Eve Plumb

Last updated

Eve Plumb
EvePlumb.jpg
Plumb in 2022
Born
Eve Aline Plumb

(1958-04-29) April 29, 1958 (age 66)
Burbank, California, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
  • painter
Years active1966–present
Known for The Brady Bunch
The Brady Kids
The Brady Brides
A Very Brady Christmas
Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway
Little Women
Spouses
Rick Mansfield
​
​
(m. 1979;div. 1981)​
Ken Pace
​
​
(m. 1995)​

Eve Aline Plumb (born April 29, 1958) is an American actress, singer and painter. She is best known for portraying the middle daughter Jan Brady on the ABC sitcom The Brady Bunch . [1] [2] [3]

Contents

A native of Southern California, Plumb began appearing in commercials at age seven, and also had guest roles on the televisions series Family Affair , The Big Valley and The Virginian between 1966 and 1967. She was cast as Jan Brady on The Brady Bunch in 1969, and portrayed the role until the series' end in 1974. After, Plumb continued to work in television, portraying a teenage prostitute in the NBC television film Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway (1976), and as Elizabeth March in the 1978 miniseries Little Women .

Plumb continued to reprise her role as Jan Brady in numerous reunion series and films, including The Brady Brides (1981) and A Very Brady Christmas (1988). She made her feature film debut with a minor role in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988), and later appeared in Gregg Araki's black comedy Nowhere (1997). In 2010, Plumb made her New York stage debut in Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating and Marriage, followed by stage productions of Nora Ephron's Love, Loss, and What I Wore , and Same Time, Next Year . She subsequently had a supporting role in the critically acclaimed thriller Blue Ruin (2013).

Early life

Plumb was born in Burbank, California, to Flora June (née Dobry) and Neely Ben Plumb. [4] She has one sister, Flora, and a brother, Ben. [4]

Career

1966–1974: Early work and The Brady Bunch

Cast photo of The Brady Bunch. Back (L-R): Christopher Knight (Peter), Barry Williams (Greg), Ann B. Davis (Alice). Second row (L-R): Eve Plumb (Jan), Florence Henderson (Carol), Robert Reed (Mike), Maureen McCormick (Marcia). Front (L-R): Susan Olsen (Cindy), Mike Lookinland (Bobby). Brady Bunch full cast 1973.JPG
Cast photo of The Brady Bunch. Back (L-R): Christopher Knight (Peter), Barry Williams (Greg), Ann B. Davis (Alice). Second row (L-R): Eve Plumb (Jan), Florence Henderson (Carol), Robert Reed (Mike), Maureen McCormick (Marcia). Front (L-R): Susan Olsen (Cindy), Mike Lookinland (Bobby).
Plumb as Jan Brady on the 1970s sitcom The Brady Bunch Eve Plumb Circa 1971.jpg
Plumb as Jan Brady on the 1970s sitcom The Brady Bunch

Plumb began her acting career in TV commercials in 1966. The following year, she appeared on The Virginian , The Big Valley and Lassie . (She was also cast as "Bonnie Braids" in a TV pilot version of the comic strip Dick Tracy, but does not actually appear in the program itself, only in the opening credits.) In 1968, she appeared on It Takes a Thief and Family Affair ; in the latter, she played a terminally ill girl on the episode "Christmas Came A Little Early". In 1969, she appeared on an episode of Gunsmoke .

From 1969 to 1974, Plumb appeared as middle sister Jan Brady in the ABC sitcom The Brady Bunch . Her featured storylines included Jan's embarrassment over not having a boyfriend, concerns about her future appearance, being a middle child, and her insecurity over wearing glasses. Several episodes centered on Jan's jealousy of older sister Marcia, resulting in the famous whiny-complaint catchphrase "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!", that has arguably become the quintessential quote of the series. (However, Plumb actually only said the phrase in the episode "Her Sister's Shadow".) Plumb also supplied the voice of Jan in the ABC Saturday morning cartoon The Brady Kids from 1972 to 1974. After The Brady Bunch was canceled in 1974, it went on to even greater success in syndicated reruns. The sitcom has never left the television airwaves and eventually spawned numerous spin-offs, reunion specials, feature films, and parodies.

