A pre-Brady interview with Florence Henderson reveals who she really was as a person
Media training is a tricky thing. People with a whole network or studio's hopes riding on them don't get to be their authentic selves. There's too much money at stake to risk slipping up and saying the wrong thing. So actors are taught the right things to say, usually canned responses that won't ruffle any feathers. That's just the sit-down interviews. Sometimes, in reading newspaper profiles, it's so clear that the star isn't even involved. The printed responses seem like they're coming straight from the public relations department.
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That's why early interviews can be the most revealing. It's like the subject hasn't learned how to be boring, yet. They don't have those processed, Hollywood standard-issue boring replies. For instance, Florence Henderson was interviewed by the Binghamton, NY Press and Sun Bulletin in 1966. That was three years before she became a household face on The Brady Bunch. While she'd certainly spent years in smaller spotlights, she wasn't yet the megastar she'd later be. The Brady Bunch would end up being a commercial juggernaut with ABC's hopes and dreams riding on its actors, but back in '66, Henderson was free to speak her mind without network interference.
The result is very telling of the kind of person Florence Henderson was. The ascending actress was already a star in her own right, guesting on NBC's The Telephone Hour. While she hadn't yet reached the height of her fame, Henderson understood that success meant sacrifice, and at the time, she was more willing to hold onto what meant the most.
"I care more about people than I do about things or success," said Henderson. "When I entered this business, I wanted to be a big Elizabeth Taylor-like star. But, as I grew older, I came to realize this was not the important thing in my life."
At the time of the interview, Henderson was 33-years-old.
"My family is very dear to me. So is my work. I no longer care about the kind of stardom we're discussing. I do care, however, about being a working professional, one who constantly learns as she works."
Little did she know how important family would be. Namely, the Brady family of two batches of step-children coming together to cohabitate under one roof.
The important thing for Florence Henderson, at that point in her career, was making sure things happened the right way.
"If things worked out well for me, swell, but I couldn't trample over others in a desperate rush to make something work for me. I know with this attitude stardom seldom comes. So what? I work regularly. And I have fun."
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