Susan Olsen, who played Cindy Brady on The Brady Bunch, remembers comedy legend Imogene Coca as the “most special” guest star she ever worked with—shy and hard to rehearse before filming, yet completely transformed once the cameras rolled.
Susan Olsen still remembers what it felt like to watch Imogene Coca change once production began.
“I knew a lot of classic TV stuff,” Olsen told ReMIND. “I wasn’t that familiar with her, but it was really amazing to me that she was so shy and then she had a hard time rehearsing. Then once the cameras were on, just changed, went right into the performance. I was fascinated with her.”
The moment clearly stuck with Olsen long after “The Brady Bunch” wrapped. She said Coca was “sweet enough” to send Christmas cards to the cast that year. “So she was special,” Olsen added.
In the episode “Jan’s Aunt Jenny. ” Coca played the eccentric aunt who taught middle daughter Jan to value character over appearance. The story centered on Jan finding a photograph of her great-aunt as a young woman and realizing how closely they resembled each other. Jan’s excitement quickly flipped to concern when she imagined growing older and looking like Aunt Jenny. someone she viewed as old. When Aunt Jenny visited the Brady home, Jan learned not to judge people by their appearance.
Olsen’s recollection carries an extra layer of meaning because she was only 11 at the time. She remembered watching Coca in quiet moments before filming—before Olsen fully understood what kind of television history she was witnessing. What she did understand. though. was the contrast: Coca’s reserved demeanor off-camera. followed by an effortless. confident performance once the cameras were rolling.
Coca’s character in the episode also brought its own kind of charm—witty, kind, confident, and memorable—giving Jan a perspective shift that landed with the Brady family and, in Olsen’s memory, with the audience too.
Olsen wasn’t the only guest star she held close. Besides Coca, she praised Desi Arnaz Jr., Davy Jones, and Joe Namath for their memorable appearances.
By the time Coca appeared on The Brady Bunch, she had already built one of television’s most accomplished careers. She was born on November 18, 1908, in Philadelphia, to parents both working in entertainment. Her father, José Fernandez de Coca, was a violinist and orchestra leader. Her mother, Sadie Brady, worked as a dancer and magician’s assistant.
As a teenager. Imogene Coca moved to New York at age 15 hoping to become a dancer. landing her first Broadway role in the chorus of When You Smile in 1925. Her breakthrough came in 1950 when she starred alongside Sid Caesar on Your Show of Shows. a live 90-minute sketch comedy series that became a major success and showcased Coca’s timing. expressive performances. and character work.
On that NBC Saturday-night program in prime time. she earned five Emmy nominations for Your Show of Shows. winning Best Actress in 1951. She was later honored with a Peabody Award in 1953. After that success, she headlined The Imogene Coca Show from 1954 to 1955 and continued working across television, theater, and film. Olsen also mentioned that Coca later worked as a radio host and appeared in multiple “Brady Bunch” reunion specials.
For Olsen. the enduring part of the memory isn’t just Coca’s career résumé—it’s the human contrast. She was drawn to what she saw in the quiet moments before filming began. and then she watched that shyness give way to performance. Years later, that transformation is still what makes Coca feel, to Olsen, like the “special” guest star she remembers most.
Susan Olsen The Brady Bunch Imogene Coca Cindy Brady Jan’s Aunt Jenny Desi Arnaz Jr. Davy Jones Joe Namath Your Show of Shows Emmy nominations Peabody Award