Ann B. Davis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ann B. Davis
Davis in 1973
Born	Ann Bradford Davis (1926-05-03)May 3, 1926 Schenectady, New York, U.S.
Died	June 1, 2014(2014-06-01) (aged 88) San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Michigan
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1953–1997
Known for	The Bob Cummings Show The Brady Bunch A Very Brady Christmas

Ann Bradford Davis (born May 3, 1926 – died June 1, 2014) was an American actress. She became famous for her role in the TV show The Bob Cummings Show from 1955 to 1959. For this role, she won two Emmy Awards. However, she is best known for playing Alice Nelson, the friendly housekeeper on the popular TV show The Brady Bunch (1969–1974).

Ann B. Davis's Early Life

Ann B. Davis was born in Schenectady, New York. Her parents were Marguerite and Cassius Miles Davis. She had an identical twin sister named Harriet. She also had an older sister, Elizabeth, and an older brother, Evans.

When Ann was three years old, her family moved to Erie, Pennsylvania. She went to Strong Vincent High School and later to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Ann first planned to study medicine. However, she changed her mind after seeing her older brother perform in the musical Oklahoma!. She decided to study drama instead. Ann graduated in 1948 with a degree in drama and speech.

Ann B. Davis's Acting Career

Ann B. Davis with Bob Cummings on The Bob Cummings Show in 1958.

Ann B. Davis was most famous for playing Alice Nelson, the housekeeper on The Brady Bunch.

Ann B. Davis started her television career in 1953. She appeared as a judge on a musical TV show called Jukebox Jury.

Her first big success was playing Charmaine "Schultzy" Schultz in The Bob Cummings Show. This show ran from 1955 to 1959. She got the role because a friend's boyfriend, who was a casting director, suggested her for the part. Ann B. Davis won two Emmy Awards for this role. She was nominated four times in total.

In 1960, Ann B. Davis received a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. During this time, she also worked in theater. She toured in a play called The Matchmaker and later replaced Carol Burnett in the Broadway musical Once Upon a Mattress.

From 1965 to 1966, Ann B. Davis played Miss Wilson. She was a physical education teacher in the TV show The John Forsythe Show.

Ann B. Davis was also known for appearing in TV commercials. She was in ads for the Ford Motor Company and for Minute Rice in Canada. She even performed as a stand-up comedian.

Playing Alice on The Brady Bunch

From 1969 to 1974, Ann B. Davis played her most famous role: Alice Nelson. Alice was the beloved housekeeper on The Brady Bunch TV series. She later returned for several Brady Bunch TV movies. These included The Brady Girls Get Married (1981) and A Very Brady Christmas (1988).

She also played Alice in two short-lived spin-off TV shows. These were The Brady Brides (1981) and The Bradys (1990). Both of these shows only lasted for six episodes. In 1995, she made a special appearance in The Brady Bunch Movie. She played a truck driver named "Schultzy," which was a nod to her earlier role on The Bob Cummings Show.

In 1994, Ann B. Davis wrote a cookbook called Alice's Brady Bunch Cookbook. It featured recipes inspired by the show and also included recipes from other cast members.

Later Career and Recognition

In the early 1990s, Ann B. Davis returned to theater. She performed in a play called Arsenic and Old Lace. She also appeared in the Broadway show Crazy for You and toured with it around the world.

Ann B. Davis never fully stopped acting. In her later years, she was a spokesperson for Shake 'n Bake and Swiffer cleaning products. She also took part in many Brady Bunch reunion projects. In 2007, The Brady Bunch received the TV Land Pop Culture Award. Ann B. Davis and other cast members accepted the award. She received a standing ovation from the audience.

Ann B. Davis's Personal Life

In 1976, Ann B. Davis moved from Los Angeles to Denver, Colorado. She joined an Episcopal Christian community there. This community later moved to Ambridge, Pennsylvania. Ann B. Davis was a longtime volunteer for the Episcopal Church. She attended services and worked at church events across the country.

Ann B. Davis never married. She was not publicly known to have been in any romantic relationships.

Ann B. Davis's Passing

Ann B. Davis passed away on June 1, 2014, at the age of 88. She died at a hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Earlier that day, she had fallen in her bathroom at her home in San Antonio. People close to her said she was in very good health for her age. Her passing was a surprise to them. She is buried in the Saint Helena's Columbarium and Memorial Gardens in Boerne, Texas.

Ann B. Davis's Works

Film Appearances

Television Appearances

Stage Performances

Ann B. Davis's Awards

Ann B. Davis was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards. She won two of them for her role as Charmaine "Schultzy" Schultz on The Bob Cummings Show.

On February 9, 1960, Ann B. Davis also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This star is located at 7048 Hollywood Boulevard. She also received TV Land Awards in 2004, 2006, and 2007 for her role as Alice Nelson on The Brady Bunch.

See Also

In Spanish: Ann B. Davis para niños