“Brady Bunch” star and “Dancing With the Stars” alum Maureen McCormick is celebrating her 70th birthday today. The actress was born on August 5, 1956, in Los Angeles.
Though she struggled with life in the limelight after “The Brady Bunch” ended, she turned her life around and found meaning in giving back.
Maureen McCormick Bravely Overcame Her Battle With Addiction
GettyBefore her breakout role as Marcia Brady, Maureen McCormick starred in commercials for Barbie and Chatty Cathy dolls. Then, everything changed in 1969 when “The Brady Bunch” premiered.
The show ran from 1969 through 1974, spanning 117 episodes and several spin-offs. McCormick played the popularity-obsessed, oldest daughter, Marcia. While filming, she was romantically involved with Barry Williams, who played the family’s oldest son, Greg.
After “The Brady Bunch” came to an end, Maureen McCormick battled addiction. She secured guest roles in other hit shows including “The Love Boat” and “Fantasy Island,” but ultimately struggled to land bigger roles as a result of her addiction issues.
“It may sound funny, but I was lucky, too: despite the fact that I was doing drugs at all the hottest clubs in L.A., there were no paparazzi at the time, so I was never publicly humiliated or busted (I can’t even imagine how that would have played out now),” the actress wrote in a 2008 piece for Newsweek.
Getty“I started taking antidepressants more than a decade ago, and that’s when my whole world really changed,” McCormick continued in the article. “I started to feel like a normal person for the first time in my life. My husband will tell you that he thought the difference was night and day. At the risk of sounding like one of those TV ads, I can honestly say that antidepressants changed my life.”
At the time of writing, she noted that she had been sober for 27 years and felt more comfortable sharing her story.
Activism Became an Important Part of the Former Child Star’s Life
After overcoming her addiction battles, Maureen McCormick became interested in reality television. She competed on “I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!” and “Dancing With the Stars” season 23. McCormick partnered with Artem Chigvintsev and finished in 8th place out of 13 couples.
Today, Maureen McCormick is passionate about advocating for disabled individuals. During the Christmas season last year, she and her “Brady Bunch” co-star, Christopher Knight, teamed up to have a bowling party through the organization, Best Buddies.
On her personal Instagram, she occasionally discusses her brother, Denny, who has intellectual disabilities. In 2020, she became a Special Olympics Global Ambassador.
As Maureen McCormick celebrates her 70th birthday, she will undoubtedly enjoy some quality time with her family. She and her husband, Michael Cummings, married in 1985. They welcomed one daughter, Natalie, in 1989.
“Dancing With the Stars” season 35 kicks off at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15 on ABC. There will be a second episode the following night on Wednesday, September 16.
“The Brady Bunch” is available to stream on Paramount+.
