Florence Henderson

Indelibly, and by most accounts, happily linked in the minds of television audiences with upbeat suburban mom Carol Brady on "The Brady Bunch" (ABC, 1969-74), Florence Henderson began her acting career in numerous musical theater productions during the 1950s. Her effervescent personality and knack with a quip made her a likable guest star on television variety programs throughout the 1960s. But it was her role on "The Brady Bunch" that became the most defining of her career. Her calming, good-natured presence on the show endeared her to generations of young viewers. Henderson tapped into that same maternal warmth for a wide variety of guest appearances, hosting gigs, and promotional opportunities. Despite a lifetime of trying to branch out from her "Brady" persona, Henderson remained ever the trooper, gamely poking fun at her alter ego on numerous occasions throughout the years. Her death at the age of 82-of heart failure in Los Angeles on November 24, 2016-felt to many fans almost as if a member of their own extended families had died.