Susan Olsen, who portrayed Cindy Brady, the adorable "youngest one with curls," endured a harrowing injury while filming the inaugural episode of "The Brady Bunch." In a captivating Wednesday installment of the "The Real Brady Bros" podcast, alongside her former screen siblings Christopher Knight and Barry Williams, the former child actress unveiled a harrowing backstage mishap.
Revisiting the show's pilot episode from 1969, which depicted the blending of the Brady family as Mike and Carol Brady tied the knot, Olsen revealed the reason behind a camera glitch that struggled to capture Cindy's face. She confirmed that it wasn't a mere slip-up but a consequence of her sustaining an injury prior to filming. "I almost didn't make it," Olsen recounted, detailing how she was hurt while "perched on a makeup chair when an object from the catwalk, where lighting equipment was stored, plummeted."
"It first struck the makeup artist, bounced off the body makeup woman, and then slammed into my face," she elaborated. Olsen's TV mom, Florence Henderson, who played Carol Brady, came to her defense, insisting, "'That hit that little girl really hard,' but everyone brushed it off, saying, 'No, she's fine,'" Olsen recounted.
Despite her injuries, Olsen's family chose not to pursue legal action against the network. "The irony is, had we sued Paramount, I would have earned more from that than from the show itself," she quipped.
Her wounds, however, were unmistakable. Olsen bore "two black eyes," along with a swollen face and nose. Upon her return to the set, Henderson ensured everyone was aware of Olsen's plight, urging, "'Make sure they see her injuries.' And my mom eagerly agreed, as people were in denial, claiming, 'It didn't really hit her. She's perfectly fine,'" Olsen shared.
To camouflage Olsen's injuries, the "Brady Bunch" crew enlisted the talents of Hal King, Lucille Ball's makeup artist from "I Love Lucy," which left Olsen utterly starstruck. "I adored Lucy. She was my idol, and I was thrilled to work with Hal," she gushed. "Every day, my bruises transformed into different hues, and I'd joke, 'My bruises are purple today, Hal.'"
The podcast appearance, also featuring Mike Lookinland (Bobby Brady), marked a heartwarming reunion for the actors who embodied the Brady clan.
Olsen had previously hinted that a potential "Brady Bunch" revival was scuttled due to her stance supporting Donald Trump, her views on COVID-19 vaccines, and the LGBTQ+ community. "I received a call from my [Brady Bunch] siblings and my agent," Olsen disclosed on the "Walk Away Campaign" podcast. "Everyone expressed regret, saying, 'They just won't budge. They refuse to include you.' I felt like, 'Wow, I've been canceled.' A role I've portrayed for over half a century is now off-limits because I'm deemed too controversial. I simply responded, 'Alright, guys, best of luck. I hope you can sell it without me.'"
