"Super-mom" Florence Henderson will cohost "Later Today"

     The story of a lovely lady is heading to NBC News.  

     Florence Henderson, best know as super-mom Carol Brady on "The Brady Bunch," will join NBC News as a cohost for "Later Today."  The hour-long "Later" launches September 7th at 9 am, following "Today." (Adios, Leeza.)

     Officially, NBC won't make the announcement until next week, but it's a done deal.  Henderson, 65, will join "Weekend Today's" Jodi Applegate, 35, and ABC overnight exile Asha Blake, 37, who left L.A.'s KNBC two weeks ago.

     Henderson played a widow with three daughters who married a widower architect (Robert Reed) with three sons on "The Brady Bunch," an ABC hit from 1969 to '74.  Seen at 9 p.m. weekdays on Nick at Nite, it's the cable network's top-rated show.  

     Wacky housekeeper Alice (Ann B. Davis) presided over the raucous suburban L.A. household, which included the requisite shaggy dog (Tiger) and cat.

     The camp success of "Brady", led to two smash big-screen spoofs in the '90's - "The Brady Bunch Movie" in '95 and "A Very Brady Sequel" in '96 - and an Off-Broadway show in '92.

     The genesis of Mrs. Brady coming to NBC began in September, when Henderson appeared on "Today" to hype her new cookbook to Katie Couric.

     "She was so dynamic," so full of life and energy," says "Today" czar Jeff Zucker, 34, a "serious" Brady fan growing up in Miami.  "After the segment, I asked her if she'd be interested in doing other things with us."

     As host discussions began for "Later Today," "I just threw out "What About Florence Henderson?" says Zucker, exec in charge of both shows.  "The initial reaction was "Ok, Next?"

     Eventually, Zucker convinced his staff that Henderson was a natural choice.  She agreed to a one-year contract, sources say, and will commute from her California home.

     "She cuts across all demographic groups," Zucker says.  "Baby boomers grew up with her as Mrs. Brady.  Younger viewers watch her on Nick at Nite.  Older Americans identify with her vitality.  She's the TV mom of the '70's.

     "Later Today" will be an extension of the softer 8 a.m. hour of Today.  Applegate and Asher will handle newsier segments, with Henderson focusing on homemaking, celebrities, and women's and senior's issues, Zucker says.

     For the record, this will be Henderson's second "Today" hitch."

     Under host Dave Garroway, Henderson was a "Today Girl," from 1959 to '60.  In those pre-PC days, the "Today Girl" had few responsibilities beyond looking yummy and being deferential to the male host.  

     The first "Today Girl," in 1953 was Estelle Parsons, who sent on to become an Oscar-winning actress.  The rules changes in '64 when Barbara Walters began doing interviews with host Hugh Downs.

     The fact that Henderson is retirement age in a TV culture driven by 18-34 year-olds "is immaterial," Zucker insists.  "We wanted to go with a unique personality that would bring a lot of excitement to the program.  When you get bound by those ideas of demographics and age, you ned up with what's on network prime-time today.

     "Executives on the West Coast are so obsessed with programming for niche groups, it limits creativity and ways of casting programs."  (Memo to Zucker:  See "Friends.")

     Despite his big-shot status, Zucker can't quite believe he's Florence Henderson's new boss.  "I feel like I'm dealing with Mrs. Brady.  I want to ask her where Alice is."

by Gail Shister
Philadelphia Inquirer
Wednesday, June 16, 1999