Fake Jan!
If an induction ceremony into the Bad-TV Hall of Fame were ever to be held (and if such a Hall were ever to exist), then The Brady Bunch Variety Hour would have to be among the charter inductees.
For those of you unfamiliar with the aforementioned Variety Hour, allow me to enlighten you: a few years after the cancellation of the original Brady Bunch sitcom, someone at ABC had the bright idea to resurrect the Brady family as stars of a prime-time variety show. Modeled after the successful of the Donny and Marie variety series, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour was introduced onto the ABC primetime schedule in 1977 (the pilot actually aired in late 1976; both the Brady Hour and Donny and Marie were produced by Sid and Marty Krofft of HR Pufnstuf fame).
The premise of the series had the Brady family (along with housekeeper Alice) being “discovered” and then moving to Hollywood to headline their own television variety series. It was basically a “show within a show” concept: part of the hour followed the backstage and home lives of the Brady family; the rest of the show featured the standard variety-show fare of songs, dances, and comedy sketches.
The entire original Brady Bunch cast was on-board for the new show, with the exception of Eve “Jan” Plumb. At the time, Plumb had starred in a couple of mildly-successful made-for-TV movies, and thus considered herself above such a reunion show. In hindsight, that was likely the wisest career move that she ever made.
An actress named Geri Reischel was brought on board to assume the role of middle-sister Jan. I suspect that the producers hired Reischel less for her resemblance to Plumb and more for her ability to carry a tune; after all, considering that the many of the Brady kids were NOT known for their singing abilities, the show needed as many soloists as it could get its hands on. As for Reischel... the very sight of her onscreen caused Brady fans around-the-world to exclaim “Fake Jan!”
Sadly, the entire project turned out to be an ill-conceived mess. Only Florence Henderson had any true singing and dancing ability; Reischel, Barry Williams, and Florence Henderson had some musical ability, but that was it. The rest of the cast did NOT belong in song-and-dance numbers. And the comedy? Lame. Very lame.
Need proof of this televised atrocity? Check out this Brady Hour clip for yourself, and behold both the groovy threads and the singing and dancing "talents" of the Bradys (and by all means feel free to enjoy Fake Jan's solo)…
For those of you unfamiliar with the aforementioned Variety Hour, allow me to enlighten you: a few years after the cancellation of the original Brady Bunch sitcom, someone at ABC had the bright idea to resurrect the Brady family as stars of a prime-time variety show. Modeled after the successful of the Donny and Marie variety series, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour was introduced onto the ABC primetime schedule in 1977 (the pilot actually aired in late 1976; both the Brady Hour and Donny and Marie were produced by Sid and Marty Krofft of HR Pufnstuf fame).
The premise of the series had the Brady family (along with housekeeper Alice) being “discovered” and then moving to Hollywood to headline their own television variety series. It was basically a “show within a show” concept: part of the hour followed the backstage and home lives of the Brady family; the rest of the show featured the standard variety-show fare of songs, dances, and comedy sketches.
The entire original Brady Bunch cast was on-board for the new show, with the exception of Eve “Jan” Plumb. At the time, Plumb had starred in a couple of mildly-successful made-for-TV movies, and thus considered herself above such a reunion show. In hindsight, that was likely the wisest career move that she ever made.
An actress named Geri Reischel was brought on board to assume the role of middle-sister Jan. I suspect that the producers hired Reischel less for her resemblance to Plumb and more for her ability to carry a tune; after all, considering that the many of the Brady kids were NOT known for their singing abilities, the show needed as many soloists as it could get its hands on. As for Reischel... the very sight of her onscreen caused Brady fans around-the-world to exclaim “Fake Jan!”
Sadly, the entire project turned out to be an ill-conceived mess. Only Florence Henderson had any true singing and dancing ability; Reischel, Barry Williams, and Florence Henderson had some musical ability, but that was it. The rest of the cast did NOT belong in song-and-dance numbers. And the comedy? Lame. Very lame.
Need proof of this televised atrocity? Check out this Brady Hour clip for yourself, and behold both the groovy threads and the singing and dancing "talents" of the Bradys (and by all means feel free to enjoy Fake Jan's solo)…
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What Has Become of This World?
Here’s a frightening concept: now don't ask me how it happened, but somewhere along the way I became an official television-industry expert.
Recently, I was invited to participate in a panel discussion at a cable-industry conference and trade show. The conference is being held this week, and the topic of discussion of my particular panel will be non-traditional media platforms and the role they’re playing in reshaping television/video viewing. There will be five panelists; I will be representing the cable industry. Yes, the entire industry. See? I told you that this was a frightening concept. I’m lucky when I’m able to represent MYSELF, never mind an entire communications and entertainment industry. I guess as long I remember to nod authoritatively, then I should be okay.
posted by TV Boy at 7:50 PM
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