The Brady Bunch's OLIVER!: Lethal Weapon

[360whiplash]

Alot of old shows made the same mistake like the Brady Bunch series and got their own Cousin Oliver character and paid the price through cancellation like Different Stokes, All in the Family and the Jeffersons to name a few.

[pannoni1]

Not the only show where seeing his name on the credits is a sign of trouble; on Season 9 of the '80s-'90s Ninja Turtles cartoon, he voiced a one-shot character (quite ironic as he voiced Michelangelo in the three live-action movies).

[krakenwave]

1970s USA TV/film casting idea of what is a cute kid always puzzled us in our house (in the UK).

Anything gap-toothed, round-faced and blonde-to-albino seemed to be the look they went for - that, or some splodge-faced ginger monstrosity like Danny Bonaduce. Or a hybrid like that precocious little git in The Poseidon Adventure.

But the prize goes to Robbie Rist here a few years later in 'Big John Little John'. That flabby, bowl-cut-headed, squinty-eyed little git was the archtypal American brat

[Jefgg]

Oliver really was a jinx. He got the show canceled.

[Philburpalooza]

@Jefgg SHOOT! That's the 2nd comment someone beat me to!  (see @removetube)

[collegeman1988]

I'm convinced that John Denver WAS Cousin Oliver.

[1skullduggery]

@collegeman1988 it's his son, oliver denver...

[rem2267]

Ya know, that little cartoon sonofabitch during intermission was just as bad as Oliver. Both should be sentenced to watch videos of themselves for the remainder of their pathetic lives.

[vaibanez17]

Lets face it, Jan's painting sucked way before Cousin Oliver "ruined" it

[jacko5592]

@vaibanez17 for sure!

[vaibanez17]

They have a doghouse but their dog disappeared after the first season lol

[KOSMICKEN09]

Robbie Rist is on my friends list on facebook....he's a funny guy

[bravebelt67]

a john denver midget

[MANZACK125]

"It's butters!"

[ThePieIsLie]

Kill it KILL IT WITH FIRE!

[piplupmaster12345678]

HE MADE THE BRADY BUNCH DIE D : <

[phoenixsonrising]

Please, sir, I want some more.

[HUSKY57887]

He sounds like Rodney Dangerfield at 3:06.

[whitebishop1]

This little guy was the official point when this show jumped the shark.

[Tr0llsNeverDie]

cousin oliver was there when jfk was assassinated.

[gtz1975]

Ha ha ha he's just a future turtle!

[DM88]

@gtz1975 yes! and one of the best ninja's that is still going

[ForeverLeif]

kid, looks like a mini John Denver lol

[dabble778]

Kooky. Lots of work, well done. The Intermission was trippy thought :-0

[EvilRobo4]

THATS AMAZING!

[sammycut1]

I'm sure that this kid couldn't be the only reason the series was cancelled. He was only on for 6 episodes. Still, he's TOTALLY annoying! I remember seeing the episode he showed up and thought "OMG, this kid needs to get dropped off a bridge!" And I was a kid at the time so I was allowed to think it...

[dexx600]

It was a double edged sword that killed The Brady Bunch.

First NBC placed Sanford and Son (a Norman Lear developed sitcom)against it and was punishing the Bradys.

Second all the brady Kids got older (even the youngest, Cindy was about to go into puberty) they brought in Robbie Rist as Cousin Oliver to attract younger viewers. Both cases it proved to be poison, ABC had was forced to cancel the show without giving it a proper series finale.

[myrnaturner]

This is why You Tube was invented. Love it!

[smith1958b]

Whenever a series/sitcom adds a cute kid, wacky alien, or some oddly out of place character, the series has "Jumped the Shark," or "Cousin Olivered." Oliver sucked.

[TitaniumByFire]

Jans painting ended up looking like sponge bob

[ebf1957]

Robbie Rist along with Ted McGinley have destroyed TV shows when they appeared, but in all seriousness the Bardy Bunch ran out of gas and had (along with other TV shows) to add the cute kid or the tough family member (remember Olivia and Cousin Pam on the Cosby Show)?

[gamewizard]

Cousin Oliver really WAS a jinx! The Brady Bunch was cancelled after the episodes he appeared in. Coincidence? I think not!

[aoinatafanboy84]

Your video is genius, it only ripens the irony of Robbie's successful career.

[ecs25858]

The best part of this video happens from 6:20 to 6:58 !!!!! Awesome job!!!!!!

[prttypointe96]

thats robbie rist

[removetube]

Little John Denver. lol

[northbreed1]

Nice catch, removetube.

[DorisDayFanatic]

Yes!!!  I've thought that for years lol!!

[blackwhimsy]

@removetube There's a cute clip on YT of Robbie Rist aka cousin Oliver giving John Denver his 1976 American Music Award. Search for 'John Denver at American Music AwardsCeremony'. or copypasta /watch?v=Amf_xqYPXmc to the YT url.They're dressed in the same 1970s tux with huuuuge lapels and JD asks Robbie if he can take Robbie's place on 'The Bionic woman'. So cute it will give you diabetes!

[mentalwrd]

@removetube I swear this is my coworker christina!!

[ScattySafari]

@removetube He as brought in because he looked like John Denver,who was a big pop star at the time.

[Dragonrider3458]

So this is what Wiz was up too before he joined Kidd Video's band in the 80's and got sucked into a portal along with the rest of the band into Cartoon World. Very interesting!

[saraoligny]

are you serious??

[northbreed1]

Nonsense. Jan's undamaged painting would've sold for a hundred thousand dollars in today's discriminating market for art----and double that for Oliver's contribution (especially if he co-signed the canvas).

[saraoligny]

1:25 AHH Jan that painting was gunna turn out crappy anyway why does she bother yelling at oliver he fixed it, in other words her painting sucked!!!!

[saraoligny]

Oliver was an idiot, but he was ADORIBLE!!!!

[rthomas883]

Great Montage! I showed it to Robbie and he put it on his facebook.

[northbreed1]

Thanks. See his comment above.

[bobada123]

awesome. thank you.

[northbreed1]

...and it's ticking away with my sanity.

[Trash24713]

Pretty genius.

SOMEbody has an awful lot of time on their hands....