Actress Maureen McCormick’s on-screen appearance as Cindy, the bubbly and upbeat member of “The Brady Bunch,” was the epitome of perfection, but in reality, her life was becoming more difficult with each passing day. She was ultimately successful in meeting the guy who would alter the course of her life.
In the beginning of her acting career, Maureen McCormick was cast in the role of Marcia Brady on “The Brady Bunch,” a role in which she played a lovely girl who came from a perfect home. In the part that she performed from 1969 through 1972, she gave the impression of being a healthy and cheerful young woman.
However, after the cameras stopped filming, she returned to a life that was everything from picture perfect. She lived in continual fear that she had contracted syphilis from her mother, who had been born with the disease.
On October 8, 2016, in Beverly Hills, California, Maureen McCormick and Michael Cummings were seen arriving to the Carousel of Hope Ball, which was held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel.
She sobbed at the possibility of ending up like her grandmother, who had passed away from syphilis after being hospitalized, and she concealed her emotions by sobbing during sequences in which her character cries.
McCormick could not help but worry about the disease, and as a result, she acquired anxiety and depression as a teenager. This was despite the fact that her mother had been treated for the ailment in order to prevent her from passing it on to her children.
In the episode of “The Brady Bunch” titled “The Subject Was Noses,” Maureen McCormick played the role of Marcia Brady. Date of first broadcast, February 9, 1973
Things had already been going poorly on the program, but when it was over, things went from bad to worse. A year after they finished shooting in 1975, McCormick’s life began to rapidly deteriorate and become more unstable.
At first, she had a relationship with a partner who was the one to first expose her to narcotics. She developed a dependency on it, and for the following five years, she was unable to break free of it on her own. Because she was Marcia Brady, her pals in the drug trade enjoyed having her around, which was beneficial to both their reputation and their enterprise.
However, the fact that she was known as Marcia Brady prevented her from landing additional jobs, which was a significant setback for her. Due to the fact that everyone still identified her with the role, it was difficult for her to be herself.
Maureen McCormick, an American actress, in the year 1997; image courtesy of Getty Images
However, not everyone else should take the guilt for what happened. She was always high on drugs and seemed to be lacking in sleep, all of which contributed to the fact that she was passed over for significant acting parts.
Her out-of-control conduct resulted in unintended pregnancies, in addition to a fleeting relationship with her on-screen brother Barry Williams, who also played her in the film. The actress most known for her role in “Big Baby” recently discussed her decision to have three pregnancies ended before she turned 20.
“I had abortions when I was 18, 19, and 20 years old respectively. It demonstrates how irresponsible I had been.”
HOW MAUREEN MET HER LOVE, AND HER LIFE CHANGED
Actress Maureen McCormick on December 7, 1990 in Beverly Hills, California, at the Grand Ballroom of the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel.
When shooting the first season of “The Brady Brides” in 1981, McCormick made his first effort to kick his drug habit for good. She was a no-show, and when she should have been on set interviewing her prospective on-screen spouse, she was instead locked up in her apartment using drugs. She was absent.
Her agent, Sandy Bressler, was forced to smash down the door to her apartment in order to gain entry. Once inside, she stripped her naked, tossed her in the shower, and told her to call for assistance.
After loading her into his vehicle, he drove her to see the late Dr. Eugene Landy, who turned out to be a poor choice for treatment since he prescribed her an excessive amount of medications that often left her feeling disoriented.
On December 8, 1997, in Las Vegas, Nevada, the 9th Annual Billboard Music Awards were hosted at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino. Actress Maureen McCormick was one of the attendees at the event.
The actor who portrayed her husband on “The Brady Brides,” Jerry Houser, eventually led her to church, which was just what she needed at the time. She had reached a point when she was “spiritually dead,” but the church ended up becoming her savior.
While she was there, she restored her relationship with God and started praying for forgiveness and salvation. Nevertheless, another great event occurred at the same time. It was love at first sight when she met Michael Cummings, who would later become her husband. She revealed that
“That was the turning point for me in being sober.”
Cummings turned into her most major support system and was the driving force behind her decision to quit drinking. Cummings confronted McCormick and told her that he would leave the relationship if she ever tried drugs again before they were married. This unfortunate event occurred before they tied the knot. She was able to recall: “It jolted me awake. It was comparable to taking a shower in the iciest water imaginable. There is just no way that I will ever let go of someone whom I love.”
The actress had a positive impression of Cummings and was confident in her ability to rely on him. Despite this, she continued to struggle with her demons and even made a threat to jump from the balcony one day; fortunately, her husband caught her and prevented her from carrying out her threat.
In 1985, they tied the knot and soon after, they became parents to a girl named Natalie Michelle. However, despite having her kid in her possession, she was still not doing well. She had feelings of depression most of the time and would weep every day despite the love she got from both her husband and the church. Her spouse was her primary source of support.
On October 11, 1998, actress Maureen McCormick was seen in Will Rogers State Park in Pacific Palisades, California, with her husband, actor Michael Cummings, and their daughter, Natalie Michelle. The event took place.
She did not start having fun and experiencing life to the greatest extent until a friend who was a doctor suggested that she get therapy. During her most difficult periods, her spouse never left her side and provided unwavering support. In spite of the concerns raised by his wife, he has nothing but complimentary things to say about her:
“My wife truly is an extremely strong lady, and throughout her life, she has faced some pretty huge monsters and triumphed over them,”
MAUREEN’S MARRIAGE AND MOTHERHOOD
After receiving therapy, McCormick’s life started moving in the right direction, and ever since then, she has made the most of every opportunity to take pleasure in living. She said that after beginning her therapy, she had the distinct impression that she had transformed into a normal person for the very first time.
Her partnership has endured over the years despite the early difficulties that they faced together in the beginning of their marriage. They just celebrated their 37th anniversary, and despite the passage of time, they are still going strong.
She believes that although while marriage is challenging, it is also quite rewarding. She has been married to the same man for 37 years, and during that time she has experienced love, kindness, and trust from him. She has also revealed that she respects him with all of her heart: “You just need to push through the times when they can make you so angry, or when you want to walk out that door but can’t for whatever reason. Today, I would put my life in that man’s hands!”
The actress from “Accidentally Engaged” said that being married was her greatest accomplishment, and that becoming a mother to their daughter was also very important to her. She had this to say about Natalie: “Our daughter is really beautiful, and she is a kind and kind person. Because we are now married, I believe that both my spouse and I have evolved as individuals as a result of our union.”
McCormick continued to praise her husband, claiming that he had never let her down, and even though they go through hardships in their marriage as anybody else does, they have chosen to keep working towards a mutual goal. McCormick continued to praise her husband even after he had let her down. She makes light of the situation by joking, “I don’t know whether anybody else could have taken me!” “The depth of our affection for one another has significantly increased.”