The Postcard
A postcard published by the Photographic Greeting Card Co. Ltd. The image is a glossy real photograph.
The card was posted in London E.1. on the 14th. August 1961. The postmark states: 'Express Good Wishes - Greetings Telegrams'
The card was posted to:
Miss C. Forbes,
39 Swifts Green Road,
Stopsley,
Luton,
Beds.
The message on the divided back of the card was as follows:
"Dear Christine,
Thank you for your card.
Mumbles certainly looks
a wonderful place.
Yes, we've just about
settled into our bungalow
although we find it rather
small.
I am enjoying my holiday
very much. There's plenty
to do in Wanstead. At the
moment I'm working in my
uncle's toy shop in Oxford
Street (it's just about where
the cross is).
I shall look forward to seeing
everyone at Luton in the near
future.
Love,
Gerry".
Does anyone remember a toy shop in that location in Oxford Street? It's certainly not there now.
Marble Arch
Marble Arch is a 19th.-century white marble-faced triumphal arch in London. The structure was designed by John Nash in 1827 to be the state entrance to the Cour d'Honneur of Buckingham Palace; it stood near the site of what is today the three-bayed, central projection of the palace containing the well known balcony.
In 1851 it was relocated, and following the widening of Park Lane in the early 1960's is now sited, incongruently isolated, on a large traffic island at the junction of Oxford Street, Park Lane and Edgware Road.
The traffic going round the traffic island these days is very heavy and fast-moving; don't try and cross the road like the lady in the photograph - you won't make it.
Susan Olsen
So what else happened on the day that Gerry posted the card to Christine?
Well, the 14th. August 1961 marked the birth of Susan Marie Olsen. Susan is an American actress, singer, voice artist, animal welfare advocate, artist, and former radio host.
Olsen is known for her role as Cindy Brady, the youngest Brady child in the sitcom 'The Brady Bunch' for the full run of the show, from 1969 to 1974.
Susan Olsen - The Early Years
Susan was born in Santa Monica, Ca., to Lawrence and DeLoice Olsen, the youngest of four children. Her siblings are:
- Larry (23 years older)
- Christopher (15 years older)
- Diane (5 years older).
Christopher was also a child actor, best known for his role in the 1956 feature film 'The Man Who Knew Too Much'.
Susan Olsen's Acting Career
Susan landed a number of supporting roles in television, most notably in 'Ironside', 'Gunsmoke', and 'Julia', and appeared in the Elvis Presley movie 'The Trouble With Girls' (1968) as a squeaky-clean singer in a singing contest.
The Brady Bunch
At just under the age of eight, Olsen was cast as Cindy Brady in The Brady Bunch. As an adult, Olsen has said that portraying Cindy made friendships difficult for her as a child.
She most disliked the Season Two "Tattletale" episode, in which Cindy incessantly tattles on her siblings. Because of the episode, she was shunned by real-life peers, who did not understand the difference between actors and their characters.
Olsen has appeared in all Brady Bunch reunion movies with the exception of 'A Very Brady Christmas' (1988), which was filmed when she and her first husband Steve Ventimiglia were on their honeymoon. In that movie, Cindy Brady was played by actress Jennifer Runyon.
Olsen reprised her role as Cindy Brady in the short-lived CBS spin-off series 'The Bradys'.
In 2005, VH1 ranked her No. 34 in The 100 Greatest Kid Stars of television and film.
In 2007, Olsen and her fellow cast members were honoured with the TV Pop Culture Award on the TV Land Awards, one of the few awards The Brady Bunch has ever won.
After The Brady Bunch
As a teen, Olsen was the voice for Sindy doll, made by Marx Toys from the mid-1970's.
As an adult, Olsen moved into the graphic design business, and in 1998 briefly marketed a brand of glow-in-the-dark shoes for Converse.
Susan also worked as a talk show host at the Los Angeles radio station KLSX from 1995 to 1996 with Ken Ober, and co-hosted and co-wrote another radio show with comedian Allan Havey at Comedy World in 2000.
Olsen has also been an advocate for migraine sufferers since 1998. She described her headaches on 'Larry King Live'.
An urban legend claimed that Olsen had become an adult film star. However in a late 1990's television interview, Olsen stated that her "porn" connection was that she created space ship sound effects for a porn film called 'Love Probe From a Warm Planet'.
She did this as a favour for a friend who worked in the technical side of the business. She went on to state that the legend got started because the star of the porn film 'Crocodile Blondee', which was widely distributed among troops during the Persian Gulf crisis, was rumoured to be her. She added that since the porn star was very pretty, she did not try too hard to dispel the rumour.
Susan Olsen's Work For Animal Welfare
In the fall of 2008, Olsen appeared on Fox Reality's 'Gimme My Reality Show', in which celebrities compete to win their own reality show. She used this vehicle to make a statement about animal rescue, a cause with which she is thoroughly involved.
On the 6th. June 2009, Olsen thanked retired game show host and animal rights activist Bob Barker when she accepted an honour at the GSN Awards.
As an animal welfare advocate, Susan also serves on the board of directors of the non-profit organization Precious Paws, a rescue group. Olsen personally cares for unweaned homeless kittens until they are old enough to adopt.
Love to Love You Bradys
On the 1st. September 2009, Olsen released the coffee table book Love to Love You Bradys: The Bizarre Story of The Brady Bunch Variety Hour which celebrates the 1976–77 television variety show The Brady Bunch Hour. In addition to many colour photos and artwork, the volume features over 100 interviews with Brady Bunch cast members, producers Sid and Marty Krofft, Sherwood Schwartz, Bruce Vilanch, Rip Taylor, and Paul Shaffer.
Further Roles
In September 2010, Olsen made a guest appearance on 'The Young and the Restless' playing Mrs. Liza Morton, the owner of a preschool.
In 2011, she appeared in season 3, episode 43 of The Biography Channel's reality show 'Celebrity Ghost Stories'.
The Feud With Leon Acord-Whiting
In December 2016, Olsen was fired from her radio show, 'Two Chicks Talkin' Politics' on LA Talk Radio, as a result of engaging in a feud with openly gay actor Leon Acord-Whiting.
Responding to comments Acord-Whiting had made about her on another station, Olsen unleashed an extensive and profane rant against him, accusing him of cowardice.
Acord-Whiting accused Olsen of homophobia for the remarks (which included repeated use of the word "faggot") and successfully lobbied to have Olsen fired.
Susan Olsen's Art Career
Olsen was the creator of Marshmallow Fluff-inspired art. Her work, called "Fluffart," has been curated into a collection made available in limited editions.
As an animal welfare advocate, Olsen has created another art collection, The Art of Rescue. She donates the proceeds to assist animals in rescue organizations until they are able to be adopted.
In July 2012, Olsen was one of a number of artists invited to show in Art with an Agenda: an Exhibit Inspired by Kelly Thomas at the PAS Gallery in Fullerton, California.
All the art on display was inspired by the life and circumstances surrounding the death of Kelly Thomas, a homeless, schizophrenic, 37-year-old man who was beaten by members of the Fullerton Police Department on July 5, 2011. Olsen's piece, entitled "Still Life," shows a half-eaten doughnut in a puddle of blood beside a lit flashlight.
Helen Shapiro
Also on the 14th. August 1961, the Number One chart hit record in the UK was 'You Don't Know' by Helen Shapiro. It was recorded when Helen was only 14 years old.
