You probably remember the blue delivery truck. You definitely remember the jokes about rump roasts and prime cuts. For a guy who only actually appeared in eight episodes of the original series, Sam the Butcher—or Sam Franklin, if you’re being formal—is a massive part of the Brady Bunch mythos. Honestly, if you ask a casual fan, they’d swear he was in the kitchen every other Tuesday.
The truth is a little weirder.
Sam was the perpetual "almost-husband" to Alice Nelson. He was the guy who could fix Mike Brady’s payphone crisis with a handful of dimes but couldn't quite seem to commit to a wedding date for most of the 1970s. Played by the legendary character actor Allan Melvin, Sam was more than just a plot device to get Alice out of the house. He was the anchor for the show’s most grounded relationship.
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Who Was the Man Behind the Meat?
Allan Melvin wasn't just some guy they found at a deli. He was a powerhouse of 20th-century television. Before he ever handed a package of ground chuck to Ann B. Davis, Melvin was already a veteran of The Phil Silvers Show, playing Corporal Steve Henshaw. He was the kind of actor whose face you knew instantly, even if you couldn’t quite place the name.
He had this jowly, approachable look that screamed "neighborhood guy."
But get this: Melvin was also a voice-acting titan. He was the voice of Magilla Gorilla. He was Bluto in The All-New Popeye Hour. He even voiced Drooper from The Banana Splits. When you watch Sam on The Brady Bunch, you’re watching a guy who spent his mornings in a recording booth yelling about bananas and his afternoons at Paramount Studios flirting with a housekeeper.
Melvin’s Sam Franklin was a small business owner. He owned Franklin's Meat Market. In the 1970s, that meant something. He was a bowler, a member of the Supermarket Bowling League, and a guy who clearly loved his work—maybe a little too much, given the sheer volume of meat-based puns he dropped on Alice.
The Relationship That Defined the Kitchen
The dynamic between Alice and Sam was the only adult relationship on the show that wasn't "perfect." Mike and Carol were the gold standard of 70s suburban bliss. Alice and Sam? They were real. They had squabbles. They went on dates to the Meat Cutter’s Ball.
Alice was clearly the one driving the bus toward marriage. There’s a classic episode where she thinks Sam is looking at blueprints for a new house—only to find out he’s just expanding the meat locker. Ouch.
You’ve gotta feel for Alice. She spent five seasons waiting for a ring that never came during the original run. Fans often wonder why they didn't just get married. From a production standpoint, it was simple: if Alice got married, she’d likely leave the Brady house, and then who’s making the pork chops and applesauce? The "9th square" of the opening credits was too important to lose.
What Really Happened After the Show Ended?
If you only watched the original five seasons, the story of Sam on The Brady Bunch feels unfinished. But the "Brady-verse" is deep.
- The Wedding: It finally happened. In the 1981 spin-off The Brady Brides, we learn that Sam and Alice finally tied the knot. It took nearly a decade, but Sam made an "honest woman" out of her.
- The Scandal: This is the part most fans hate. In the 1988 TV movie A Very Brady Christmas, the writers did something controversial. They had Sam cheat on Alice. He left her for another woman (or as he put it in a note on butcher paper, he was "spicing her rump roast"). It was a bizarre, dark turn for such a wholesome character.
- The Redemption: Thankfully, the movie ends with Sam dressing up as Santa, begging for forgiveness, and Alice taking him back. By the time the short-lived 90s drama The Bradys aired, they were still together, though Sam had retired and was mostly off-screen, supposedly driving Alice crazy at home.
Why Sam Franklin Still Matters
There’s a reason people still talk about Sam. He represented the working-class side of the Brady world. While Mike was designing skyscrapers and the kids were dealin’ with "Greg’s attic room" drama, Sam was just a guy trying to run a shop and keep his bowling average up.
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He was also the source of some of the show’s most "adult" humor. Rewatching those scenes now, the double entendres are everywhere. When Sam talks about his "large brisket," the writers were definitely winking at the parents in the audience.
Actionable Tips for Brady Bunch Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into the history of Sam and the rest of the crew, here's how to do it right:
- Watch the "Big Sprain" Episode: This is one of the eight precious Sam appearances. It shows him stepping up for the family while Alice is incapacitated, proving he was more than just a boyfriend—he was a de facto Brady.
- Check out Allan Melvin's Voice Work: Go find an old clip of Magilla Gorilla. Once you hear Sam's voice coming out of a cartoon ape, you'll never see the butcher shop the same way again.
- Visit the Cemetery (Virtually or in Person): Allan Melvin passed away in 2008 and is buried at Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles. He’s surrounded by legends like Marilyn Monroe and Dean Martin—fitting for a guy who was "TV's most recognizable face."
- Skip the Christmas Movie (Unless You Want to be Mad): If you want to keep your image of Sam as the lovable, loyal butcher, maybe skip A Very Brady Christmas. The cheating subplot is a weird footnote in an otherwise wholesome legacy.
Sam Franklin wasn't just a butcher. He was the guy who reminded us that even in the world of Astroturf backyards and perfect hair, everyone needs a friend who can bring over a good steak and a few jokes. Allan Melvin took a bit part and turned it into an icon. That’s why, 50 years later, we’re still talking about Sam.