A GoPride Interview
Barry Williams
Barry Williams: I always liked performing in Chicago. The city has been very good to me.
Thu. March 22, 2012 by Jerry Nunn
I always liked performing in Chicago. The city has been very good to me.
Jerry Nunn chats with Barry Williams, Greg from the Brady Bunch
Where else can you see The Bionic Woman, Lois Lane, and most of the cast of The Brady Bunch in person at the same time? At the Hollywood Show this weekend in Rosemont, that's where!
Barry Williams who played Greg in the iconic television show along with other Brady kids Christopher Knight (Peter), Mike Lookinland (Bobby), and Susan Olsen (Cindy) will all be on hand to autograph and meet fans at the event.
Barry Williams grew up on television from Dragnet to Mission: Impossible then finally landing a starring role on The Brady Bunch. Afterwards he went on to appear on more television shows, movies and Broadway shows.
Nunn talked to Williams about his newest project before arriving in Rosemont.
JN: (Jerry Nunn) Hi, Barry. So you are coming back to Chicago.
BW: (Barry Williams) I was actually there last weekend. I have lots going on. I have opened a show in Branson, Missouri last year. We call it the Brady Bunch Lunch. So I was meeting with some tourism companies who sell tours in Branson up there. I have been very active in the Midwest and now moving to Branson. The response has been strong enough to warrant a five-year deal. I am doing 150 performances at the Yakov Smirnoff Theatre.
JN: Tell our readers about the show.
BW: It is the Brady Bunch Lunch with The Brady Bunch kids recast singing "Keep On" and "Sunshine Day." We have clips and flavors from the show acted out with costumes and music. It is a musical variety show. We do some reminiscing and it is multimedia. We do never before seen footage with about 14 songs. I talk about life after The Brady Bunch. We serve a gourmet lunch in your seat, airplane style, except much more comfortable.
JN: When does the show open?
BW: It opens April 11 for the new season.
JN: I have interviewed past cast members from Christopher Knight to Florence Henderson. What did you think of her book?
BW: I have it but have not read all of it. I have learned a lot about her early life before The Brady Bunch, which was fascinating.
JN: I read your book Growing Up Brady: I Was a Teenage Greg and really liked learning about your career before The Brady Bunch also. What did you think about The Brady Bunch movies?
BW: I liked the first movie. I thought the second movie was actually a mistake largely because they didn't rehire director Betty Thomas who was responsible for making the first one fun, light, poking fun without being mean spirited. It was enjoyable even if you didn't know the show very well.
JN: I thought the cast was very good also. You did musical theatre from Grease to West Side Story. Would you like to do more?
BW: Sure, Jerry. I did it for 35 years. I have done over 85 different productions. If you Google me in Chicago I have been there with about five shows including the national of City of Angels, Music Man, and Sound of Music. That has been a staple in my career.
JN: Is there one that you have wanted to make and haven't?
BW: Nope. I always liked performing in Chicago. The city has been very good to me. The response has always been good from activities and shows I have done there. Southwest Airlines is now running nonstop to Branson so I hope people will come see my latest project. The Brady Bunch Lunch is the show I have always wanted to do in terms of music variety and fun. It is my show since I own it and wrote it.
JN: How old is the cast?
BW: They range from about 14 to 20 years old. It is a way of evoking the show. Rather than me playing Greg Brady, which is not age appropriate, we can have dialogue back and forth with questions such as "Is there life after cancellation?" I say yes and then little Greg asks, "Does that mean I am going to look like you?"
JN: That's funny. Are you going to be on Dancing With the Stars?
BW: They haven't asked me yet. I think I need to change genders. Maybe that will help me get a slot in there. You know any good doctors?
JN: (laughs) No I don't. How do people buy tickets for A Brady Lunch?
BW: The easiest is www.yakov.com/branson. That links directly in with tickets and show schedule.
JN: See you the Hilton soon.
BW: Looking forward to it.
