Alice Nelson

Alice Nelson Franklin is a character in The Brady Bunch. She was played by veteran character actress Ann B. Davis.

About Alice

Alice is the Brady Family's housekeeper and friend. She has an ongoing relationship with Sam the butcher, whom she first met at a dance during his time in the U.S. Army, and says multiple times that she wants to marry him. She lives at the Brady House.

Alice grew up in the same neighborhood as the Bradys, graduating from Westdale High School, the school Greg and Marcia attend. She was the middle sister, Emily was the oldest, and Myrtle was her younger sister. Like many younger girls of her day, Alice idolized Frank Sinatra, noting on one occasion how she wore black socks for a week when she found out Sinatra was married.

Alice was the housekeeper to Mike Brady, his previous wife, who died before the series started, and their three boys. Alice stayed on, to be the housekeeper for not only his boys, but for his new wife, Carol, and her three daughters. Alice was generally impartial toward the children, although she presented Jan with a locket at one point, "from one middle sister to another."

Alice was best known for telling jokes, often self-deprecating, and usually interspersed with drier humor than the rest of the Brady clan, which were almost invariably met with multiple "Oh, Alice!" responses. Alice was also known for her sky-blue housekeeping uniform, which she almost always wore. She also joined in the children's games, including playing basketball, and went along with the family on vacations.

Strenuous physical activity would sometimes cause Alice to throw her back out, making her immobile for a short period of time.

Alice had an identical cousin, Emma, who was a retired master sergeant in the Women's Army Corps. Emma once filled in for Alice when Alice traveled out of town. Alice quit her job at one point when she felt the children no longer trusted her, becoming a waitress at a local restaurant. Her replacement Kay, who did her work faithfully but never tried to become close with the Bradys, told the kids where to find her ("The Golden Spoon at Fourth and Oak…"). After being scolded by Carol, the kids apologized and begged Alice to come back.

Alice dated Sam Franklin (Allan Melvin), who ran the local butcher shop, and eventually became engaged and married. Alice and Sam have won awards in Charleston for dancing and bowling.

Trivia

• Alice was originally to have been played by Monty Margetts. The producers changed their mind about casting Joyce Bulifant as Carol Brady, and replaced her with Florence Henderson; producers felt a more comedic, zany housekeeper was required to balance Henderson's soft-spoken, low-key presence.
• In the 1990s parody movies, Alice was played by actress Henriette Mantel. In the first film, Davis makes a cameo as a truck driver whose CB handle is "Schultzy". Davis first became popular in the 1950s playing a character named Schultzy in The Bob Cummings Show.
• She, Carol, and Greg are the only main characters to appear in every episode.
• She made a guest appearance in the Hi Honey I'm Home episode "SRP".
• After The Brady Bunch and The Brady Bunch Hour ended, Alice married Sam. She quit working for the Bradys and moved in with him. Alice became Sam's business partner at his butcher shop. In A Very Brady Christmas, Alice moves back in with Carol and Mike after Sam has an affair with a younger woman. However, she would forgive Sam.