美国国家公共电台 NPR Barry Williams Remembers His TV Mom, 'Brady Bunch' Star Florence Henderson

Barry Williams Remembers His TV Mom, 'Brady Bunch' Star Florence Henderson

play pause stop mute¹ unmute max volume 00:0004:05repeat repeat off Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser² to a recent version or update your Flash plugin. (SOUNDBITE OF TV THEME, "THE BRADY BUNCH")

PEPPERMINT³ TROLLEY⁴ COMPANY: (Singing) Here's the story...

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: 

Today we're remembering a lovely lady who was bringing up three very lovely girls. You know the rest.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV THEME, "THE BRADY BUNCH")

PEPPERMINT TROLLEY COMPANY: (Singing) All of them had hair of gold, like their mother, the youngest one in curls...

SHAPIRO: One of the most beloved TV moms of all time died yesterday in Los Angeles. Florence Henderson, who played Carol Brady on the sitcom⁵ "The Brady Bunch," was 82.

We're joined now by Barry Williams, who played the part of the eldest⁶ Brady child, Greg. Welcome to the program, and I'm so sorry for the loss of your co-star and friend.

BARRY WILLIAMS: I appreciate that. It is nice to be with you, although I wish under different circumstances.

SHAPIRO: Will you tell us about the first time you met Florence Henderson?

WILLIAMS: Well, Florence Henderson was busy making a movie when we started filming our show. First time I saw her, she came in, she was completely made up as Carol Brady. And I thought, wow, this is my - going to be my mom?

(LAUGHTER)

SHAPIRO: What does that mean?

WILLIAMS: Well, I was very impressed. And I thought she was - you know, at the time, moms weren't usually quite so snappy or sassy or fun. And I just thought she was cute (laughter).

SHAPIRO: You know, there was always a rumor⁷ that the two of you dated, which I understand is false. But you did actually ask her out once, is that right?

WILLIAMS: Did I ask her out on a date? Yes, I did. Now, I don't think it was designed for romance⁸ and certainly not in her mind. You know, she has four children. But she knew that I wanted music to be an important part of my career, and she was very established as a Broadway actress and as a singer. And I thought it would be nice to discuss some of those ideas and plans and how I might be able to use them over dinner. So we went out on what I called a date and what she thought was maybe a lovely, friendly business meeting.

SHAPIRO: (Laughter) I'd like to play a clip⁹ from one of the more well-known episodes¹⁰ of "The Brady Bunch." This is where your character, Greg, comes home from school, and Carol sees a pack of cigarettes falling from your jacket. Let's listen.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE BRADY BUNCH")

WILLIAMS: (As Greg Brady) But they're not mine, honest, mom.

FLORENCE HENDERSON: (As Carol Brady) All right, Greg, if you say so.

MARIE DENN: (As Mrs. Johnson) Mrs. Brady, I can understand your wanting to believe your own son.

HENDERSON: (As Carol Brady) He said they weren't his.

SHAPIRO: How would you describe the kind of TV mom she was?

WILLIAMS: Ari, I am so glad that you played that particular clip. I think that buried in that scene is the success of the entire show. It was about a non-dysfunctional family. This is a family that could communicate, but, more importantly, one that trusted each other. And that is - let me - I could almost use Florence's words. She said that she wanted to create a mother like the one she had always wished she had had, someone who was kind, who was caring, loving and willing to hear her kids out and give them the benefit of the doubt.

SHAPIRO: You've spent so much time as a cast together over the years. What was she like to the six actors playing her children when the cameras stopped rolling?

WILLIAMS: Well, there were many facets¹¹. You know, as Carol Brady, she was mom. As Florence Henderson, she had a strong maternal¹² quality. She knew how to rein¹³ it in if we were getting out of line or stopped focusing and concentrating. She could bring all six of us together and get us straight.

SHAPIRO: How would she do that?

WILLIAMS: Well, sometimes it was with a whistle or sometimes it was just - she would pick the one who's making the most noise. And she would go, Chris.

(LAUGHTER)

WILLIAMS: And Chris - Peter would stop in his tracks, you know, and we would all pay attention.

SHAPIRO: That's Barry Williams, who played Greg Brady in "The Brady Bunch," remembering his co-star Florence Henderson who died yesterday at the age of 82. Thank you so much.

WILLIAMS: I so much appreciate a chance to share with your listeners the wonderful experience that it has been knowing her.

1 mute   

n.哑子，默音字母，弱音器；adj.哑的，无声的，沉默的；vt.减音，减弱；vi.（鸟）排泄

参考例句：

• He is mute on the subject of social system.他对社会制度的问题保持沉默。
• Her daughter was mute after a serious illness.她的女儿在一场重病之后失去了说话能力。

2 browser   

n.浏览者

参考例句：

• View edits in a web browser.在浏览器中看编辑的效果。
• I think my browser has a list of shareware links.我想在浏览器中会有一系列的共享软件链接。

3 peppermint   

n.薄荷，薄荷油，薄荷糖

参考例句：

• Peppermint oil is very good for regulating digestive disorders.薄荷油能很有效地调节消化系统失调。
• He sat down,popped in a peppermint and promptly choked to death.他坐下来，突然往嘴里放了一颗薄荷糖，当即被噎死。

4 trolley   

n.手推车，台车；无轨电车；有轨电车

参考例句：

• The waiter had brought the sweet trolley.侍者已经推来了甜食推车。
• In a library,books are moved on a trolley.在图书馆，书籍是放在台车上搬动的。

5 sitcom   

n.情景喜剧，（广播、电视的）系列幽默剧

参考例句：

• This sitcom is produced in cooperation with Hong Kong TV.这部连续剧是同香港电视台联合制作的。
• I heard that a new sitcom is coming out next season.我听说下一季会推出一个新的情境喜剧。

6 eldest   

adj.最年长的，最年老的

参考例句：

• The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
• The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。

7 rumor   

n.谣言，谣传，传说

参考例句：

• The rumor has been traced back to a bad man.那谣言经追查是个坏人造的。
• The rumor has taken air.谣言流传开了。

8 romance   

n.恋爱关系，浪漫气氛，爱情小说，传奇

参考例句：

• She wrote a romance about an artist's life in Tokyo.她写了一个关于一位艺术家在东京生活的浪漫故事。
• They tried to rekindle the flames of romance.他们试图重燃爱火。

9 clip   

n.夹子，别针，弹夹，片断；vt.夹住，修剪

参考例句：

• May I clip out the report on my performance?我能把报道我的文章剪下来吗？
• She fastened the papers together with a paper clip.她用曲别针把文件别在一起。

10 episodes   

插曲，片断( episode的名词复数 )； 一集

参考例句：

• The novel deals with the romantic episodes of her early life. 小说叙述了她早期生活的浪漫插曲。
• Three episodes have been telescoped into a single programme. 把叁集的内容压缩成了一个节目。

11 facets   

n.（宝石或首饰的）小平面( facet的名词复数 )；（事物的）面；方面

参考例句：

• The question had many facets. 这个问题是多方面的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A fully cut brilliant diamond has 68 facets. 经过充分切刻的光彩夺目的钻石有68个小平面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 maternal   

adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的

参考例句：

• He is my maternal uncle.他是我舅舅。
• The sight of the hopeless little boy aroused her maternal instincts.那个绝望的小男孩的模样唤起了她的母性。

13 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。