This Brady Bunch Actress Led A Very Different Life Off-Screen

What Happened To Ann B. Davis From “The Brady Bunch”?
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Surprising Facts About Ann B Davis, America’s Favorite Housekeeper
Jun 12
PEOPLE
Jillian Kent
What Happened To Ann B Davis From "The Brady Bunch"?
Ann B Davis was a cultural icon of her time, beloved by coworkers and fans alike. From her early days as a startup actress, through to The Brady Bunch , to her tragically sudden end, Davis certainly lived an extraordinary life. This is her story.
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1. Her Family Supported Her
Ann B Davis's talent bubbled to the surface early in life. Along with her twin sister, Davis was the youngest of four siblings. As anyone with a large family can tell you, Davis would have needed to assert her personality quickly to stand out. Even if she was one of many, it was that same family that helped her on her way to stardom.
Family—and the search for it—would remain a constant motivation throughout her life.
Unknown author, Wikimedia Commons
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2. She Almost Had An Entirely Different Career
It’s hard to believe,  but acting wasn’t Davis’s first choice.  She started her university career in pre-med, intending to become a doctor. However, she also came from a family who had a large interest in show business. Her older brother was a dancer in the national company of Oklahoma!— and it was at one of his performances that Davis decided to rearrange her entire life and follow in his footsteps.
This would become the inspiration for her most famous character.
Milburn-McCarty Associates, Wikimedia Commons
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3. She Was A Late Bloomer
Despite her talent, Davis was something of a late bloomer.  Although she graduated in 1948 with a bachelor’s degree in theatre, six years passed before anyone discovered her talent when she was 28 years old. Davis was performing for free in a cabaret coffeehouse when a casting agent suggested she audition for an upcoming show.
Little did she know, her career was about to take flight.
Hulton Archive, Getty Images
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4. She Was Successful Quickly
Ann B Davis first made her mark with a recurring role on The Bob Cummings Show . She played Charmaine “Schultzy” Schultz. Schultzy was the title character’s assistant. Davis won her way into the hearts of viewers with her funny and heartwarming portrayal of Schultzy’s unrequited crush on her employer. She would go on to see great success in this role.
Archive Photos, Getty Images
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5. Her Talent Was Honored Early In Her Career
It was actually during her time at  The Bob Cummings Show  that the Emmys nominated Davis as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series—a nomination she would receive four times. She went on to win twice, back-to-back. But Davis’s stardom was only starting to rise.
NBC Television, Wikimedia Commons
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6. She Was Impossible To Repress
Davis made a mark with her clever lines, often stealing the show from those she acted with. She was hired on The Bob Cummings Show  to play the “straight man” to Cummings’ womanizing antics. However, Davis’s character became beloved. This created a foreshadowing of what would come in her career.
McCadden Productions, The Bob Cummings Show (1955–1959)
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7. She Was Successful in the Theatre
When The Bob Cummings Show ended, Davis landed on her feet. She continued to be busy between her two major roles. Not only did she appear on television as a guest star and in commercials, but she acted with several touring companies in the late 50s and 60s. While she didn’t let this stop her from going onto bigger things, something  else almost did.
McCadden Productions, The Bob Cummings Show (1955–1959)
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8. She Was Adaptable
As the 60s continued to carry on, Davis’s appearances on television began to dwindle. While she continued to appear in commercials, most notably for Ford, Davis notably did not pick up many roles in any series. During this time, she was performing across America as a standup comedian . However, fate had a special plan in store for her: a sitcom titled,  The Brady Bunch .
ABC Television., Wikimedia Commons
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9. Her Most Iconic Role Almost Didn’t Happen
Although it is impossible to imagine, The Brady Bunch  almost happened without Ann B Davis. The original lineup for the show included Joyce Bulifant as Mrs Brady and Monty Margetts as Alice. Everything changed when Florence Henderson became available for the role of Mrs Brady.
Unknown author, Wikimedia Commons
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10. She Was The Comedic Star
With Bulifant and Margetts, the dynamic was to be that Mrs Brady was the funny one and Alice would balance her out. When Henderson became available, the creators felt they needed a more naturally funny actor to play the housekeeper, Alice. That’s when they started to toss Davis’s name about. However, there was a problem.
Fotos International, Getty Images
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11. Her Standup Career Almost Got In The Way
Davis’s standup comedian career almost got in the way of her future success. When the opportunity to play the role of Alice Nelson on The Brady Bunch arose, she was already contractually committed to several weeks of shows in Seattle. Things were looking troubling for the future of  The Brady Bunch.
ABC Television, Wikimedia Commons
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12. Her Talent Was The Sort You Paid For
Davis was the sort of talent that you took risks for. Knowing that Davis would be an essential part of the makeup of their show, the showrunners agreed to buy out her contract with the Seattle shows to secure her place with their cast. It was a good thing that they did, for  they got more than they bargained for when hiring Davis.
Paramount, The Brady Bunch (1969–1974)
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13. She Took Everything She Did Seriously
Davis was a deeply committed actor who took every role that she had seriously. The son of the creator of The Brady Bunch —and a life-long friend of Davis’s—Lloyd Schwartz commented that his father "didn't create Alice”. Davis created everything that the audience knows and loves about Alice Nelson, with her talent and her natural charm—so much so, she did things no one even knew about.
Paramount, The Brady Bunch (1969–1974)
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14. She Kept Things Close To Her Chest
Davis wanted to know who every character was before she stepped into them. Unbeknownst to the majority of the world, Davis had created a secret backstory for Alice Nelson so that she could understand her motivations. It was a familiar history.
Paramount, The Brady Bunch (1969–1974)
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15. She Used What She Knew To Create Alice
Davis drew inspiration from her own life to create the backstory for Alice. In 2004, Davis told the Archive of American Television , “I decided that my twin sister was going to be a doctor who couldn’t afford school, so I started doing maid’s work so she could afford to go to college”.
Although there are similarities in this backstory, there were also many differences between Davis and Alice— differences that could’ve spelled trouble for Davis’s future with the show.
Paramount, The Brady Bunch (1969–1974)
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16. She Had Early Obstacles With The Brady Bunch
Although a woman with a large and caring heart, Davis never knew what…

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