The Brady Bunch Variety Hour
| The Brady Bunch Hour | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Also known as | 'The Brady Bunch Variety Hour' |
| Genre | Variety |
| Created by | Sid and Marty Krofft, based on the TV series created by Sherwood Schwartz |
| Written by |
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| Directed by | Art Fisher |
| Starring | |
| Ending theme | "United We Stand" performed by the Bradys |
| Composer(s) | George Wyle |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 9 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Sid and Marty Krofft |
| Producer(s) | Lee Miller Jerry McPhie |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Sid & Marty Krofft Productions Paramount Television |
| Distributor | CBS Television Distribution |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Audio format | Monaural |
| Original release | November 28, 1976 – May 25, 1977 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | The Brady Kids |
| Followed by | The Brady Girls Get Married |
The Brady Bunch Hour is an American variety show featuring skits and songs produced by Sid & Marty Krofft Productions in association with Paramount Television that aired on ABC from November 28, 1976 to May 25, 1977.
The series starred the original cast members of The Brady Bunch, with the exception of Eve Plumb, who was replaced by Geri Reischl (a.k.a. "Fake Jan"). The show began as a 60-minute special titled The Brady Bunch Variety Hour on November 28, 1976. The special garnered high ratings and led to eight additional 60-minute episodes which were produced and aired sporadically under the shortened title The Brady Bunch Hour from January 23 to May 25, 1977.
The show's events are not included or mentioned in the later Brady Bunch revival series and TV reunion movies.
When the family is chosen to star in a new variety series for ABC, Mike Brady gives up his architectural career and moves his family into a beach-side home somewhere in Southern California. In addition to the Brady clan, next-door-neighbor Jack Merrill (Rip Taylor) frequently finds his way into the act and is a love interest for the Bradys' maid, Alice (her former boyfriend, Sam the Butcher, was never mentioned). Each episode features the obligatory variety show song-and-dance numbers and sketches, as well as a show-within-a-show behind-the-scenes story which took place in the Bradys' home.
The Krofftettes and Water Follies
In 1976, ABC president Fred Silverman concocted the idea of reuniting the cast of The Brady Bunch on an episode of the Donny & Marie variety show. Four cast members were booked and when the show aired on October 8, 1976 it was a ratings success, prompting Silverman to begin developing a variety show centered around the Brady family. Donny & Marie producers Sid & Marty Krofft agreed to helm the show, as their paths had crossed with the Brady Bunch stars on numerous occasions, but no one bothered to seek the approval or involvement of Paramount Pictures (the producers and then-property holders of The Brady Bunch) or Sherwood Schwartz (the series creator). Both parties eventually gave their approval of the new series, mainly as a way to keep interest in the original series. The variety hour remains the only Brady project to not have Schwartz's involvement during production.
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