Home :: Books :: Entertainment  

Arts & Photography
Audio CDs
Audiocassettes
Biographies & Memoirs
Business & Investing
Children's Books
Christianity
Comics & Graphic Novels
Computers & Internet
Cooking, Food & Wine
Entertainment

Gay & Lesbian
Health, Mind & Body
History
Home & Garden
Horror
Literature & Fiction
Mystery & Thrillers
Nonfiction
Outdoors & Nature
Parenting & Families
Professional & Technical
Reference
Religion & Spirituality
Romance
Science
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Sports
Teens
Travel
Women's Fiction
Growing Up Brady : I Was a Teenage Greg

Growing Up Brady : I Was a Teenage Greg

List Price: $14.00
Your Price: $14.00
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 2 3 4 5 >>

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Very well done
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Growing Up Brady". It's written in a lively, fast-paced style with plenty of hip humor and candid confessions. Williams discusses the good, bad, and ugly "Brady Bunch" moments. Particularly striking was Robert Reed's dislike of the show and his antagonism with Sherwood Schwartz, creator of the Brady Bunch. Schwartz really wanted Gene Hackman for the role of Mike Brady. If anyone but an actual Brady Bunch actor had written this book, it would be easy to dismiss much of it as idle gossip, but Williams was there and knows the truth. I think he tells it here.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: No other "Brady" book compares
Review: There are many books about "The Brady Bunch," but I find all of them to be sorely lacking except for Barry Williams' memoir. His book offers insight and behind-the-scenes material that the other "Brady" authors could have provided but didn't. They would have had to have worked exceptionally hard and get meaningful interviews with the cast and crew of the show. They would have had to write their books with wit and flair. Instead, they were content simply to build glorified episode guides and trot out all sorts of meaningless trivia. That's why this book stands out. Barry Williams told a story that was rich with colors and personality. He showed how a lightweight sitcom could make such a huge impact on our pop culture. He made me laugh by showing the weird ways in which "Bradymania" affected his life. I never thought he was a particularly good actor on "The Brady Bunch." But he makes a mighty fine author.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: DECENT, HONEST APPRAISAL OF SHOW
Review: Unlike Sherwood Schwartz, Barry Williams offers an honest appraisal of the Brady Bunch. Schwartz's account of the show and the failed sequels tend to blame others (e.g., network brass) for the failures. Among his excuses are bad scheduling and network interference. Maybe dismal scripts also had something to do with it, Sherwood. At least Barry calls a spade a spade. He recognized the quality of the scripts declined over the years and were absolutely dreadful in the sequels (Robert Reed (Papa Brady) would have said the scripts were bad to begin with).

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Everything you've ever wanted to know about The Brady Bunch
Review: This book offers a bunch of behind the scenes stories about the show and the actors who made it a classic. This book will shock you, and tell you about things that happened behind the set that could never have dreamed of, including Barry William's "date" with Florence Henderson. You are not a true Brady fan until you have read this book. A MUST for all fans.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: No other "Brady" book compares
Review: There are many books about "The Brady Bunch," but I find all of them to be sorely lacking except for Barry Williams' memoir. His book offers insight and behind-the-scenes material that the other "Brady" authors could have provided but didn't. They would have had to have worked exceptionally hard and get meaningful interviews with the cast and crew of the show. They would have had to write their books with wit and flair. Instead, they were content simply to build glorified episode guides and trot out all sorts of meaningless trivia. That's why this book stands out. Barry Williams told a story that was rich with colors and personality. He showed how a lightweight sitcom could make such a huge impact on our pop culture. He made me laugh by showing the weird ways in which "Bradymania" affected his life. I never thought he was a particularly good actor on "The Brady Bunch." But he makes a mighty fine author.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: One of the worst books ever written
Review: Book has mistake after mistake after mistake in the ep guide. The book was written in the 1990's, correct? The VCR age and the show was as popular as could be thus the eps were all easily available for study. No excuse by Barry williams for this disaster.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Interesting dive into Brady Bunch Babylon
Review: For those interested in America's favorite family of the early 1970's, here is the book for you. Barry Williams writes a tome that only an insider could dealing with the behind the scenes goings on of the popular TV series, "The Brady Bunch". Written with a humorous, never-too-serious tone, Williams (who played Greg Brady on the show) tells of the fights and misadventures of the Brady cast as well as the friendliness and respect they had for each other. The reader will learn of Tiger's demise as well as the Battle of the Bras and Greg's first toke.

I heartily recommend this book for anyone who enjoyed the series.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Refreshing
Review: Authored by Barry Williams, (aka Greg Brady) this volume differs from fan-books of retro tv shows in that it is neither a hyper-romanticized trip down memory lane, nor bitter attacking screed from an individual wishing the spotlight back on themselves.

