Age Brady Children

October 17th, 2018 by

In a previous post, I posited that Mike and Carol could have had a child even near the end of the final season, because of their ages. I used the ages of the two oldest children Greg and Marcia to deduce the age of Mike and Carol. The producers chose the ages of the children for various plot reasons. Greg was 14 at the start of the show, Marcia was 12, Peter was 11, Jan was 10, Bobby was 8, and Cindy was 6. These ages reflected some of their behaviors toward each other, and the grouping of three in the tween area allowed for growth. Unfortunately with all child actors, especially in the case of Bobby and Cindy, cuteness wears off. Look at the final season where Bobby had braces, and Cindy was no longer a cute little girl with a lisp and thus could not pull off cute little girl things. Carol Brady being pregnant would have been more conductive to the show being extended for another season than mocking pregnancy to introduce Cousin Oliver.

Greg being the oldest would have the most ground breaking moments. Greg was looking to buy a car, and got a job as an office boy in the architectural firm with a homicidal boss. The following year Greg entered high school and because he was a man wanted his own space. In the Episode “Our Son, The Man“, Greg persuaded Mike into giving up his den in order for it to be converted to a bedroom. Marcia being two years behind Greg would fuel her own form of competition, since she was no longer the oldest in the family. Her drive to be queen bee of the Brady girls got her into various forms of trouble. Marcia wanted to be a scout to prove she was as good as the boys, thus forcing retaliation, because Greg was too old, Peter was forced by his older brother into becoming a Sunflower Girl. Peter was the middle child between Greg, now Marcia, and then Jan, Bobby and Cindy. Jan seemed to not identify too much with Greg, but felt like she was second to Marcia all the time. Bobby being the youngest boy always sought attention from Greg, pestered Peter constantly, but at least could be a hero to Cindy. Cindy was always wanting to be older than she was.

Through out the entire Brady Bunch run, the children grew up. Greg always maintaining his top dog status, though he was at times taken down a peg or two by his younger siblings. It seemed Marcia was always his foil, except Jan seemed to be able to compete on an even field once Jan began developing lady bumps. Greg was graduating high school and heading to college in the last episode of the show. Which means Jan began working at Haskell’s Ice Cream Parlor at 14, maybe 15. Which makes the Brady children exceptionally ambitious when it comes to work. Also, you should feel dirty if you are lusting after Marcia and Jan in their bikinis during the Hawaii Episode, Marcia was 15 and Jan 13.

Schooling was a big deal with the Brady Bunch. Westdale High School, Fillmore Junior High, and Clinton Elementary School were the schools attended by the children. Ultimately they all went to different colleges, and entered careers. Greg became a OB/GYN, Marcia was a fashion designer until she married because she could not stand the thought of Jan beating her to the alter, then Marcia became an alcoholic housewife. Jan became an architect in Boston, married to a professor. Peter went into the Air Force, then became a stock broker. Bobby went to college, graduated, was going for a masters in business, but dropped out to become a race car driver, then ended up in a wheelchair. Cindy managed to graduate college, and worked for a radio station.

Ultimately, the Brady children fell into a sort of age dynamic which played out in their adult lives. Greg being the oldest, was the most successful. Even though Marcia was the oldest girl, she was second child, and was not as successful. Peter played the second boy to a tee, not really expected to work out, but just getting by. Jan was more driven, and probably felt relieved to be the fourth child. Bobby and Cindy were both the children whom did not grow up in some way.

Of course, growing up and sharing a bathroom with no toilet could have had a major affect on certain aspects of life.

Thanks for stopping by.