Florence Henderson,Ikaw Lang Ang Mahal who played America's most beloved TV mom inThe Brady Bunch, has died aged 82, her manager and her publicist said.
SEE ALSO: 'Brady Bunch' Star Ann B. Davis Dies at 88 After Fall in HomeHenderson, whose acting career spanned decades, died after suffering heart failure, her manager Kayla Pressman said in a statement.
Her role as matriarch Carol Brady, which she played from 1969 to 1974, established her as an icon of the blended family and resonated with many American households.
The show was so successful that it later returned to television in various forms, including "The Brady Bunch Hour" in 1977, "The Brady Brides" in 1981 and "The Bradys" in 1990.
"It represents what people always wanted: a loving family. It's such a gentle, innocent, sweet show, and I guess it proved there's always an audience for that," Henderson said in 1999.
In the show, Henderson's Carol is a cheerful single mother raising three daughters when she meets her TV husband, Robert Reed's Mike Brady, a single father raising three boys. Together they become "The Brady Bunch" with a quirky housekeeper, played by Ann B. Davis, thrown into the mix.
Before reaching TV fame, Henderson was already a Broadway star with lead roles in "Oklahoma!," "The Sound of Music," "South Pacific" and "The Girl Who Came to Supper" among others.
Besides "The Brady Bunch," Henderson made frequent TV appearances in variety shows and classic TV game shows. She was the “Today Girl” on NBC’s Todayshow and was the first woman to host the show for vacationing Johnny Carson.
Henderson's death was mourned by celebrities and fans alike on social media:
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The Associated Press contributed reporting.
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