Maureen McCormick — best known for playing Marcia Brady — reprised her iconic role in The Brady Bunch Variety Hour (later shortened to The Brady Bunch Hour), a spin-off variety television series that aired on ABC from November 1976 to May 1977.
After the original sitcom The Brady Bunch ended in 1974, the show returned as a musical-variety special titled The Brady Bunch Variety Hour on November 28, 1976. Following strong viewership, it expanded into a series of eight additional episodes through early 1977.
McCormick appeared as Marcia in all nine episodes, performing in musical numbers, comedic sketches, and show‑within‑a‑show segments alongside the rest of the Brady kids (except Eve Plumb, who was replaced by Geri Reischl as “Fake Jan”).
Maureen has openly shared that during this time she was struggling personally, including battles with addiction — all of which were later detailed in the book Love to Love You Bradys by Susan Olsen, which recounts McCormick’s absence from some tapings and other challenges.
“For most of my life, I have been followed, and sometimes haunted, by Marcia Brady. I don't have a choice in the matter. Imagine always being shadowed by a younger, prettier, more popular you.”
The format blended elaborate musical numbers, celebrity guest appearances (including Donny & Marie Osmond, Tony Randall, Farrah Fawcett, Vincent Price, Rich Little, Charo, and more), dance routines by the “Krofftettes,” and backstage-driven comedic sketches set in the Brady household. The show’s aesthetic was highly theatrical and campy—with shimmering costumes, high production choreography, and tongue-in-cheek references to 1970s variety-entertainment tropes.
The variety show is often remembered as one of television’s most infamous failures. Barry Williams (Greg) described it as “incredibly bad,” though ironically Robert Reed (Mike) was one of the few cast members who genuinely enjoyed participating — something that Maureen once joked about as surprising for all. TV Guide ranked it among the 50 worst TV shows ever in 2002, and the inside story of its downfall is chronicled in the book Love to Love You Bradys.
Despite its critical panning, for Maureen and many fans, it remains a nostalgic footnote in the broader Brady universe, marking a bold but ill-fated attempt to re-launch the franchise in a radically different format.
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