Florence Henderson/Coming of Age/Spring 2010/by Kelly Oden

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P r e s e n t e d b y C o u n c i l o n A g i n g o f We s t F l o r i d a

L I F E S T Y L E

M A G A Z I N E

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Cost of Care Men’s Health Flower Festival Financial Stability Spring Organizing

An Exclusive Interview with

Florence Henderson www.coawfla.org

www.ballingerpublishing.com

By Kelly Oden

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ne of the most respected and engaging performers of our time, Florence Henderson has found success as an actress on stage and screen, talk show host, recording artist, author, celebrity endorser, and philanthropist. So far spread is her influence as an entertainer that she was recently inducted into the Smithsonian Institute’s first permanent Entertainment History Exhibit as one of the greatest pop cultural icons of all time.

Henderson was born in depression era Indiana to a sharecropping family. As the boisterous youngest child of 10, little Florence was destined for stardom at a young age, and followed up on her dream by enrolling in the New York City’s prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts. It wasn’t long before a career on stage began: after touring in productions of the Rogers and Hammerstein classics Oklahoma! and South Pacific, Florence debuted on Broadway and originated the role of Fanny in the play of the same name.

But what Florence is most widely remembered for is her five-year stint as Carol Brady in The Brady Bunch—a job that she balanced with weekly trips from Hollywood to New York to spend time with her four real-life kids.

Today, Florence’s warm personality and affectionate nature have made her one of the greatest icons of television history and of celebrity endorsement. It’s this relatability that has spawned her newest endeavour—FloHclub.

COA recently talked with Florence about her life, her career, and whether or not being a world famous TV mom is easier or harder than being a real mom.

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COA: You come from fairly humble beginnings—your father, Joseph Henderson, was a tobacco sharecropper. How do you stay true to your upbringing in the face of so much Hollywood excess?

FH: He was also a moonshiner, but that’s another story. I think the struggles that come with humble beginnings can keep you grounded for rest of your life. You learn not to take things for granted.

COA: How did you get into show business?

FH: My mother was the first to realize I could sing.

She said I came out of the womb singing. By the age of three I had a repertoire of 50 songs and I would perform at the grocery store for food and I have been singing for my supper ever since. I was 18 when I got the professional break that launched my career. I was attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, when I went to an audition. I sang my song and the man asked me if I would come back and sing for his partner. I asked, “Who is your partner?” He said, “Oscar Hammerstein,” and I said, “Then you must be Richard Rodgers.” Well, I came back and sang again and they asked me if I wanted to play Laurie in Oklahoma! I said, “I don’t know, what is she like?” They said, “She is very much like you.”

COA: What was your first big role?

FH: Touring as Laurie in Oklahoma! was my first big role, but originating the role of Fanny in FANNY on Broadway was a defining moment in my career. It was a very exciting time. Julie Andrews was starring in her first Broadway show, The Boyfriend, in the theatre next door and we used to meet in the alley between shows and go to dinner or hang out after the show.

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COA: You are the youngest of 10 children. What was it like growing up in such a big family?

FH: Well, you learn to share or do without. There is an old depression era saying that goes, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.” That pretty much defines life in a family of 10 children.

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COA: Are you still in touch with any of the Brady Bunch?

FH: Absolutely. All of them. We became a second family to each other and we all keep in touch. Eve recently came to a performance of my one-woman show, All The Lives of Me, in Los Angeles.

COA: The Brady Bunch portrayed the changing face of the American family—divorced, blended families—I believe for the first time on television. Was there ever any backlash from that? Did you think it was a realistic portrayal of a blended family?

FH: Backlash? No. I think we were the fantasy family. I don’t think any of us knew how popular The Brady Bunch was going to be. I certainly didn’t. It has never been off the air in the U.S. and airs in 122 countries worldwide now. Everyone thinks I’m still getting money from the show, but I’m not. The Brady Bunch came along at a time when divorces were increasing and there were so many latchkey children. I think we represented the kind of supportive family every child wanted for themselves. Carol Brady was the mother every child wanted and every mother wanted to be … including myself.

COA: How did you meet the challenge of portraying an idealized TV mom while balancing the demands of your career and the raising of your own four children?

FH: I prayed a lot and took vitamin pills. Portraying the perfect mom was easy. Being the perfect mom, not always so easy. I was blessed with four wonderful children of my own, which helped a lot. Being a working mom, you develop the organizational skills of a General.

COA: You’ve been a contestant on a number of game shows—-from the original Hollywood Squares to The Weakest Link and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Any favorites?

