Barry Williams branches out after ‘Brady’ work

Is there anyone groovier than Barry Williams? The erstwhile Greg Brady of that TV touchstone “The Brady Bunch” and spinoffs, he went on to a career in musical theater and still turns up occasionally in such telefilms as Syfy’s “Mega Piranha” (2010) and “Bigfoot” (2012). For a time, he hosted “The Real Greg Brady’s Totally ’70s Pop Quiz” on Sirius Satellite Radio. And now a reality show, “A Very Barry Branson,” Thursdays on Great American Country, chronicles his attempts to make a success of his Branson, Mo., revue, “70s Music Celebration!”

Born Barry William Blenkhorn in Santa Monica, Calif., and raised in nearby Pacific Palisades, he began acting at 11.

He spoke with frequent Newsday contributor Frank Lovece.

“70s Music Celebration!” began in 2013. But you moved to Branson in 2011 to do “Lunch With the Brady Bunch.” What was that?

It was basically a one-man show with a live band, multimedia and me doing covers of various genres of music and telling my story and how I came to be there. It was a daytime show and a meal was served — it was incorporated into the performance — and I would tell stories about “Brady” things and the like.

So was it a ’70s lunch with, like, fondue?

(Laughs.) No. I don’t recall what it was, but it wasn’t a ’70s theme.

How long did the show run?

A partial season, and then I moved into a different show, “A Brady Brunch.” Everyone was telling me, “Brady.” And I was like, “Really? I don’t see that.” “Oh, yeah, it’s got to be ‘Brady’ because it’s Branson and it’s family, and this is how everybody knows you.”

So with my partner at that time, Yakov Smirnoff, we devised this thing in which we’d re-create the character roles — Bobby, Marsha, Jan, Cindy, Peter — hire dancers and singers, youngsters, and do a musical-variety show. That lasted one season — a full season is March through December.

Then Yakov and I had a parting of the ways, so I was no longer encumbered with this “Brady” thing and was able to create a show I’m really comfortable and at home with and that I really like. Plus, the “Brady” show wasn’t really succeeding in terms of numbers — not by a long shot.

That’s amazing to me, because the show is such a cultural touchstone.

You would think — and I did think. But we had to cancel shows sometimes for lack of audience.

How’s the revue going?

Well … let’s just say this: I’m still spending more money on the show and its marketing than I am making.