Susan Olsen
The youngest member of America's most famous televised family, she grew from a pigtailed child star into an outspoken artist and advocate for animal rights.
Born 1961 (age 65)·American actress·Birthday: August 14·Baby Boomers
Biography
Susan Olsen was cast as Cindy Brady at the age of seven, instantly embedding her giggle and signature catchphrase ('Mom always says...') into the fabric of American pop culture. The show's five-year run defined her childhood, but the aftermath presented the classic challenge of transitioning from a universally recognized face to an adult life. Olsen navigated this with a mix of creative exploration and blunt honesty about the industry. She studied graphic design, became a successful radio host in Los Angeles, and never shied away from her Brady roots, often participating in reunions with a wry self-awareness. In later years, she channeled her public platform into passionate advocacy for animal welfare, particularly focusing on cat rescue. Her story is less about escaping a role and more about integrating it into a multifaceted identity built on creativity and conviction.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Susan was born in 1961, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Susan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1961
#1 Movie
101 Dalmatians
Best Picture
West Side Story
#1 TV Show
Wagon Train
Susan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1961Born
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1966Started school
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1974Became a teenager
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Could drive
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1979Could vote
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Turned 21
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1991Turned 30
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 40
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 50
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 60
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 65 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed Cindy Brady for the entire original five-season run of 'The Brady Bunch' (1969-1974).
- Co-authored the book 'Love to Love You Bradys: The Bizarre Story of The Brady Bunch Variety Hour'.
- Had a successful decade-long run as a co-host on the Los Angeles radio station KLSX.
- Became an outspoken advocate for animal rescue and no-kill shelter policies.
Did You Know?
She is a talented visual artist and designed the cover for Barry Williams's (Greg Brady) book 'Growing Up Brady'.
Olsen owned a popular Hollywood boutique called 'The It Shop' in the 1990s.
She provided the voice of Cindy Brady in the animated series 'The Brady Kids'.
She is an avid supporter of cat rescue organizations and has fostered numerous animals.
“I was a child actor, and that's a very specific kind of work.”
