news Carol Brady

R.I.P. Florence Henderson, beloved mom of 'The Brady Bunch'

The actress died on Thanksgiving at the age of 82.

November 25, 2016, 11:51AM By MeTV Staff

Top image: AP Photo

Before becoming Carol Brady, the all-American mother of six, Florence Henderson had accomplished much. The Broadway star became the first woman to guest host The Tonight Show in 1962, in the transition period between Paar and Carson.

On the theatrical stage, the Indiana native headlined as the original lead in the musical Fanny. In 1969, after appearing in a handful of Oldsmobile commercials, Henderson landed her first major TV role, portraying the mother of three girls — Marcia, Jan and Cindy — who marries a widowed father of three boys. The role of Carol Brady had originally been offered to her best friend, Shirley Jones, who turned down the job. Of course, Jones would soon become an iconic small screen mom herself on The Partridge Family.

On Thursday, November 24, the longtime actress passed away. She was 82. Her sudden death was confirmed by her publicist, according to The New York Times.

Mere weeks earlier, Henderson had attended a taping of Dancing with the Stars, to support her former onscreen daughter, Maureen McCormick. Henderson herself had appeared on the dance competition series in 2010.

On Twitter, McCormick wrote: "Florence Henderson was a dear friend for so very many years & in my

She will be missed by all. What is your favorite Carol Brady moment?

MeTV will pay tribute to the late, great actress on Sunday, December 4, at 12PM | 11C by highlighting some of her best episodes of The Brady Bunch.

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