Article from the Living section of the Sunday World Herald. Omaha, Nebraska,
September 24th, 1995.
Columist Tony Moton. Lincoln, Nebraska.

'Brady' Actor Lives in Past

The Greg Brady character I remember from the old "Brady Bunch" TV series was
the consummate big brother, always sticking up for his younger siblings
(unless, of course, one wanted to go on a date with
him to the drive in). And even though he was laughable as teen singing idol
Johnny Bravo, Greg Brady 
looked groovy in bell bottoms.

Tuesday nite, I was able to meet the real Greg Brady - rather the man who
played Greg Brady, actor Barry Williams. So the Greg Brady I will remember
from now on is the consummate swell head. He does not do 
newspaper interviews, and if you want an autograph, you had better buy a
T-shirt or glossy print and stand in line, buddy. And somehow the groovy
look he once had in bell bottoms has faded. He wears them only to troll for
dollars on college campuses around the country.

Yes, Greg Brady has changed. And not for the better.  "I can't believe he's
still banking on it," Kevin McReynolds of Lincoln said.

McReynolds was in the crowd of about 350 at the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln's East Campus Union, where Williams made an appearance
sponsored by the student-run University Program Council.

Williams determined to cash in by staying alive (as the Bee Gees once said)
in the platform shoes of his character. During his appearance, he
reminisced, told crude jokes, belittled his former cast members and
played himself up as if he were the show's star.

If there was a highlight, it was when he slipped into his hippie duds and
tried to choreograph a dance routine with audience members.

"It's like he was putting down everybody for getting on with their lives,"
said McReynolds, 26. "If he truly progrssed as an actor, he would do
something different. But nostalgia is big. He is capitalizing on it."

Williams is the second "Brady Bunch" cast member I've covered in the last
few months. In mid-July, Ann B. Davis, who played the maid, Alice, on the
show, was in Omaha performing in the Broadway production, "Crazy for You" at
the Orpheum Theater. (Does this make me The World Herald's official Brady
beat reporter?).

Unlike Miss Davis, who granted interviews and seemed happy to talk about her
post-Brady career, Williams came off more shallow than a wading pool. After
purchasing a $3 glossy of Williams, I stood in line and tried to get in a
couple of quick questions after the show.

"So what really happened on that date Florence Henderson?" I asked Williams
after identifying myself as a columist. "I never slept with her," he
snapped. End of quickie interview.

Miss Henderson played mother Carol Brady. In his New York Times best-selling
tell all "Growing Up Brady: I Was a Teenage Greg," Williams revealed that he
had a crush on Miss Henderson and asked her out.  In July, Miss Davis
explained the "date" this way: 'He thought it was titillating, but there was
nothing to it. If your child wanted to know how to act on a date, you let
the kid take you on a date. It's like practice where you are safe.'

During his presentation, Williams shared the details of that date, which he
said ended with a hug and a "fairly innocent" kiss.  "People started
wondering about Greg and his TV mom", Williams said proudly.  "But then I
started dating my TV sister!"

Williams, who is divorced from a former Miss Arizona and turns 41 this
Friday, told the audience about the first time he tried to put a romantic
move on Maureen McCormick, who played the oldest sister Marcia Brady. The
cast and crew were in Hawaii to film one of their vacation episodes when
Williams reportedly took Miss McCormick for a late-night walk on the beach.
"We stated to kiss... but our relationship never developed much beyond
(that)," Williams said.

Lucky for Miss McCormick. Now if only Williams had the strength to kiss Greg
Brady goobye.