Bringing the Brady Bunch House Back to Life
Hey there, TV lovers! Let me tell you about something truly exciting for fans of Classic TV. HGTV has recently purchased the house that was used as the exterior for the iconic The Brady Bunch show. And guess what? Maureen McCormick, who played Marcia Brady, was actually interested in buying the house herself but got beat to it. Now, HGTV is in the midst of a massive renovation project to make the interior look just like the set from the '70s. But that's not all! They're also creating a reality series to document the entire process. It’s a combination of the web series Building Brady and the full-length TV show. Even better? The original Brady kids—Maureen, Barry Williams, Christopher Knight, Eve Plumb, Mike Lookinland, and Susan Olsen—are all involved, and they’re asking for your help with furnishing the house. Check out the video below to see how you can get involved!
Is your home a throw-back to a groovier time? We’re looking for a few iconic items to furnish the Brady house.
Check your collection, then send us a pic. Or you can post and tag it with #verybradyreno.
Read also:Denzel Washington Republican Or Democrat Exploring The Political Views Of The Legendary Actor Get all the details at https://t.co/WecAlFNE8x pic.twitter.com/44gV1dTFTl
— HGTV (@hgtv) February 13, 2019
Behind the Scenes with Building Brady
Part of the reality series includes the online webisodes Building Brady, which you can watch below to catch up on the latest chapters. These episodes give you an inside look at the renovation process and the challenges the team faces in transforming the house into the Brady Bunch set we all know and love.
A Familiar Face Behind the Scenes
Another key figure involved in this project is Lloyd Schwartz, the son of the late Sherwood Schwartz, the creator of The Brady Bunch and Gilligan’s Island. Lloyd, who may not be in front of the camera but whose name is synonymous with all things Brady, is serving as a producer on the show.
In an exclusive interview with Closer Weekly, Lloyd shared some fascinating insights. “What’s really interesting about all this is that my dad always said the house was another character,” he explained. “Many times, when the studio would say it was too expensive to rebuild the set, my dad would insist, ‘Well, then there’s no show.’ So we’d rebuild it all the time for the different series. The same thing happened with Gilligan’s Island. He said you had to have huts, and whenever he walked onto a soundstage and saw those huts, it felt like home to him. I’m not sure why, considering he was from Passaic, New Jersey, but with The Brady Bunch, we saw that set rebuilt from the ground up countless times for the reunion movies and even the feature films. It was surreal.”
Read also:Adragon Demello The Extraordinary Genius Beyond His Years
The Challenges of Renovating the Brady House
Although Lloyd can’t say much due to a nondisclosure agreement with HGTV, he did reveal some details. “I found out about the show the same way you did, when it was all over the papers,” he said. “Then I learned what they were planning to do with it. They’re keeping the outside structure the same, but nothing inside was like the TV series. In fact, it was a two-story house on the TV series, but in real life, it was a split-level house. Now they’re making the inside look just like the set, which is incredibly complex. All the people from different HGTV shows, along with all the Brady kids and me, are getting involved.”
(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
“As soon as I heard the idea,” Lloyd added, “someone asked me, ‘What would you do with that house?’ I would do exactly what they’re doing. I thought it was brilliant, and I’ve had talks with them, and they’re very considerate about what we want. I’m thrilled with the show, the fact that this piece of our lives is coming back, and that the kids—let’s call them kids, but they’re all in their sixties—are very involved. It’s going to be very special.”
For a chance to reconnect with some of your favorite Classic TV stars, including Barry Williams and Christopher Knight, check out CloserWeekly.com’s Classic TV & Film Podcast!
