Susan Olsen, known for playing Cindy Brady on The Brady Bunch, recently shared a harrowing experience from the sitcom's set. At age 63, Olsen revealed on The Real Brady Bros podcast that she nearly died during filming. A falling object struck her face, leaving severe injuries that swelled her face and blackened her eyes. Despite the pain, she returned to work the next day.
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"I got injured. I almost died," Olsen told co-stars Christopher Knight and Barry Williams, who played Peter and Greg Brady. The incident was previously unknown to Knight, he indicated.
A Traumatic On-Set Incident
While filming at Culver Studios, Olsen stood on a makeup chair for body makeup. An object fell from the catwalk, hitting the makeup team before striking her face.
"It hit the makeup man first, bounced off the body makeup woman, and hit me," she said. The injuries were visible during Carol and Mike Brady's on-screen wedding, with Olsen's swollen face noticeable in close-up shots.
Only Florence Henderson, who played Carol and died in 2016, offered comfort. Others dismissed the severity, insisting Olsen was fine.
"I want to sob because this hurts," Olsen said. She left early for medical attention, later joking she should have sued Paramount for a bigger payout than her show earnings.
Her injuries -- two black eyes, a swollen nose, and face -- intrigued young Olsen. "I looked like I was in a horror film," she said.
Famed makeup artist Hal King, who worked with Lucille Ball, covered her evolving bruises daily. "My bruises are purple today, Hal," Olsen told him, thrilled to meet Ball's artist.
Brady Bunch Legacy and Reboot Controversy
The Brady Bunch aired from 1969 to 1974, chronicling the blended family of Mike and Carol Brady. Its legacy continued with The Brady Bunch Hour in 1976 and The Brady Bunch Movie in 1995. Olsen, a key part of the iconic cast, recently faced challenges with a planned reboot. She alleged on the Walk Away Campaign podcast that CBS Studios excluded her due to her support for Donald Trump and views on COVID-19 vaccines and the LGBTQ+ community.
Olsen envisioned Cindy as a libertarian podcaster, mirroring her own life, with animal rescue passions. "I was hoping to be the first woman on television since Donna Douglas to wear an opossum on my shoulder," she said. Despite offering to take a "political correctness" class, CBS wouldn't budge. "I've been canceled," Olsen remarked, noting the irony of losing a role she played for over 50 years.
