R.I.P. Florence Henderson

[PoP]

[SIZE=+2]R.I.P. Florence Henderson[/SIZE]

Brady Bunch star Florence Henderson died on Thursday, ET confirms. She was 82.

According to Henderson's rep, the actress died from heart failure, surrounded by her four children.

Henderson was best known and beloved by many for her role as Carol Brady, matriarch of the Brady Bunch. The show premiered in 1969, and Henderson appeared on every episode of the series' five seasons, as well as in spinoffs The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, The Brady Girls Get Married, The Brady Brides, The Bradys and The Brady Bunch Movie.

In 2010, she competed on Dancing With the Stars, eliminated fifth with partner Corky Ballas. Henderson also hosted her own talk show, The Florence Henderson Show, and cooking show, Who's Cooking with Florence Henderson, in recent years.

Maureen McCormick, who played Henderson's TV daughter, Marcia, was convinced by Henderson to compete on this season of Dancing With the Stars, and supported by her from the audience during many performances.

"Florence Henderson was a dear friend for so very many years & in my

 

[barbee0715]

I have to say I was REALLY shocked about this-especially since I just saw her on DWTS Monday looking happy and healthy. I was a little kid when the Brady Bunch started and I guess that was our generation's answer to Ozzie and Harriet and Leave it to Beaver-I loved all those shows (even though a lot were corny) and I imagine it was real important to kids of broken families by death and divorce to watch TV shows like that-things were changing.

I didn't really appreciate Florence until I was a teenager though, and some friends of mine were crazy Broadway show addicts and they introduced me to "Fanny" where I discovered Florence was a big Broadway star-playing the lead in most of the biggest Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, too, long before the Brady Bunch.

This is my favorite song from Fanny-absolutely beautiful. RIP Florence.

 

[valeryjackson]

rip