The Forgotten ‘Brady Bunch’ Spinoff That Never Aired
The Brady Bunch wasn’t a huge hit when it originally aired in the late ’60s and early ’70s, but it did do well enough to last for five seasons — and in that fifth and final season, creator Sherwood Schwartz tried to launch a spin-off series. The episode “Kelly’s Kids,” which aired on January 4, 1974, was actually a backdoor pilot for a show also called Kelly’s Kids, setting the stage for a whole new series that ABC ultimately passed on.
What Was the Forgotten Brady Bunch Spinoff?
“Kelly’s Kids” introduced us to Ken and Kathy Kelly, the Bradys’ new neighbors, played by Ken Berry and Brooke Bundy. The Kellys planned to adopt one boy, Matt, played by Todd Lookinland, the real-life younger brother of Mike Lookinland (a.k.a. Bobby Brady). However, Matt doesn’t want to be separated from his two best friends, Dwayne (Billy “Pop” Atmore) and Steve (Carey Wong), so the Kellys decide to adopt all three boys, forming a multiracial family that felt groundbreaking for television at the time.
The episode didn’t shy away from addressing real-life issues, either. The Kellys’ racist neighbor, Mrs. Payne, wasn’t thrilled about their decision, and the kids decided to run away to the Bradys’ house. It was the only time in the series that special guest stars were introduced at the beginning of an episode, signaling that ABC hoped viewers would warm up to the Kelly family as potential leads.
Everett Collection
Spin-off plans aside, the episode also has a few other things that were notable: it marked the only time a toilet tank was ever shown on The Brady Bunch, when Matt brushes his teeth in the episode. The Doors’ 1969 album The Soft Parade makes an uncharacteristic cameo on the bedroom floor. Fans also noticed that Cindy suddenly had her pigtails back, even though she’d already moved on from the hairstyle in earlier episodes, thanks to production timing.
Behind the scenes, the story had even more layers. Berry and Jackie Joseph, who played Miss Phillips at the adoption home, were married in real life and had adopted three children of their own.
Why Did the Brady Bunch Spinoff Never Air?
ABC ultimately declined to greenlight Kelly’s Kids, and decided to also not renew The Brady Bunch for a sixth season. However, creator Sherwood Schwartz wasn’t done with the idea. More than a decade later, he sold a revamped version of the concept to CBS as Together We Stand in 1986, which later reemerged as the Elliott Gould vehicle Nothing Is Easy. Unfortunately, neither show took off either.
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1970s Fall TV
September 2023
Take a trip back to the ’70s by looking at the TV Guide Magazine Fall Preview primetime lineups.
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