Ann Davis of The Brady Bunch

Ann Bradford Davis or better known as Ann B. Davis in the entertainment world was perhaps best known for her role in The Bob Cummings Show. Davis won two Emmys for her role in The Bob Cummings Show in 1958 and 1959 for her supporting role after being nominated for the same award for two consecutive years. Born on May 3rd 1926 in Schenectady in New York, Ann, along with her twin, Harriet grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania. The daughter of Cassius Davis, an electrical engineer and Maguerite Davis, an amateur actress, Davis graduated from Strong Vincent High School and originally wanted to be a doctor, studying pre-med at the University of Michigan.

However, Ann Davis had a change of heart during her studies. She started dabbling in acting and finally graduated from University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, looking to be an actress on the big stage. While waiting for her first major role, Davis acted in tent shows around Michigan after graduating, auditioning for roles in several television and stage shows. Davis’s big break came in the entertainment industry came in the form of a role called Schultzy, in 1955, on NBC’s famous sitcom, The Bob Cummings Show. Davis starred in largely supportive roles between 1959 and 1965 after her role in The Bob Cummings Show, before landing the role of Miss Wilson, a teacher in the sitcom, The John Forsythe Show for five episodes.

Her role as Schultzy and Miss Wilson garnered enough attention and landed her the role she is most recognizable for, as Alice the housekeeper in highly rated The Brady Bunch. Best remembered for her brassy yet classy style of acting in the Brady Bunch, Ann Davis played the role as Alice Nelson throughout the 1970s to the early 1990s, also touring Vietnam, Thailand and Korea with the USO before taking a much needed break in early 1990s. In 1992, Davis landed her first Broadway role, in the musical comedy Crazy for You, which ran until 1996.

Despite being largely away from the screen since then, Ann Davis never really fully retired from the entertainment industry, appearing in commercials and other projects. Davis has also appeared in Brady Bunch related shows, mostly during their reunion projects. Davis was seen being awarded the TV Land Pop Culture Award alongside her other Brady Bunch co-stars where they were thanked for their influence in the television culture.

When she is away from the television screen, Ann Davis now spends her time living near San Antonio, Texas at a religious community where she is involved in mostly charity work and bible-related studies. Despite never landing a main role, constantly reprising supportive roles, Davis’s work, mainly in The Bob Cummings Show and The Brady Bunch showed her class as an actress capable of equaling the performances of other more-renowned actresses in the business. Fans of The Brady Bunch will lovingly remember the role played by Davis as the affable and charming Alice Nelson, donning her trademark blue maid uniform and white apron.