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PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: AN EVENING WITH FLORENCE HENDERSON: FROM BROADWAY BABY TO LOVELY LADY & BEYOND {LONG VERSION}

Summary

One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented by The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles. This evening hosts an interview with actress and singer Florence Henderson. Rene Reyes (director of public events, The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles) offers opening remarks before introducing the evening's moderator, K-NBC weatherman Fritz Coleman. Coleman introduces Henderson to the stage. Topics of discussion include: Henderson's childhood on a poor farm in the Midwest during the Great Depression; how Henderson became aware of her father's alcoholism; the role that the church played in Henderson's childhood and schooling; Henderson's start in singing at a very young age; her work on tobacco fields as a child; Henderson's meeting with the real-life Maria von Trapp; Henderson on why her mother left home; Henderson recounting her first singing audition; the influence of her childhood friend Ruth Helen and how she helped Henderson get to New York; her first audition for a Broadway musical and a mishap involving a bathing suit; her first meeting with composer Richard Rodgers; Henderson's relationship with fellow Broadway star Mary Martin; her experiences on television, including meeting talk show host Jack Paar and serving as a guest on "Hollywood Squares"; her stint as the "Today Girl" on "The Today Show"; how "The Today Show" dealt with Henderson's pregnancy; the impact that her role in "The Brady Bunch" had on fans in unfit family situations; how Henderson felt about the role of Carol Brady and her position as a "homemaker"; the lasting legacy of "The Brady Bunch" and how audiences related to the characters; Henderson's role as the host of the cooking show "Country Kitchen"; her work on commercials in a time when it was frowned upon for celebrities to perform in commercials; her work in several commercials with musical arrangements produced by Bob Fosse; and Henderson's self-titled talk show. Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics, among others: Henderson reminiscing about her performances in "South Pacific"; what Henderson hopes to do in the future; Henderson recounting a scene from "The Brady Bunch" involving professional football player Joe Namath; her experiences with hypnotherapy and subsequently learning hypnotherapy; and what she does in her spare time. Clips are interspersed throughout, including: Henderson's appearance on "3 Girls 3" (1977); Henderson singing on "General Foods Presents: A Tribute to Rodgers and Hammerstein" (1954) with Gordon MacRae; Henderson on an episode of "The Tonight Show" (1963) with Rodgers; her singing on "The Jack Paar Program" (1965); clips of her appearances on "The Dean Martin Show" (1968); her appearance on "The Bell Telephone Hour" (1966); another clip of Henderson on "The Tonight Show" (1976); Henderson performing at the 1971 Tony Awards; clips from "The Brady Bunch" (1969-1974); Henderson's "Wessonality" commercial for Wesson Cooking Oil (1978); Henderson dancing with Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson" (1975); Henderson on "The Dick Cavett Show" (1971); Henderson alongside Miss Piggy on "The Muppet Show" (1976); Henderson with Charo on "The Florence Henderson Show" (2008); Henderson's appearance on "Later Today" (1999); and Henderson on "Dancing With the Stars" (2010).

Details

  • NETWORK: N/A
  • DATE: October 4, 2011 7:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 1:24:38
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: 106377
  • GENRE: Seminars
  • SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
  • SERIES RUN: N/A
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Rene Reyes … Host
  • Fritz Coleman … Moderator
  • Florence Henderson … Guest
  • Charo
  • Johnny Carson
  • Bob Fosse
  • Ruth Helen
  • Gordon MacRae
  • Mary Martin
  • Joe Namath
  • Jack Paar
  • Richard Rodgers
  • Maria von Trapp