Maureen McCormick Biography

Maureen Denise McCormick (born August 5, 1956) is an American actress, author, and recording artist. She is most widely known for her career as a child actress, during which she portrayed Marcia Brady on ABC's The Brady Bunch from 1969 to 1974.

Early life and career

Maureen McCormick was born in Encino, California, the daughter of Irene (née Beckman) and William McCormick, a teacher. She has three older brothers: Michael, Dennis and Kevin. At the age of six she won the Baby Miss San Fernando Valley beauty pageant. McCormick first appeared on national U.S. television in 1964 for Mattel toys on Barbie and Chatty Cathy doll commercials. She lent her voice to a redesigned Chatty Cathy doll in 1970. Through the later 1960s McCormick appeared in two episodes of Bewitched and played guest roles on I Dream of Jeannie, Honey West, The Farmer's Daughter and My Three Sons.

Marcia Brady

McCormick played the eldest daughter, Marcia, who had five siblings. She had a perky and popular personality in The Brady Bunch, an American television sitcom about a blended family that aired from late 1969 to early 1974 on ABC, Friday nights at 8 p.m. After its cancellation Brady Bunch episodes were rebroadcast in syndication for decades as children's programming, gathering a long-lasting, cross-generational popularity that led to spinoffs and movies.

Later career

After The Brady Bunch, McCormick made guest appearances on many television series such as Happy Days, Donny & Marie, Love Boat, Vega$, Streets of San Francisco and Fantasy Island, along with supporting roles in The Idolmaker and B-movies such as 1979's A Vacation In Hell, Skatetown, U.S.A. and 1987's Return to Horror High. However, perhaps owing to the ongoing broadcast of Brady Bunch reruns in syndication, she may have become typecast. McCormick later claimed she failed to get a part as a prostitute or heroin dealer for the movie Midnight Express because of this. McCormick was the first actress to play Rebecca Crane on the soap opera Passions but she was not put on contract.

In 2007, McCormick was a cast member on the fifth season of VH1's reality show Celebrity Fit Club, hoping to lose 30 pounds she had gained since her mother died of cancer and needing to move her disabled brother into an assisted living facility. McCormick lost 34 pounds and, in June of that year, was the individual winner of the series. In 2008, she became a spokesperson for Children International. Later that year, she became a cast member on the CMT reality show Gone Country. This led to a spin-off reality series called Outsiders Inn in which she opened a bed and breakfast inn in Newport, Tennessee. On March 15, 2009, McCormick appeared on Comedy Central's roast of Larry the Cable Guy.

She also appeared in an episode of the show Scrubs as J.D.'s dream wife; however, she is married to him as Marcia Brady.

Personal life

McCormick and fellow Brady Bunch cast member Barry Williams had a sporadic romance during the original series run, with their first romantic kiss happening in the summer of 1972, while filming the Hawaiian episodes.

In her autobiography, McCormick wrote that her grandmother died from syphilis in a mental institution, having gotten the disease from her husband who had caught it in Europe at the time of World War I (and who committed suicide a week after his wife's death). McCormick's mother had contracted syphilis in utero and McCormick dealt with a lifelong, but unfounded, fear she would also get the disease. Hence, McCormick later said her favorite scenes in The Brady Bunch were those that called for her to cry, since this allowed her to release feelings she drew from those fears.

Following the cancellation of The Brady Bunch, McCormick went through years of addiction to cocaine and Quaaludes that harmed her career. McCormick later claimed she sometimes traded sex for drugs. She also had two abortions during her early twenties. She flubbed an audition with Steven Spielberg for a part in Raiders of the Lost Ark, showing up high on cocaine and sleepless for three days. She lost her reputation for reliability in Hollywood, and one producer threatened that she would never work as an actress again. She also dealt with bouts of depression and bulimia.

On March 16, 1985 she married Michael Cummings, who had heard of The Brady Bunch but had never seen it. They fell in love upon meeting in a church. McCormick and Cummings have one child, daughter Natalie Michelle, born May 19, 1989. The family lives in Westlake Village, northwest of Los Angeles.

After her marriage, McCormick went through a series of interventions, stints in rehab and experimental therapies. She says treatment with psychologist Eugene Landy, who had also treated Brian Wilson, set her back. Although she began to get sober after marrying her husband, McCormick still suffered from depression and paranoia. McCormick once threatened to jump from a balcony in front of her husband. She and her husband were at first wary of medication, but McCormick has been treated with antidepressant medication such as Prozac since the 1990s. McCormick also said she was helped by her friendships with former Brady Bunch cast members.

In April 2007, on the TV series Dr. Phil, McCormick talked about a family dispute, accusing her brother of both elder abuse and alienating their father from his other children to gain control of his finances.