Several episodes of the sitcom featured the Brady kids singing and as a result, Plumb and the rest of the younger cast recorded several albums. Plumb would also provide a monologue for the Pat Williams Orchestra's 1974 recording of "California Love Story". The single was co-produced by Plumb's recording executive father, Neely Plumb.

1975–2000: Other projects and Brady Bunch reunions

After The Brady Bunch ended, Plumb's first notable role was that of a teenage prostitute in the NBC television movie Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway (1976). She also appeared in the sequel Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn (1977). Plumb starred as "Beth" in NBC productions of Little Women , a 1978 miniseries and a 1979 short-lived television series. Plumb also made numerous guest-starring appearances in such series as Here's Lucy , The Love Boat , Fantasy Island , Wonder Woman , One Day at a Time , The Facts of Life , Murder, She Wrote , The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! , Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and All My Children . She appeared in the episode "The Force of Evil" from the 1977 series Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected (known in the United Kingdom as Twist in the Tale). [5]

Plumb was the only original cast member who declined to reunite for the 1976–77 variety show The Brady Bunch Hour on ABC. Much was made of her absence, including accusations that she no longer wanted to be associated with the Bradys. Plumb has stated in interviews that she was willing to do the variety show's original special episode, but could not commit to a five-year option for additional shows.[ citation needed ] Her role would be filled by Geri Reischl, who went on to be known among Brady Bunch fans as "fake Jan". [6]

Plumb as the title character in Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway, 1976 Dawn Portrait of a Teenage Runaway Eve Plumb 1976.jpg
Plumb as the title character in Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway , 1976

Plumb returned to the "Jan" role for the NBC TV movie The Brady Girls Get Married (1981), which led to The Brady Brides , a short-lived sitcom in which she co-starred with Maureen McCormick, who played Marcia Brady. She also appeared in the CBS television movie A Very Brady Christmas (1988) and its 1990 spin-off dramedy series, The Bradys . To promote their latest incarnation, the cast appeared on an episode of Sally Jessy Raphael , which is remembered for having been shot outdoors in Florida during a rainstorm.[ citation needed ]

In 1993, Plumb had a brief role as Mrs. Noah in the B-Movie mockumentary ...And God Spoke . Two years later she was interviewed as part of a 1995 retrospective special titled Brady Bunch Home Movies, produced by Susan Olsen, who played Cindy Brady. That same year, Plumb appeared on a special "child stars" installment of The Jenny Jones Show . In 1995, Plumb was a member of the cast of the Saturday morning sitcom Fudge , playing the title character's mother, Mrs. Anne Hatcher. The show aired on ABC. To promote the series, Plumb appeared on The Jon Stewart Show . Plumb also appeared in the movie Fudge-a-Mania (1995), the TV pilot movie for the Fudge series the week before the series premiered. In 1996, she reminisced about her Brady years on The Rosie O'Donnell Show and on the E True Hollywood Story: The Brady Bunch. In 1998, Plumb was the original Pam Burkhart on That '70s Show (only seen in episode 6, "The Keg").

2001–present: Television, film, and stage

Plumb attending a "Heroes for Autism" event in Hollywood, California, April 2009 Eve Plumb 2009 crop.jpg
Plumb attending a "Heroes for Autism" event in Hollywood, California, April 2009

In 2001, Plumb appeared on a special Brady-themed edition of the NBC game show The Weakest Link . In 2004, she was part of the TV Land production The Brady Bunch 35th Anniversary Reunion Special: Still Brady After All These Years . Plumb appeared on the December 18, 2006, premiere episode of the NBC game show Identity .

In 2007, Plumb was the only surviving cast member who was not on hand when TV Land honored The Brady Bunch with its Pop Culture Award. In 2008, she appeared on a special Brady-themed week of the syndicated game show Trivial Pursuit: America Plays , hosted by Christopher Knight, who played Peter Brady. Also in 2008, Plumb was a guest on The Florence Henderson Show on RLTV, hosted by her former TV mother.

