FLORENCE HENDERSON

When I first went to New York I was right out of high school, I was 17 years old, and I had never seen a building over two stories high.

My life has never been easy. It's like all the major events of my life have always been difficult.

I still get so much fan mail addressed to Carol Brady, and I think a lot of it's through the Net. And I always answer it, if it's legible.

I'm a '70s mom, and my daughter is a '90s mom. I know a lot of women my age who are real computer freaks.

I started in live television and I've done a lot of live TV and that's really the thing that I love best. I love flying by the seat of my pants.

I don't know that I would want to be married again, but I do love companionship.

My children and their happiness have always been my greatest concern.

There is no age limit on the enjoyment of sex. It keeps getting better.

I do think children come in wired a certain way. Why else would I be filled with hope and optimism? You just could not keep me down for very long. You can call it grace or a gift from God, but I do think I came in with it.

I have four of the most incredible children. And I have five grandchildren.

I grew up in a very large, poor family.

For me, 'The Brady Bunch' is just a part of the fabric of my career, but for a lot of people, that's it.

I had an instinct to gravitate towards people who were smarter than I was, teachers that were nice people that were trying to do things in life that were constructive, and that's what I gravitated to instead of what I saw and what I was in.

It was in 1969, and I thought, wow, you know, I really didn't want to do a TV series. You know, I had my own act, and I was performing in Vegas and doing all of these exciting things.

I don't ever remember not praying. Bedtime prayers, the rosary, praying for friends, relatives, for the sick and for those who had died. It was a natural part of our lives.

A lot of women say to me, 'You know, I really hated you because my kids wanted you to be their mother.'

You don't get happy by sitting around going on, 'Oh this is a horrible situation, what to do?' You've got to find the courage to change that. I think change is extremely hard for people.

If you want to wear long hair or wear that dress, as long as you're not hurting yourself or anybody else, I say do it. If you want to go out and have a romantic, sexy affair, do it.

It's so important to keep moving and don't buy into the myth. I say do anything you feel like as long as you don't hurt yourself or hurt anyone else. And things don't stop working in your body or your mind.

I frequently am contacted by people who want to thank me for 'The Brady Bunch.' Whether they grew up during the show's original television run or are brand-new fans of the present generation, they tell me how important 'The Brady Bunch' has been in their lives.

I may have more than one friend with benefits. It's very healthy for the heart. I think no matter how old you are - and I am pretty up there in terms of numbers - I think you should do whatever makes you happy.

I don't remember ever not singing. My mother loved music, and she taught me songs, country music, spirituals. I would sing for people and pass the hat when I was 4.

Being a mom makes you far more compassionate. You have more empathy for people, more love. I was always taught to say thank you, and I'm very grateful. And my kids have that quality, too.

People often ask me what happened to my first husband? And I say, I killed him.

I had four children. And my youngest when we started was like, oh, gosh, 2 or a little less. And sometimes my kids would say to me, you know, how come you don't scream at those kids on television like you do us?