TV sitcom star unrecognizable 50 years after hit show and cocaine battle that saw her trade sex for drugs
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SHE was a golden girl of TV, playing a responsible big sister in a hit sitcom over 50 years ago. At 13, this actress charmed viewers with her girl-next-door image and seemingly perfect life. But as her fame grew she battled a devastating drug addiction, tragically traded sex for cocaine, and ruined her chances of becoming a big movie star.
![[This Brady Bunch star looks very different from her time on the popular sitcom]](https://www.the-sun.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/12/2025-gave-ultimatum-leave-ever-958824319.jpg?strip=all&w=705)
In 2008 Maureen McCormick spoke about surviving fame and trauma in her bombshell book, Here's The Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice. In the book, The Brady Bunch beauty also revealed husband Michael Cummings saved her with an ultimatum to get clean or he'd leave.
![[Fame came at a heavy price for the child star]](https://www.the-sun.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/12/2025-gave-ultimatum-leave-ever-958824344.jpg?strip=all&w=736)
The couple, who have been married for nearly 40 years, share daughter Natalie, 35 and now live a quiet life outside Los Angeles. However, Maureen, 68, hasn't turned her back on the show that she loved, and even reprised her role as Marcia Brady in the 2019 spin-off A Very Brady Renovation.
![[The Brady Bunch ran from 1969 to 1974]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/NINTCHDBPICT000519408724-e1567813177561.jpg?strip=all&w=890)
Susan Olsen, Mike Lookinland, Eve Plumb, Christopher Knight, Maureen and Barry Williams starred as the siblings in the US sitcom from 1969-1974 and reunited for the reboot. Speaking about returning to the role for another stint, Maureen recently told People: "It's so hard to do a reboot or a remake of something.
![[The cast are reuniting for a spin off show 50 years later]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/NINTCHDBPICT000054475456.jpg?strip=all&w=754)
"So I feel very protective of it in a way. It has such great memories for so many people, but it would just have to absolutely knock my socks off for me to want to do anything with it. I would know in my heart. "But it was such an incredible show to be a part of, and my best memories of the show are the people, the crew, and their families.".
![[The cast at the premiere of their new show A Very Brady Renovation]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/NINTCHDBPICT000519361617-e1567813347470.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