Plumb appeared in several made-for-television movies, including The House on Greenapple Road (1970), The Force of Evil (1977), Telethon (1977), Secrets of Three Hungry Wives (1978), The Night the Bridge Fell Down (1983) and Yesterday Today (1992). Her film credits include I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988), ... And God Spoke (1993), Nowhere (1997), Breast Men (1997) and Manfast (2003). On August 29, 2008, Plumb appeared on the NBC daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives . [7]

Eve Plumb in May 2010 Eve Plumb 2.jpg
Eve Plumb in May 2010

In 2010, Plumb originated the title character in the New York production of Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating and Marriage, inspired by a book and website of the same name. The role was her first New York stage role. She was next seen on the New York stage when she starred in Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron's award-winning Love, Loss, and What I Wore , and she co-starred in Same Time, Next Year with Broadway's John Bolton at the Surflight Theater in Beach Haven, New Jersey. In July–October 2013, Plumb portrayed Aunt June in the off-Broadway play Unbroken Circle by James Wesley. [8]

In 2013, she had a guest-starring role on Law and Order: SVU as Angela Brooks in the episode "Monster's Legacy" and a guest-starring role on Army Wives as Reba Green in the episode "Damaged". [9] Also in 2013, she had a small part in the film Blue Ruin . In January 2016, Plumb reprised the role of shop teacher Mrs. Murdoch (originally played by Alice Ghostley in the 1978 movie Grease) in Fox's production of Grease Live. In July 2016, Plumb attended the Democratic National Convention as a member of Broadway at the DNC and was part of an ensemble of Broadway stars who sang a rendition of "What the World Needs Now Is Love". In 2019, Plumb reunited with her television siblings from The Brady Bunch for the HGTV series, A Very Brady Renovation . [10]

Personal life

Eve Plumb in 2012 Eve Plumb Official Headshot 2012.jpg
Eve Plumb in 2012

Plumb has been painting for more than two decades and has enjoyed success at select galleries across the United States.

Plumb was the first of the Brady siblings to marry, and the first divorced. She first tied the knot with Rick Mansfield in 1979. The marriage ended in divorce less than two years later. Plumb has been married to Ken Pace, [11] a business and technology consultant, since 1995.

As of 2010, she resided in Laguna Beach, California, and served on the city's Design Review Board. [12] Around 2010, Plumb purchased a residence in Manhattan, and had made New York City her primary residence as of 2019, though she divides her time between there and Los Angeles. [13]

In 2016, she sold the Malibu home that she had purchased at the age of 11 in 1969. [14] She bought the 1950s beach bungalow for $55,000 and sold it for $3.9 million. [15]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1988 I'm Gonna Git You Sucka Kalinga's Wife
1993The Making of '... And God Spoke'Mrs. Noah
1997 Nowhere Mrs. Sighvatssohn
2003ManfastProfessor Mason
2013 Blue Ruin Kris Cleland
2015The Sisters PlotzCelestia Plotz
2018MonsoonGale
TBABagdad, FloridaGreaseCompleted

