A beloved supporting player of American sitcoms, Ann B Davis was often cast as spinsters, yet brought good cheer and demonstrated keen comic timing. One generation reveres her as Schultzy, Bob Cummings' lovelorn assistant on "The Bob Cummings Show/Love That Bob" (CBS, 1955-61), for which she won two Supporting Actress Emmy awards. Still another has turned her into an icon as Alice, the housekeeper and mistress of the corny quip, on "The Brady Bunch" (ABC, 1969-74) and its subsequent revival series, "The Brady Bunch Hour" (ABC, 1977), "The Brady Brides" (NBC, 1981) and "The Bradys" (CBS, 1990). Davis began as a stage actress upon graduating from the University of Michigan, first with an Erie, PA, stock company, and then in such California towns as Porterville, Yosemite and Monterey. She reached Hollywood in 1954 and acted in local productions and revues, where she was spotted by casting directors and won the role of Charmaine 'Schultzy' Schultz. Davis went on to have regular berths on the summer variety series "The Keefe Braselle Show" (CBS, 1963), and "The John Forsythe Show" (NBC, 1965-66). On the latter, she played Miss Wilson, the never-been-wed, never-been-kissed physical education teacher.
In between her series work, Davis occasionally returned to the theater, including a brief run as the princess (a role originated by Carol Burnett) in "Once Upon a Mattress". In the early 70s, she was featured in the national tour of "No, No, Nanette" as the wisecracking maid (played by Patsy Kelly in the Broadway revival) and two decades later played a society matron in both the national tour and Broadway production of the Tony-winning "Crazy for You".
On the big screen, Davis had generally been relegated to cameo appearances as in her debut (as herself) in "Pepe" (1960), "Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult" (1994, again as herself) and as a truck driver who convinces middle daughter Jan not to run away in "The Brady Bunch Movie" (1995). Additionally, she supported Doris Day and Rock Hudson in "Lover Come Back" and was in the ensemble cast in "All Hands on Deck" (both 1961).
Davis further capitalized on her Brady fame by publishing "Alice's Brady Bunch Cookbook" in 1994.
Profession(s):
Actor
Sometimes Credited As:
Ann Bradford Davis
Emmy Best Supporting Actress (Continuing Character) in a Comedy Series "Bob Cummings Show" 1958 - 1959
Emmy Best Continuing Performance by an Actress in a Dramatic or Comedy Series "Bob Cummings Show" 1957
1995 Returned in cameo in "The Brady Bunch Movie"
1990 Played Alice in the short-lived CBS drama series "The Bradys"
1981 Again played Alice in the short-lived NBC sitcom "The Brady Brides"
1977 Reprised Alice in the variety series "The Brady Bunch Hour" (ABC)
1974 "Retired" from show business (date approximate)
1963 Was a regular on the CBS summer variety series "The Keefe Braselle Show"
1961 Co-starred in feature "All Hands on Deck"
1960 Made a cameo appearance as herself in the feature "Pepe"
1948 - 1949 Made professional debut in Erie, PA stock company productions
Played Schultzy in the CBS sitcom "Bob Cummings Show/Love That Bob"; won two Emmy Awards for the role
Co-starred on "The John Forsythe Show"
Played Alice the housekeeper on "The Brady Bunch"
Toured in the stage musical "No, No Nanette"
Toured in the 90s stage musical, "Crazy for You"; appeared in the Broadway production as well
