Susan Olsen, best known for her role as Cindy Brady on The Brady Bunch, recently shared new details about the physical toll the show took on her during its five-season run. From on-set accidents to constant hair dyeing, Olsen says her experience as the youngest Brady sibling came with more than a few hardships.
Speaking on The Real Brady Bros podcast, Olsen revealed that she was nearly injured on the first day of filming when a piece of production equipment fell and struck her on the head. At a recent appearance at the Chocolate Expo, she discussed more behind-the-scenes challenges, particularly those involving her hair.
When asked by a fan if she had to dye her hair for the role, Olsen confirmed, “You bet. Every three weeks they had to dye my hair.” She added that viewers can see the inconsistency in her hair color, especially during the third season. “My hair is kind of a different shade of blonde every episode,” she said.
The character’s trademark curls also required extra effort. Olsen’s natural hair was straight, so it had to be curled regularly. “I had to keep it in rollers because my hair was straight. It couldn’t hold a curl unless I slept in them,” she explained, crediting her mother for styling the signature ringlets each week.
While other cast members were free to adopt various hairstyles reflective of 1970s trends, Cindy’s look was fixed in the show’s iconic theme song, which described her as “the youngest one in curls.” This made her hairstyle non-negotiable for producers.
Olsen wasn’t the only cast member who had to alter their appearance. Mike Lookinland, who played Bobby Brady, dyed his naturally light brown hair jet black to match his on-screen family. “All I had was Miss Clairol, Jet Black number 23,” he recalled. Olsen, by contrast, used a dye labeled “Classic Blonde.”
In addition to her hair troubles and early on-set injury, Olsen has also expressed frustration with her character’s portrayal. She admitted she was often teased for Cindy’s lack of awareness and questionable intelligence. “She’s nine years old, and she doesn’t know how to spell her sister’s name,” Olsen said. “I would get teased for everything stupid that Cindy did.”
Looking back, she joked that the strange mix of chemicals used in 1970s hair dye might have affected more than just her curls.
