Dark Secrets Of The Cast Of The Brady Bunch

When we think of classic television shows, "The Brady Bunch" often comes to mind as the epitome of wholesome family entertainment. However, behind the cheerful facade, the cast members harbored stories that starkly contrast the sunny disposition of their on-screen characters. The series, which aired from 1969 to 1974, introduced audiences to the unique dynamics of a blended family, but what transpired off-camera was a blend of drama, personal struggles, and surprising revelations. As the young stars grew up, many began to share their experiences, uncovering a range of secrets that would shock fans.

From romantic entanglements to battles with addiction, the cast of "The Brady Bunch" navigated the challenges of fame in ways that were often hidden from the public eye. This article delves into the untold stories of the beloved show, revealing the complexities of the actors' lives both during and after their time on the series. Prepare to uncover the darker side of this iconic family!

Table of Contents

• Biography of the Cast
• Barry Williams Wanted to Date His TV Mom
• Barry Williams and His TV Sister Were 'Lusting for Each Other'
• Barry Williams Filmed a Brady Bunch Episode While Stoned
• Maureen McCormick's Early Success Led Her Down a Dark Path
• TV Dad Robert Reed Hid His Sexuality
• Mike Lookinland Struggled with Alcohol Abuse
• Tiger the Dog Was Secretly Replaced
• The Two Youngest Brady Kids Used to Make Out in Tiger's Doghouse
• One of the Brady Girls Had a Habit of Shoplifting
• Christopher Knight Felt 'Prostituted' as a Child Actor
• Susan Olsen Was at the Center of Salacious Rumors
• Two of the Brady Kids Faced Whispers of a Same-Sex Affair
• The Reason Mike Brady Wasn't in the Final Episode

Biography of the Cast

Barry Williams Wanted to Date His TV Mom

One of the stranger stories to emerge from "The Brady Bunch" was that Barry Williams — who played oldest son Greg — had the hots for his television mother, Florence Henderson. While rumors swirled of a torrid on-set affair, the truth was significantly less scandalous. In Williams' memoir, "Growing Up Brady," he recalled a teenage crush of the puppy love variety. "It wasn't that I sought to bed her," he wrote, as excerpted by Biography. "I just wanted to spend time with her."

Despite being two decades his senior, Henderson sweetly indulged him by accompanying him to dinner one night. "That whole thing with Barry got blown way out of proportion," Henderson — who died in 2016 at 82 — wrote in a post on her website, per HuffPost. "I guess, in a sense, it was a date because Barry thought it was," she added, admitting she hadn't quite understood the nature of his intentions. "It has made for a good story, though!"

Barry Williams and His TV Sister Were 'Lusting for Each Other'

While "The Brady Bunch" may have oozed wholesomeness, once the Brady kids started hitting adolescence and the hormones began surging, the young actors began experiencing feelings for each other that belied their onscreen relationships. Maureen McCormick — a.k.a. Marcia — also wrote a book about her experiences on the show called "Here's the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady And Finding My True Voice." In an excerpt published by the Daily Mail, McCormick wrote how she and co-star Barry Williams succumbed to their long-simmering attraction on a tropical beach when the show was shooting on location in Hawaii. "We couldn't hold back any longer," she recalled.

Their romance continued once they returned to L.A., leading to some awkward moments when the two shot a scene while sitting close together on a bed. "We couldn't keep our hands off each other," McCormick wrote, something that series creator Sherwood Schwartz confirmed in his book, "Brady, Brady, Brady: The Complete Story of the Brady Bunch." "When Barry sat down on the bed and started to talk to his TV sister, it became romantic, even steamy," he wrote.

Barry Williams Filmed a Brady Bunch Episode While Stoned

Hormones weren't the only source of misbehavior by the young stars of "The Brady Bunch." In fact, drugs of varying types were also a temptation for the actors during their teenage years. For Barry Williams, this included experimenting with marijuana. In Williams' book, "Growing Up Brady," he recalled one day in 1972 when the then-17-year-old sparked a joint with some pals and settled back to enjoy his buzz during a day off. It was then that he received an urgent call telling him to come to the set for some additional shooting.

Speaking during a "Brady Bunch" panel captured on video, Williams recalled feeling so creative he began making up his own dialogue. His odd behavior did not go unnoticed on the set. "And the crew were all staring at me," he said. "And a few were laughing, and a few were asking what the matter with Barry was. But I was having a ball."

Maureen McCormick's Early Success Led Her Down a Dark Path

Maureen McCormick played Marcia Brady for the entire five-season run of "The Brady Bunch," from age 14 to 19. While the character was popular and outgoing with a generally sunny disposition, McCormick herself was experiencing some major teen angst in her own life. "Yet there I was, hiding the reality of my life behind the unreal perfection of Marcia Brady," she wrote in her book. "No one suspected the fear that gnawed at me."

She began hanging with a crowd that epitomized the Hollywood fast lane of the early 1970s, and there was plenty of cocaine to be had. Eventually, what began as a fun flirtation