Here’s a Story of a Lovely Lady

Petite singer-actress Florence Henderson has an impressive show-biz resume, including a recent stint as co-host of NBC’s short-lived “Later Today” morning show.

She is perhaps best known for her role as Carol Brady on the popular sitcom “The Brady Bunch,” which ran from 1969 to 1974. But she also starred in “Fanny” on Broadway in 1954, appeared in Noel Coward’s final Broadway musical “The Girl Who Came to Supper” in 1964 and co-starred in the 1970 film “Song of Norway” (which did poorly at the box office).

Her resume includes gigs in nightclubs and tours in musicals that introduced new-model Oldsmobiles. She sang in revivals of “Oklahoma!,” “South Pacific,” “The Sound of Music,” “Bells Are Ringing,” “The King and I” and “Annie Get Your Gun,” some of them on U.S. tours.

She hosted “Country Kitchen” on TNN from 1985 to 1993.

Now that “Later Today” is history, Henderson will move to “Today” when the show expands to three hours (7-10 a.m.) after NBC’s Olympics coverage ends in September. She hopes to do a variety of things, including a segment called “Forever Young,” which addresses the population age 50 and over.

“I feel it’s a very neglected part of the audience,” Henderson said. “I would really like to feature older people doing exciting things and contributing to society. I’d like to go places and visit them, make it more exciting. My goal is to try to inspire, inform and give people a good laugh, if I can.”

Henderson was an interviewer on “Today” in 1960.

“A ‘Today girl’ is what we were called then,” she said. “You couldn’t call them that now. I left because I got pregnant. That was that.”

Henderson, 66, was interviewed wearing a black Valentino gown and a 1920s necklace and earrings of diamonds and South Sea pearls. She was planning to model at a showing of jewelry designed by the LeVian family at Lord & Taylor later that day.

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Question: What do you remember about “Fanny”?

Answer: It was my first big break. It started in 1954 and ran for 888 performances, and I never missed a performance. Imagine trying to do that eight times a week without microphones! I’d be so scared during rehearsals, and out of town, I’d be almost paralyzed. Once the show got rolling, I was OK. The stage manager said, “You have a beautiful voice, but you’ve got to develop some technique.” I had gone to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts for acting. I got an incredible voice teacher, and while I was in “Fanny,” I took lessons every day, and then for years.

Q: How do you relate to your fans?

A: At the end of every performance of “Fanny,” I was the last one there. I signed programs for every person standing in line, asked their names and wrote that too, and had pictures taken with them. On “The Brady Bunch,” I always answered all my fan mail--which is still enormous. I meet people who say, “You wrote to me when I was a little kid and I never forgot it.” Those things are important, I think. I couldn’t work any other way.

Q: How do you feel about “The Brady Bunch” sequels?

A: I’ve been at every reunion. I said, “They’ll be wheeling me out when I’m 105.” I’ll still be working then. I’m planning to be the female George Burns.

Q: Do you still sing?

A: Yes. I just did two concerts with the New Jersey Symphony in Newark and Trenton, and I’m going to sing at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut in October. I sing a lot of Broadway music and some country--which is my background. I was born in southern Indiana, the youngest of 10 children, and grew up in Kentucky. I wear beautiful clothes for concerts. I think audiences get sick of grunge coming onstage. You should lift the audience up. I’m going to be on “Ally McBeal” next week, which will probably be shown in November. I’ll sing a song on that.

Q: How often do you watch your old shows?

A: I’ve seen less of what I’ve done than almost anyone. I’m never satisfied; I’m hard on myself. I’m always looking forward. I rarely look back. I know what is around the corner is going to be the most exciting thing I’ve ever done.

* Henderson’s official Web site is https://www.flohome.com.