'Brady Bunch' actor dies at 84

LakeTahoe

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I remembered this show and remembered that actor. RIP Melvin. :(

'Brady Bunch' actor dies at 84 - CNN.com

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Allan Melvin, a character actor best known for playing Sam the Butcher on "The Brady Bunch," has died. He was 84.

Melvin died of cancer Thursday at his home in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles, said Amalia Melvin, his wife of 64 years.

The jowly, jovial Melvin spent decades playing a series of sidekicks, second bananas and lovable lugs, including Archie Bunker's friend Barney Hefner on "All in the Family," and Sgt. Bilko's right-hand man Cpl. Henshaw on the "Phil Silvers Show."

But his place in pop culture will be fixed as butcher and bowler Sam Franklin, the love interest of Brady family maid Alice Nelson, who was played by Ann B. Davis. Melvin played the role from 1970 to 1973.

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1923, Melvin grew up in New York and attended Columbia University.

He was appearing on Broadway in "Stalag 17" when he began his decades-long television career with "The Phil Silvers Show," playing a role his wife said was always his favorite.

"He was proudest of that show," Amalia Melvin said. "I think the camaraderie of all those guys made it such a pleasant way to work. They were so relaxed."

He saw steady employment as a voice actor from the early 1960s to the early 1990s, most famously providing the voice of "Magilla Gorilla" for the Hanna Barbera cartoon of the same name.

His other credits include several guest appearances on "The Andy Griffith Show," "Gomer Pyle: USMC," and "The Dick Van Dyke Show."

In addition to Amalia, Melvin is survived by daughter Jennifer Hanson and grandson Jon Hanson Jr. A daughter, Mya, died in 1970.
 
ah family used to watch Brady Bunch tv show in the 70's-80s. It's one of the favorite tv show.

RIP Amalia
 
Yes me too even though Brady Bunch is kinda cheesey show but I loved it as a child. I still watch it if there is nothing else on TV!

lol that's what I did too when I was little! The cartoon usually vanished during after midnight so I thought why not watch Brady Bunch lol.. Agree, Brady Bunch is chessy, but I am still enjoying it too..
 
yeah that is so sad

we the family too watch the show in 1970s it was good family show by then.
 
I watched reruns of this on TBS as a kid - I do recall the face but never the name. May he rest in peace.
 
I remember Sam the butcher on the show. I found out on my news he passed on. RIP Allan Melvin
 
Yep , I remember him as Sam the Butcher on the Brady Bunch and love the show as a child,, he was also on old show in 60 s in Archie Bunker show too.
 
Man, I watched the Brady Bunch reruns over and over again as a child. Sad that Sam the butcher has passed away.
 
Damn! My sisters and I used to watched that shows every days after school when I was teenager and I was surprised to hear that Allan Melvin has passed away.. It really saddened me caused he was so great actor on that show! RIP!
 
Oh I don't know....................Brady Bunch is cheesy but it's a lot better then Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Full House, and Step by Step, in terms of cheesiness.
 
I remember "Sam" very well, always trying to capture "Alice's" heart with his antics. That was a good show until I read "Greg Brady's" book (Barry Williams) about what occurred behind the scenes. After that, no more Brady Bunch. I think this was one of the first shows to use the laugh track, as it and many other shows, were never recorded in front of a live audience.

Other programs to follow were never funny, including all of the 'hits' of what is spoken of here. Archie Bunker's show and All in the Family (two distinct programs) were hilariously funny and still are; the others made after them aren't even remotely funny.

Those who didn't grow up watching the Brady Bunch missed out; rereuns aren't the same as they were when they first came out.
 
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