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1966–1967 The Big Valley Sara Jane / Ellen / LaureEpisodes: "Hide the Children", "Brother Love", "Explosion! Part 2"
1967 The Virginian Kathy CooperEpisode: "A Small Taste of Justice"
1967 Lassie TerryEpisode: "Miracle of the Dove"
1968 It Takes a Thief MaritsaEpisode: "The Radomir Miniature"
1968 Mannix Marian HarrimanEpisode: "Edge of the Knife"
1968 Family Affair Eve BowersEpisode: "Christmas Came a Little Early"
1968 Lancer Pony AliceEpisode: "The Heart of Pony Alice"
1969 Gunsmoke SueEpisode: "Gold Town"
1969–1974 The Brady Bunch Jan Brady Main role
1970House on Greenapple RoadMargaret OrdTelevision film
1972 The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie Jan BradyVoice role; episode: "The Brady Kids on Mysterious Island"
1972 Here's Lucy Patricia CarterEpisode: "Lucy and Donny Osmond"
1972–1974 The Brady Kids Jan BradyMain voice role
1974 Sigmund and the Sea Monsters HarrietEpisode: "Now You See 'Em, Now You Don't"
1974 ABC Afterschool Special GretchenEpisode: "Sara's Summer of the Swans"
1976 Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway Dawn WetherbyTelevision film
1977"Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected" The Force of EvilCindy CarringtonTelevision series/film
1977 Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn Dawn WetherbyTelevision film
1977 Wonder Woman ElenaEpisode: "The Pied Piper"
1977TelethonKimTelevision film
1978 Insight JeannieEpisode: "Is Anyone Listening?"
1978 Little Women Elizabeth 'Beth' MarchTelevision miniseries
1978 Secrets of Three Hungry Wives Vicki WoodTelevision film
1978Greatest Heroes of the BibleLillaEpisode: "The Story of Noah: Parts 1 & 2"
1978–1982 The Love Boat Various roles3 episodes
1979–1981 Fantasy Island Various roles3 episodes
1981 The Brady Brides Jan Brady CovingtonMain role
1982 One Day at a Time Melissa LaytonEpisode: "Lovers & Other Parents"
1983 The Facts of Life MegEpisodes: "Best Sister: Part 1", "Best Sister: Part 2"
1983 The Night the Bridge Fell Down Terry KellyTelevision film
1985 Murder, She Wrote TugEpisode: "Jessica Behind Bars"
1988 A Very Brady Christmas Jan Brady CovingtonTelevision film
1989 The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! Jodie1 episode
1990 The Bradys Jan Brady CovingtonMain role
1994 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Rose CollinsEpisode: "Illusions of Grandeur"
1995 Fudge Anne HatcherMain role
1998 That '70s Show Mrs. BurkhartEpisode: "The Keg"
2003 All My Children June Landau
2008 Days of Our Lives Dora1 episode
2012The Sisters PlotzCelestia Plotz
2012The Pox ShowNurse DremelTelevision film
2013 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Angela BrooksEpisode: "Monster's Legacy"
2013 Army Wives Reba GreenEpisode: "Damaged"
2016 Grease: Live Mrs. MurdockTelevision film
2017 The Path Wendy1 episode
2017 Blue Bloods Barbara StevensEpisode: "Love Lost"
2019 Crashing MarcieEpisode: "The Christian Tour"
2019 A Very Brady Renovation Eve Plumb7 episodes
2020 Bull Joan LawsonEpisode: "Missing"
2021 Dragging the Classics: The Brady Bunch Lucy Paramount Plus TV special

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References

  1. ↑ Terry Hazlett (September 27, 1976). "Eve Plumb: A Comeback at Age 18". Observer–Reporter . Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Eve Plumb". All American Speakers Bureau. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  3. ↑ Diamond, Barbara (December 16, 2020). "Our Laguna: All about Eve Plumb". Chicago Tribune . Chicago, IL. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Eve Plumb Biography". TV Guide . Archived from the original on September 6, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Classic Television Archive: Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected (1977)". Archived from the original on August 19, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  6. ↑ Eury, Michael (August 2020). "Fake Jan Gets Real: An Interview with The Brady Bunch Variety Hour's Geri Reischl". RetroFan (10). United States: TwoMorrows Publishing: 46–52.
  7. ↑ Wilson, Lori (August 28, 2008). "Eve Plumb Talks to Soaps.com About Her Role on Days!". soaps.sheknows.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  8. ↑ Plumb, Eve. "Unbroken Circle".
  9. ↑ Plumb, Eve (2013). "Army Wives: Damaged, Full Cast & Crew". Internet Movie Database.
  10. ↑ Lee, Luaine (September 8, 2019). "Bradys go 'home' again for HGTV". Baltimore Sun . p. A&E 4.
  11. ↑ Pellegrini, Janette (April 22, 2014). "New York Premiere of RADiUS-TWC's BLUE RUIN". Getty Images . Retrieved February 1, 2016. Caption:NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 22: (L-R) Eve Plumb and her husband Ken Pace attend the New York Premiere of RADiUS-TWC's BLUE RUIN at BAM Rose Cinemas on April 22, 2014 in New York City.
  12. ↑ Diamond, Barbara (December 16, 2010). "Our Laguna: All about Eve Plumb". Los Angeles Times .
  13. ↑ Back Home With the Bradys: Eve Plumb. HGTV . September 4, 2019. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2019– via YouTube.
  14. ↑ Leitereg, Neal J. (August 13, 2016). "'Brady Bunch' actress Eve Plumb sells the Malibu home she bought at age 11". Los Angeles Times .
  15. ↑ "'Brady Bunch' star Eve Plumb sells Malibu home she bought at 11-years-oldd". Today.com . August 17, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
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