FH: Hollywood Squares will always have a special place in my heart. Paul Lynde was truly one of the funniest individuals I have ever worked with and he could always make me laugh. I am very proud of being able to say I have been willing to try anything once and my work in reality TV proves that. I can speak from authority on the topic now. The definition of entertainment is very broad and I like to think I have conquered many different aspects of it. In fact, in some cases I’ve done it without trying. Someone the other day told me they watched The Florence Henderson Show online. The program appears on the RLTV Network for Direct TV subscribers. I hadn’t expected it to be an online sensation.

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I don’t think any of us knew how popular The Brady Bunch was going to be. I certainly didn’t. It has never been off the air in the U.S. and airs in 122 countries worldwide now.

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“myreleasing memoirs in 2011. ” I am very excited about the possibility of

COA: Tell me about the FloH Club. What inspired the FloH Club?

FH: Necessity was the mother of that invention. I wanted to be able to keep in touch with my family through email and other forms of technology, but was ashamed or embarrassed to ask for help when I didn’t understand what my computer was doing. With the help of my friends at Famous Partners, I learned how to email, Skype and even create my own photo albums with photos of my grandchildren that were being sent to me. We soon discovered that I wasn’t the only one of my generation that felt inept or confused by technology, so we came up with the idea of The FloH Club. It’s like roadside assistance for your computer. Members can reach a live person who will patiently help you with your computer.

COA: You are one of the most trusted celebrity product endorsers. How do you decide to endorse a product?

FH: A gentleman approached me once and whispered “Are they real?” At first I thought he was talking about my breasts. Then he said, “No, your teeth.” At the time I was the spokesperson for Polident. I may not actually need a particular product I represent, but I do my homework before I lend my name or image to its promotion.

Polident is a great product, as has been Tang, Rain Soft, Pepsi Light and, of course, Wesson Oil. The Wall Street Journal rated me number 5 out of the 10 top television endorsers, based on consumer appeal. I am very proud of that.

COA: You have credited hypnosis for helping you overcome depression, stage fright and a fear of flying, so much so that you became a certified hypno-therapist yourself. Tell me about your experiences with hypnosis.

FH: It’s been a very positive experience that has helped me and enabled me to help others.

COA: What is your secret to aging gracefully?

FH: Don’t count and have a sense of humor. I think people who go through life without being able to find the humor in daily situations age faster than those who do.

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You can’t take life so seriously that you forget to enjoy it along the way. So many people worry about reaching the destination - they forget to enjoy the journey!

COA: We hear you’ve been working on your memoirs.

Can you share any details or anything we may be surprised to know about Florence Henderson?

FH: I have been approached on the topic, but don’t have anything to announce yet. With regard to any surprises, I guess they will have to read it if and when it does come out, to find out. In the meantime, they can come see my show, where they will discover some things they may not have known about Florence Henderson.

COA: You have been inducted into the Smithsonian’s permanent Entertainment History Exhibit, in which you are recognized as a leading lady of stage and screen.

What are your feelings on having received this honor?

Have you had a chance to visit the exhibit yet?

FH: When the Smithsonian first approached me, I thought they wanted to put me behind glass. I was included in a group of wonderful ladies as well as good friends like Carol Channing, Esther Williams, Angela Lansbury and Phyllis Diller. That in itself is an honor because I admire them all. I have not been able to visit the exhibit yet, but plan to do so.

COA: In your currently touring one-woman show, All The Lives of Me, you share a long and productive life and career with the audience. Is there anything that, given time restraints, you had to cut that you wish you could have included?

FH: Yes, and too many to start listing them now for you.

The whole idea started when I did a one night only engagement of a show called Singular Sensations in New York with my musical director Glen Roven. I sang songs from musicals I had done over the years including Oklahoma, Sound of Music, The King and I, South Pacific as well as a Q&A that the audience really seemed to be interested in. So we began going over material and dividing it into categories such as Childhood, Broadway, Television, Films, Motherhood, etc. Obviously we couldn’t do everything. At some point, even the most devoted fan is going to say enough already. So, we had to make some tough choices and cut some things. However, we still offer a Q&A to give the audience a chance to ask about things I may not cover.

COA: Any other upcoming projects you’d like to share with our readers?

FH: I’d love to have your readers check out The FloH Club (Flohclub.com) and take a look at RLTV’s The Florence Henderson Show on Direct TV. If they don’t have Direct TV, then they can see it on line at http://rl.tv/shows/TheFlorence-Henderson-Show/. I am also very excited about the possibility of releasing my memoirs in 2011.

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1. Florence at the 2005 tribute to songwriting duo John Kander & Fred Ebb in New York City 2. The cast of The Brady Bunch 3. Florence as a child, the youngest of 10, with her family in Indiana

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