Autobiography

On October 14, 2008, with wide and sometimes controversial publicity, she released her autobiography Here's the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice, which debuted at number four on The New York Times Best Seller List and stayed on the list for three weeks. The book was published by HarperCollins and was acquired by the Director of Creative Development, Lisa Sharkey. While promoting the book she was a guest on many news and talk shows such as Access Hollywood, The Howard Stern Show, Good Day L.A. and Paula's Party. The Today Show reportedly aired an interview with McCormick about the book rather than switch to a story about the 2008 recession. McCormick said a movie would likely be made about her autobiography.

Other TV, film and stage work

• In 1976, she played a teenage prostitute on the TV series The Streets of San Francisco.
• On February 5, 1989, she reprised her role as Marcia Brady in a dream sequence episode of the short-lived sitcom Day by Day. The episode brought together the Brady family in a dream to slacker son Ross who neglects schoolwork to watch a Brady Bunch marathon. McCormick scored big laughs in the satiric segment playing a visibly pregnant Marcia.
• In 1993, she played herself on an episode of Herman's Head.
• In 1994, McCormick played the role of Rizzo in the Broadway production of Grease.
• In 1997, she played the title role in Get to the Heart: The Barbara Mandrell Story.
• In 2000, she played Rebecca Hotchkiss on Passions for 10 episodes; after her stint ended, she was replaced by Andrea Evans.
• In 2001, she played Mrs. Strawther on Son of the Beach.
• In 2003, she appeared in Scrubs in a dream sequence where protagonist J.D. imagines Marcia Brady as his ideal bride (he shushes her when she points out that her name is actually Maureen McCormick).
• In 2003, she appeared as herself in a "bonus feature" entitled "Child Stars on Your Television" in the DVD release of Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star.
• In 2007, she played a shy, clumsy woman who was the eventual object of Jason Alexander's desires in the Brad Paisley country music video, "Online".
• In 2009, she participated in the Comedy Central Roast of Larry the Cable Guy, which aired on March 14.

Recording career

McCormick recorded four albums, with the Brady Bunch cast and toured with them. In 1972, she released her first solo single with the songs "Truckin' Back to You" and "Teeny Weeny Bit (Too Long)." A year later McCormick recorded an album with Brady co-star Christopher Knight. The pop LP, called Chris Knight and Maureen McCormick, carried both duets and solo tracks by the two young television stars. McCormick's second solo single was "Little Bird", backed with "Just a Singin' Alone", had mild chart success in the western US. McCormick performed "Little Bird" on American Bandstand and the show's host Dick Clark encouraged her to follow a singing career. McCormick released another single in 1973, "Love's in the Roses", backed with "Harmonize."

More than twenty years later McCormick released her first solo album, a country CD called When You Get a Little Lonely (1995). Although not a commercial success, it gathered mostly positive reviews. In 1997, she played country singer Barbara Mandrell in the television biography Get to the Heart: The Barbara Mandrell Story and in 2008 competed for a record contract on the CMT reality show Gone Country.

Biographical portrayals

• Kaley Cuoco portrayed Maureen McCormick in Growing Up Brady. McCormick's character Marcia Brady has been portrayed by Christine Taylor in The Brady Bunch Movie and A Very Brady Sequel.