Visit Barry and the Bunch at the Hilton Rosemont, 5550 North River Road, March 24 and 25. Hours are from 10 am until 4 and until 5 on Saturday, for more details check out www.hollywoodshow.com.
Barry Williams who played Greg in the iconic television show along with other Brady kids Christopher Knight (Peter), Mike Lookinland (Bobby), and Susan Olsen (Cindy) will all be on hand to autograph and meet fans at the event.
Barry Williams grew up on television from Dragnet to Mission: Impossible then finally landing a starring role on The Brady Bunch. Afterwards he went on to appear on more television shows, movies and Broadway shows.
Nunn talked to Williams about his newest project before arriving in Rosemont.
JN: (Jerry Nunn) Hi, Barry. So you are coming back to Chicago.
BW: (Barry Williams) I was actually there last weekend. I have lots going on. I have opened a show in Branson, Missouri last year. We call it the Brady Bunch Lunch. So I was meeting with some tourism companies who sell tours in Branson up there. I have been very active in the Midwest and now moving to Branson. The response has been strong enough to warrant a five-year deal. I am doing 150 performances at the Yakov Smirnoff Theatre.
JN: Tell our readers about the show.
BW: It is the Brady Bunch Lunch with The Brady Bunch kids recast singing "Keep On" and "Sunshine Day." We have clips and flavors from the show acted out with costumes and music. It is a musical variety show. We do some reminiscing and it is multimedia. We do never before seen footage with about 14 songs. I talk about life after The Brady Bunch. We serve a gourmet lunch in your seat, airplane style, except much more comfortable.
JN: When does the show open?
BW: It opens April 11 for the new season.
JN: I have interviewed past cast members from Christopher Knight to Florence Henderson. What did you think of her book?
BW: I have it but have not read all of it. I have learned a lot about her early life before The Brady Bunch, which was fascinating.
JN: I read your book Growing Up Brady: I Was a Teenage Greg and really liked learning about your career before The Brady Bunch also. What did you think about The Brady Bunch movies?
BW: I liked the first movie. I thought the second movie was actually a mistake largely because they didn't rehire director Betty Thomas who was responsible for making the first one fun, light, poking fun without being mean spirited. It was enjoyable even if you didn't know the show very well.
JN: I thought the cast was very good also. You did musical theatre from Grease to West Side Story. Would you like to do more?
BW: Sure, Jerry. I did it for 35 years. I have done over 85 different productions. If you Google me in Chicago I have been there with about five shows including the national of City of Angels, Music Man, and Sound of Music. That has been a staple in my career.
JN: Is there one that you have wanted to make and haven't?
BW: Nope. I always liked performing in Chicago. The city has been very good to me. The response has always been good from activities and shows I have done there. Southwest Airlines is now running nonstop to Branson so I hope people will come see my latest project. The Brady Bunch Lunch is the show I have always wanted to do in terms of music variety and fun. It is my show since I own it and wrote it.
JN: How old is the cast?
BW: They range from about 14 to 20 years old. It is a way of evoking the show. Rather than me playing Greg Brady, which is not age appropriate, we can have dialogue back and forth with questions such as "Is there life after cancellation?" I say yes and then little Greg asks, "Does that mean I am going to look like you?"
JN: That's funny. Are you going to be on Dancing With the Stars?
BW: They haven't asked me yet. I think I need to change genders. Maybe that will help me get a slot in there. You know any good doctors?
JN: (laughs) No I don't. How do people buy tickets for A Brady Lunch?
BW: The easiest is www.yakov.com/branson. That links directly in with tickets and show schedule.
JN: See you the Hilton soon.
BW: Looking forward to it.
Visit Barry and the Bunch at the Hilton Rosemont, 5550 North River Road, March 24 and 25. Hours are from 10 am until 4 and until 5 on Saturday, for more details check out www.hollywoodshow.com.
Interviewed by Jerry Nunn. Jerry Nunn is a contributing writer to the GoPride Network. His work is also featured in Windy City Times, Nightspots Magazine and syndicated nationally. Follow @jerrynunn