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Here’s a story of a young producer who developed a lasting friendship with one of the most beloved TV families in America.
Lloyd Schwartz is the son of Sherwood Schwartz, who created both "The Brady Bunch" and "Gilligan’s Island." The celebrated screenwriter passed away in 2011 at age 94, but the late star’s classic TV shows have lived on with the younger Schwartz, 75, as keeper of the flame. Most recently, the writer has kept busy working on his latest comedy titled "Classic Couples Counseling," which opens at Hollywood’s Theatre West on April 1.
As Schwartz looked to the future of his comedy, he doesn’t think twice about reflecting on his days working alongside his late father on "The Brady Bunch," which aired from 1969 until 1974. Schwartz spoke to Fox News Digital about what it was like bringing the sitcom to life, which castmate he bonded with and which rumor he’s eager to put to rest.
Brady Bunch producer and writer Lloyd Schwartz (L) and former cast member Susan Olsen, who played Cindy Brady. (Getty Images)
Fox News: Your father created "The Brady Bunch." What was it like working on a show like that one?
Lloyd Schwartz: I started working on that from the very beginning, including all the TV movies and feature films. It just keeps going. I’ve done a lot of television, but this is the thing that has bonded all of us, including the audience.
Fox News: What was your initial impression of the "Brady Bunch" cast?
Schwartz: I was brought in as a dialogue coach for the six kids. I saw myself as an uncle to them because I was not that different than them, age-wise. I was 22, and Barry [Williams] was 14 or 15. I really liked Florence [Henderson], and I really liked Carol Brady — those were two completely different women. Florence’s maternal side was very much of Mrs. Brady, but she also had this very funny, bawdy side that was just great.
Robert [Reed] was an interesting guy. He really wanted to be a leading man and then suddenly, he was cast as a father to these six kids. He took the role very seriously. Most TV fathers up to that point were either idiots, churchgoers or jerks usually married to really hot women. But he wanted to be a strong father figure. I think he did a really good job at that. Ann B. Davis was very much like Alice. She brought comedy to the role and naturally reacted in the same way Alice would have reacted, which the audience loved.
From left: Barry Williams, Eve Plumb, Maureen McCormack, Christopher Knight, Susan Olsen and Mike Lookinland. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
Fox News: Whom did you bond with the most?
Schwartz: Ann and I became very close. When she left, she basically left the business and moved out of town. But we remained very good friends. Her birthday was May 3. Mine is May 2. So she would always call me on my birthday, and we would have these long conversations. Then I would call her on her birthday, and we didn’t have much to say. So I started calling her on May 1. She figured it out and started calling me on April 30. It just became a game. But that was Ann. Very funny and kind. She was the real deal.
I’m still close with all of the kids. I identified the most with Christopher Knight because there were three boys in my family, and I too was the middle one. So it was fun having someone to identify with on television. But we all remained very close over the years.
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Fox News: Was there someone who, maybe wasn’t difficult, but perhaps wanted to do things differently than what was expected of them?
Schwartz: I know that we had creative differences with Robert. He wanted the show to be more grounded. He was a serious actor, and this was a comedy, a sitcom. So he would resist that. But I think in the end, we ended up with a good compromise. He wanted to portray himself as a strong father figure, and we gave him the space to do that. And people reacted very positively to that.
Florence Henderson as Carol Brady and Robert Reed as Mike Brady. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)
Fox News: What’s your favorite memory from your time bringing the show to life?
Schwartz: I remember we did this one episode where there was a slumber party. It was supposed to be for the girls. And as we were creating the show, we thought, "That’s a good storyline for the girls, but what are the boys going to do?" I came up with the idea of the boys wanting to mess up the slumber party with pranks.
I remember I went out for coffee, and there was a family in a booth next to me discussing the "Brady Bunch." The boys were like, "Our sister’s having a party. Why don’t we mess it up?" Like the boys did in the show. And I thought, "Wow, this is a conversation happening all over the country with siblings." And I think that’s what makes the show so popular, even to this day. It’s been a touchstone for several generations. People can identify with it. They remember things from their childhood. It’s a good feeling to have.
Fox News: What’s a fun fact about "The Brady Bunch" that would surprise fans today?
Schwartz: That’s a hard one because fans seem to know everything. Are there any secrets left? Well, one fact that I can share is that the show didn't start off as being popular. When it ran originally, there never really was a high rating for the show. We would always wonder if the show would get renewed or killed. It took time for kids to watch it and want to watch more episodes. It wasn’t an instant hit like many people think it was.
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Lloyd Schwartz said he had a close friendship with Ann B. Davis, who played Alice in ‘The Brady Bunch'. The actress passed away in 2014 at age 88. (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
There’s an episode where Bobby had a dream, and he meets some Martians from outer space. A lot of people thought they were kids. They were Frankie and Sadie Delfino, a married couple of little people. They both played Munchkins in "The Wizard of Oz." They were with us all the time. Child actors, like adult actors, need stand-ins, but they can only work a certain amount of hours. They were great because they didn’t have to go to school, and they were like family. They were a fantastic husband and wife team on set.
Fox News: There have been many rumors about "The Brady Bunch" cast. Which one stood out to you the most over the years? What was the reality?
Schwartz: There have always been rumors about Barry and Florence having a date or affair, depending on who you ask. It was all smoke and mirrors. The reality is, Barry was interested in music, Florence was married with four kids. Barry’s dad drove them to see this singer. After that, dad drove them home, and she kissed him on the cheek. That was the extent of the so-called affair between Barry and Florence.
The story resurfaced after Barry’s book came out. I remember Florence called me and said, "You know, there’s a thing in Barry’s book." I told her, "No, don’t worry Florence, nobody’s going to think much of it." I was very wrong.
Florence Henderson, seen here with Barry Williams (left) and Christopher Knight (right), passed away in 2016 at age 82. (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/FilmMagic)
Right around the time Florence passed away, we were talking about maybe developing a show where Mike Brady passed away, and she started to date one of Greg Brady’s friends seriously. We thought it would have been very interesting to go in that direction. I remember I called her, and she was very excited about it. Sadly, we never got around to it.
‘BRADY BUNCH’ STAR BARRY WILLIAMS REFLECTS ON BONDING WITH HIS TV FAMILY: ‘WE PROTECTED EACH OTHER’
Fox News: What’s your relationship like with the rest of the "Brady" kids.
Schwartz: Close. We’re very close. I see them about three, four times a year. We always support each other’s projects. And I still feel like I’m an uncle to them. And whenever we get together, we fall back immediately into that understanding we had that led to this journey. They’re family. I go to their weddings. I’ve met all of their husbands and wives. The show has bonded us. We’re family.
Fox News: Where did you get the idea for "Classic Couples Counseling?"
Schwartz: I was in therapy because I was a little mixed up. But I started to think about other characters who are mixed up in life. And I realized the Shakespearean characters are pretty mixed up. And the idea came from that. It’s a comedy. It’s a mess, but it’s very funny. And you don’t need to know Shakespeare forward or backward to relate. But for those who love Shakespeare, there are little moments that ring true — ones they will appreciate.
Robert Reed (center) passed away in 1992 at age 59. (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
Fox News: You’re known for your television work, so why do a play like this one?
Schwartz: It’s interesting, I started with television, as opposed to most people who start in theater. But I’ve done a lot of plays, and I truly had a great time with these Shakespeare characters who are seen in a different light. I was able to write things down and get them out of the way. It’s a different kind of writing for me where I take characters that are very well known, people who have been examined in several ways, but not in this particular way. I think they're so deep and loose and have so much to offer. And they have their own set of issues.
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