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1965	'	Christine	TV series; season 2, episode 25: "Why Don't They Ever Pick Me?"
1965	Bewitched	Young Endora " Girl	TV series; season 2, episode 7: "Trick or Treat"
1965	Honey West	Margaret Mary Driscoll	TV series; season 1, episode 8: "In the Bag"
1965- 1966	Camp Runamuck	Maureen Sullivan	TV series; two episodes; season 1, episode 1: "Who Stole My Bathtub"; season 1, episode 16: "Tomboy"
1966	I Dream of Jeannie	Susan	TV series; season 1, episode 20: "My Master, the Doctor"
1967	My Three Sons	Sylvia Walters	TV series; season 8, episode 10: "Ernie, the Bluebird"
1969	'	Uncredited	Zephyr Commercial
1969- 1974	'	Marcia Brady	TV series; 116 episodes; series regular
1971	Cold Turkey	Talking Doll	Voice
1972	'	Marcia Brady	The Brady Kids on Mysterious Island; television movie; voice
1972- 1973	'	Marcia Brady	TV series; voice
1973	Marcus Welby, M.D.	Sharon Boyd	TV series; season 4, episode 23: "The Day After Forever"
1975	Happy Days	Hildie	TV series; season 2, episode 16: "Cruisin'"
1975	Harry O	Nancy Wayne	TV series; season 1, episode 22: "Street Games"
1975	'	Uncredited	Television movie
1975	Joe Forrester	Irene Kellogg	TV series; season 1, episode 3: "Bus Station"
1976	'	Cindy Lawson	TV series; season 5, episode 5: "No Minor Vices"
1976	Pony Express Rider	Rose of Sharon	Theatrical release
1976	Gibbsville	Uncredited	TV series; season 1, episode 4: "All the Young Girls"
1976- 1977	'	Marcia Brady	TV series; 9 episodes; series regular
1977	Delvecchio	Lynette Youndfellow	TV series; season 1, episode 14: "One Little Indian"
1977	Moonshine County Express	Sissy Hammer	Theatrical release
1977	'	Karen Phillips	TV series; season 2, episode 10: "Nancy Drew's Love Match"
1977- 1982	'	Barbara Holmes	TV series; 5 episodes
1978	Vega$	Jenny Logan	TV series; season 1, episode 8: "The Pageant"
1978- 1983	Fantasy Island	Angela Brennan	TV series; 6 episodes
1979	Take Down	Brooke Cooper	Theatrical release
1979	Insight	Jenny	TV series; one episode: "When, Jenny? When?"
1979	Lou Grant	Tiffany	TV series; season 2, episode 16: "Sweep"
1979	'	Margret	Television movie
1979	'	Janet	TV series; season 2, episode 2: "Throwaway Child"
1979	Skatetown, U.S.A.	Susan	Theatrical release
1980	'	Ellen Fields	Theatrical release
1981	'	Marcia Brady	TV special
1981	'	Marcia Brady-Logan	TV series; 6 episodes; series regular
1981	Texas Lightning	Fay	Theatrical release
1983	Shout for Joy	Uncredited	Co-stars: Michael Cummings; Robert Pierce
1986	New Love, American Style	Uncredited	TV series; episode: "Love and the F.M. Doctor"
1987	Return to Horror High	Officer Tyler	Theatrical release
1988	'	Marcia Brady Logan	Television movie
1989	That's Adequate	Space Princess	Theatrical release
1989	Day by Day	Marcia Brady	TV series; season 2, episode 11: "A Very Brady Episode"	1993	Bradymania: A Very Brady Special	Marcia Martin Brady-Logan	TV special
1996	'	Valerie	TV series; season 2, episode 4: "Kept Man"
1996	Panic in the Skies!	Turkey, Walker's Assistant	Television movie
1997	Touched by an Angel	Jodi	TV series; season 3, episode 19: "Clipped Wings"
1997	Dogtown	Didi Schmidt	Theatrical release
1997	Get to the Heart: The Barbara Mandrell Story	Barbara Mandrell	Television movie
1997	ABC TGIF	Judy Beauchamp	TV series; episode: "Halloween Frightful Bash"
1997- 1998	Teen Angel	Judy Beauchamp	TV series; 11 episodes; series regular
1997- 2003	Johnny Bravo	Franny Amberly Pizza Girl	TV series; voice; 3 episodes
1999	Baby Huey's Great Easter Adventure	Nick's Mom	Direct-to-video
1999	Moesha	Saleslady	TV series; season 5, episode 8: "Isn't She Lovely?"
2000	'	Betsy Hunter	Theatrical release
2000	Passions	Rebecca Hotchkiss (#1)	TV series; season regular
2000- 2002	Son of the Beach	Mrs. Strawther	TV series; 3 episodes
2001	'	Uncredited	Short film
2001	Title to Murder	Leah Farrell	Theatrical release
2001	Shock Video 2002: America Undercover	Narrator	Television special
2002	'	Rita Carter	TV series; season 1, episode 14: "Shallow Gal"
2002	Jane White Is Sick & Twisted	Nancy	Theatrical release
2003	'	Mrs. Bauer	TV series; season 4, episode 11: "Moving on Up"
2004	'	Receptionist	TV series; season 3, episode 12: "Beautiful Blue Mystic"
2008	Stone & Ed	Dream Mother	Theatrical release
2008	Outsider's Inn	The Innkeeper	TV series; series regular; 7 episodes
2011	Prayer Hour	Stage Mom	TV movie
2011	Christmas Spirit	Sarah	TV movie
2012	Snow White: A Deadly Summer	Eve	Direct-to-video

Awards and nominations

Year	Presenter	Award	Result
2005- 2006	TV Land Awards	Choice Dream Sequence	Nominated
2005	TV Land Awards	Choice Singing Siblings (shared with the kids of The Brady Bunch)	Nominated
2006	TV Land Awards	Most Beautiful Braces	Nominated
2007	TV Land Award	Pop Culture Award	Won