Ann B. Davis

Character actress Ann B. Davis secured her place in television history with her career-making portrayal of a loyal and loving housekeeper on one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time. She achieved early television success when she was cast as lovelorn secretary Charmaine "Schultzy" Schultz on the popular sitcom "The Bob Cummings Show" (NBC 1955, 1957-59/CBS, 1955-57). After winning a pair of Emmys for her portrayal on the program, Davis went on to appear in such feature films as the Rock Hudson-Doris Day romantic comedy "Lover Come Back" (1961) and as a series regular on the short-lived comedy "The John Forsythe Show" (NBC, 1965-66). It was, however, her role as Alice, the ever faithful, always upbeat live-in maid on "The Brady Bunch" (ABC, 1969-1974) that would eclipse all of Davis' previous professional efforts. Although the family sitcom was never a hit during its original run, it thrived in syndication, forever making Alice a staple of American pop culture. While nearly all of her younger co-stars periodically dropped in and out of later spin-off ventures like the variety show oddity "The Brady Bunch Hour" (ABC, 1977), "The Brady Brides" (NBC, 1981), "A Very Brady Christmas" (CBS, 1988) and "The Bradys" (CBS, 1990), Davis could always be counted upon to return with Alice's unique brand of wit and wisdom. A brief cameo in the hilarious feature film adaptation "The Brady Bunch Movie" (1995) provided Davis with a fitting and fond farewell to the show that made her a household name. Television fans around the world remembered both Davis and her most famous role fondly when she died at the age of 88 on June 1, 2014.