked about the times she witnessed Maureen McCormick aka Marcia Brady’s off-screen shoplifting antics saying the child star would “just go shoplifting for a sport” with friends until she one day got caught and let her friend take the blame.
And while we are sure her TV parents would disapprove Susan also admitted to having been involved in selling pot.
“I was really a [marijuana] grower,” Susan tells. “My husband at the time and I grew it hydroponically.
“I have never really enjoyed smoking it, it makes me very paranoid. But it was my husband’s idea.”
While she did recall the point in her life as “fascinating” the former TV star says the drugs were one reason she split from her ex.
“It just bothered me too much that we were doing something so illegal.”
Susan was also asked about if she knew while filming the show that her TV dad, Mike Reed was gay.
“He never meant for us to know,” explains Susan. “He never ever had any intentions of coming out of the closet and I think he might have been mortified to know that we knew.”
Susan says it wasn’t until the night of co-star Maureen McCormick’s wedding that she realised everyone knew.
“We were all sitting around talking and Bob had not shown up, and Maureen said, ‘I wish he’d felt comfortable enough to bring a female or male date or just to be here,’” said Susan.
“And that’s when one by one we were all like, ‘You knew he was gay too?’
“I found out when I was nine from my mummy but none of us ever talked about it because we didn’t think it was a big deal.”
Susan is currently in Australia promoting pop culture expo Supanova which will hit Sydney and Perth in mid and late June respectively.
It has been decades since The Brady Bunch ended so it got us to wondering, what happened to Mike, Carol, Alice, Greg, Marcia, Peter, Jan, Bobby and of course Cindy once the show ended?
Cindy you are such a tattletale!
Since putting her child star days behind her Susan Olsen, now 53, has focused on her animal welfare advocacy, radio hosting and pop art creation.
Barry Williams aka Greg Brady currently hosts and performs in his own musical variety show in Branson, Missouri.
Maureen McCormick aka Marcia Brady has just finished winning hearts on Australia’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! She lasted through most of the season, and successfully completed all of her “secret challenges” in the show.
Christopher Knight aka Peter Brady hosted game shows Make Me Rich and Trivial Pursuit: America Plays. He divorced from America’s next top Model winner, Adrianne Curry in 2005.
Eve Plumb aka Jan Brady has appeared in many Broadway plays in New York. She has enjoyed moderate success with her painting career, and continues to exhibit in galleries around the US. She has been married since 1995.
Mike Lookinland aka Bobby Brady was raised in the Church of Latter Day Saints, now operates a decorative concrete business out of Salt Lake City, Utah, and still participates in his community’s Church.
Robert Reed aka Mike Brady appeared in numerous TV series, including Medical Center, Rich Man, Poor Man, and Roots, winning three Emmy’s for his appearances. He died in 1992 after being diagnosed with colon cancer.
Florence Henderson aka carol Brady currently hosts her own show, The Florence Henderson Show, a peek into showbiz as she has experienced it for over 50 years. In 2013 added another show to her kingdom, hosting Who’s Cooking with Florence Henderson.
Ann B. Davis aka Alice never completely retired from acting. She made numerous theatre appearances including a world tour production of Crazy for You. She remained healthy until her death, which came abruptly after she incurred a fall in her bathroom in Texas.
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