Published: September 9, 2023

JULIEN’S AUCTIONS

THE ICON NEWSLETTER

9.9.23

Julien’s Auctions is thrilled to present an auction featuring property from the personal collection of actress Eve Plumb. Plumb began acting on television at the age of seven, and rose to enduring worldwide fame as Jan Brady on The Brady Bunch. Since then she has played subversive roles in cult classics like Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway, Keenen Ivory Wayans’ I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, and Gregg Araki’s Nowhere, and has achieved success on stage and as a painter.

Plumb’s most well-known character, Jan Brady—the middle child between Cindy and Marcia—had trouble loving herself, but this is why fans tend to have the strongest connection with her. She had the most relatable problems. Of course, all of the Brady kids had their issues, but their most memorable ones were mostly circumstantial: Marcia getting hit on the nose by Peter’s football and losing her date with the school hottie; Peter breaking Carol’s vase while playing ball in the house (he needed to stop throwing things); Cindy losing her doll. But Jan’s problems were existential: Could she develop her own identity apart from those around her? Would she be able to tolerate the social implications of life’s uncontrollable imperfections (like having to wear glasses!)? What would happen to her as she grew older, would she become an eccentrically made-up Imogene Coca? Even adults often face similar dilemmas. It’s probably one of the reasons we keep watching re-runs.

Jan didn’t just complain, she was resourceful. She had the courage to make changes to get what she needed from life. To establish an identity apart from her sisters, she wore a curly black wig. When her crush was dazzled by Marcia’s beauty, she invented a boyfriend (George Glass). These ventures never worked out for her, but ultimately she learned that she was good enough just the way she was.

Like many insecure young people, Jan had a fabulous adulthood (documented in A Very Brady Christmas and The Bradys). She became a successful architect, she had a terrific brownstone, she looked great, and she married the best husband on the series (other than Mike!), the very handsome and very dorky academic Philip. Life brought complications, including a rough patch in her marriage to Philip, and their difficulty having a child. As always though, Jan handled it with resilience and came out on top.

Click here to view many one-of-a-kind treasures from the production of The Brady Bunch and other items from Eve Plumb’s remarkable career.