A Newspaper Statistic Started it All
Inspiration can be found in the least expected places, and The Brady Bunch is no exception. Reportedly, the idea for the show came from a newspaper statistic. Producer Sherwood Schwartz came across an article in the Los Angeles Times, which claimed that in 1965, “30 percent of marriages have a child or children from a previous marriage.”
Sherwood Schwartz. Photo By Peter Brooker/Shutterstock
That’s when he came up with the idea to target that demographic and write a pilot for a show about a blended family. At the time, Sherwood was enjoying the success of creating and producing Gilligan’s Island. That’s when a lightbulb went off for another successful show, which eventually became known as The Brady Bunch.