Robert Plant Appears On The Brady Bunch As Cousin Oliver’s Father
On This Day in 1974, Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant appeared as a special guest star on The Brady Bunch.
Plant was a big fan of the show and agreed to appear on season 5. He starred as Cousin Oliver’s biological father, Nigel Featherswallow. The show’s creator was excited for the idea. Sherwood Schwartz jumped at the thought of a real life rock star joining the cast.
Cousin Oliver of course, is the chubby little dimwitted Brady cousin. He was played by the real life chubby little dimwit, Robbie Rist. Oliver is the son of Carol’s brother Jack and his wife Pauline. When they travel to an archaeological dig in South America, and their son is unable to accompany them, he is sent to live with the Bradys.
Robert Plant on Brady Bunch
The plot of this episode is that Nigel is a rock star who had an affair with Oliver’s mother Pauline after a concert. Pauline ended up pregnant and Nigel is the father. Pauline and her husband Jack die in a mysterious accident in South America and Nigel shows up to collect Oliver and the fortune in insurance money that the boy is due. Hilarity ensues.
Nigel ends up taking Marcia to the prom and his band, “Iron Balloon” perform the Led Zeppelin classic, “Dancing Days”. Meanwhile backstage Bobby & Cindy listen as the band’s manager discusses the plan to steal the boy’s money and leave him on the side of the road. The kids alert Oliver of the plan but the boy is too enamored of Nigel and refuses to listen. Oliver is found at a truck stop three days later bound and gagged in the cab of an 18 wheeler. Nigel and the money is long gone. Oliver refuses to say what happened.
Jump The Shark
Robert Reed hated the episode and refused to take part. He also hated Robbie Rist and everything about cousin Oliver. Reed stood on the sidelines during filming and heckled Rist, calling the boy a fat little freak. Rist broke down in tears and security dragged Reed away screaming profanities. Many say The Brady Bunch jumped the shark when cousin Oliver appeared. The show soon went off the air.
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