In refreshingly honest prose, Williams recalls the thrill of growing up in the early 1970's (including celebrity perks). The balanced perspective on America's most famous sitcom on seccond marriages and mixed families draws in readers who liked the show, but were never tremendous fans. Openly candid, Williams shares hillarious backstage hijinks that attempt to explain why these former child stars have managed to avoid the negative publicity that caught up with so many of their contemporaries.

True, the long-standing animosity between Robert Reed and Sherwood Schwartz is included, but this does not detract from the genuinely caring sentiment that cast members feel towards one another on and off cammera. The exact family composition may have been the work of a hollywood scriptwriter and casting director, but hollywood personnel could not have required these people to develop the strong personal bonds with eachother that only strengthened over time.

In keeping with the desire for a book transcending the typical low expectations for former Child Star memoirs, a suprisingly small lack of space is devoted to an apparent fling with co-stars Maureen McCormick and Florence Henderson. Certainly mentioned, both incidents are not excessively doted on by the author.

The overall focus of the text seems to be on how a shared sense of cooperation and commuinity among the cast helped a tv show about step-families become a favirote in the American pop psyche at a time when "stepfamily" still conotated various fairy-tale horror stories.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Very Brady Tell All!!
Review: If, like me, you are a Bradyphile, then you were probably shocked to read some of Mr. Williams' tales in this wonderful book. By now, these juicy secrets are common knowledge, but coming upon them for the first time was shocking. If you are not a fan of the show that ran from 1969 to 1974, this might not be for you. But you'd be surprised how many people who aren't big fans have read it and really liked it. It's a very entertaining book and very easy and fun to read. Mr. Williams writes with a great outlook on his Brady past. He doesn't take anything the least bit seriously here. Nor should he. The book begins with Barry's earlier beginnings. It's not page turning stuff folks, but it is interesting to read all of the old shows he guest starred on. Nothing gets good until we enter Bradyland. What fun it is. The most interesting stuff in this book to read are all of the fights and confrontations between Robert Reed(Mr. Brady), and the show's creator/producer/writer Sherwood Schwartz. It was constant, and it was bloody. It's real interesting to read how everyone's favorite dad acted behind the scenes. The stuff here is priceless. But, even if Mr. Reed comes off rather crass, you have to remember that he was just trying to help the show. Then again, if he really hated it, why did he always return for the reunions?. The hot stuff comes in the form of the Greg/Marcia romance. The two actors, Williams and Maureen McCormack, did get hot and heavy. Cindy and Bobby got serious, as did Jan and Peter too. Pretty soon, it would've been Carol and Tiger. The end of the book has the usual episode guide to all of the episodes. Some of them also have little sections to certain episodes with particular information on that episode. The book also covers "The Brady Girls Get Married", the huge TV hit "A Very Brady Christmas", and the 1990 'dramadey' show "The Bradys". The introduction is by Robert Reed himself, shortly before he passed away. What's great, and also heartbreaking, is how Mr. Reed passed away. The great part was him telling Florence Henderson to call and "tell the kids" as he said. It seemed very much like a father and his kids. That they were really like family. Mr. Reed passing away was heartbreaking. All in all, this is a great and fun read. The sex, the drugs, the dating, the fights. Who could ask for anything more?. I must warn you that there are a number of reviews below who rate this one star because they mixed up a character with an actor and so on. Can you believe that?. Take it easy people. I can't imagine there being anything else to say, but one wishes for book 2!. The Brady Bunch is a cultural phenomenon. No question about it. There once was a day when the show was ridiculed and made fun of. Things have changed since those days. The Bradys are cooler than cool. Hipper than hip. Anybody who is still anti-Brady, is still stuck in those old days like the Bradys seem to be forever stuck in the psychedelic 70's. It's time to catch up and get with the now people. The Brady's are here to stay. Bell bottoms and perms and all. Mr. Williams has written a fun book. Give it a shot. Enter Bradyland for a while. It's quite fun.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: hysterical tell-all!
Review: Barry Williams has provided a humorous behind-the-scenes look at The Brady Bunch, that syndicated syrupy sitcom that about 3 generations have memorized (Who doesn't know about "Marcia, Marcia, Marica!!!" or the cheer "One, Two! Tell me who are you? The Bears!")

Williams reveals that almost all the actors hooked up with each other in real life (with the exception, he notes, of Alice and Tiger). Williams himself went out on a date with Florence Henderson (his TV mom) and later with Maureen McCormick (his TV sister). And Tiger got run over by a car in real life -- that's why he's not in that many episodes.

Williams has a sardonic voice as he details each episode of the Brady Bunch (wouldn't you, if you are captured forever in reruns as hopping in a potato sack, square-dancing in the living room, or attending a 1920s party where the only guests are your own family members? Even at the age of 6, I thought that was weird.) This is a great book, whether you liked the Bradys or not!


<< 1 2 3 4 5 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates