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Ann B. Davis revealed just how alike she and Alice really were
Where did the actor and character divide?
Being a member of the Brady family sounds like a dream come true, but let's be honest, you'd never make it in that family without a heaping pile of optimism. Even in the show's darkest moments, the Brady family finds the silver lining and is able to turn it around into something brighter. While it's usually refreshing, we can't deny that it grates on the nerves at times. Sitcoms require a healthy suspension of disbelief, but when marathoning a show like The Brady Bunch, one can't help but think that there's no way any person could be as happy as the Brady family is all the time.
Still, it's a wonder whether the cheerfulness of the characters had rubbed off on the lucky actors playing them.
In an interview with Gannett News Service, Ann B. Davis, best known for playing Alice in The Brady Bunch, was pressed on whether she was as upbeat as her Brady Bunch counterpart was. "I guess so," Davis said.
However, the true beauty of the series, to Davis, wasn't the potential of an actor becoming more like their character; it was the character becoming more like the actor. "The great advantage of doing a series for that long of a period is that the more they get to know you, the more they write for you," she said. "Eventually, they write closer and closer to who you are."
Davis also revealed that, for the most part, filming The Brady Bunch was as thrilling as it was to watch on screen, if not a bit tedious after a while. "It was a nice show," Davis said. "It was a kids' show, so it was pleasant. It just went on and on and on. You can't kill it with a stick."
"There's something that people related to in the show. It's like we're all looking for the perfect family, and with the Bradys, there was a mother and a father who had all the answers and brothers and sisters who supported each other," she said. "Most people these days come from dysfunctional families, let's face it. There's an element of hope there that I think we're definitely seeking."
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(Unfortunately for the Bradys, their "new young kid" turned out to be Cousin Oliver.)
By the time The Bunch premiered, I was too old and hip (13), but I found some value in its brand of corniness. Had I been just a couple years younger, my appreciation would have been different and greater.
