That about sums it upthanks - I think

In the early 1980s Allan Melvin appeared as a regular in "Archie Bunker's Place", a successor to "All in the Family", in which he played the role of Barney Hefner. When this series ended in 1983, Melvin's work was exclusively devoted to cartoon voice-overs. Melvin died of cancer on January 17, 2008 at age 84. Ann B. Davis passed away on June 1, 2014. But Alice and Sam will live forever.
In "A Very Brady Christmas" Sam The Butcher was played by Lewis Arquette. Arquette died in 2001 due to congestive heart failure.

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I looked him up and from 1984 to 1994 he only did voice over workbrady buncxh xmas movie was in the middle of than 10 year span.

i read in a magazine that allan melvin was not approached for the role and felt slighted by it before he died.

Actually he would have been 46 in 1969 when the series began which means he would have been 65 in 1988. So not too old to have played the part again. Maybe he was in ill health at the time or was tied up with other jobs. He voiced several cartoon characters in 1988 according to IMDB so it is possible that he had a schedule conflict that couldn't be resolved.

Yeah, from the first time I saw it, I wondered if they couldn't or wouldn't get the original Sam, why couldn't they at least get an actor that sounded like him?

Actually he kept working til 1994 some six yrs after this movie was made. More likely it was a scheduling conflict as he did do voice work for some cartoons in 1988.

The reason they used a fake was because Allan Melvin had retired by then and had no interest in returning.

"It shouldn't have mattered whether or not he looked too old or not. All he had to do was wear a Santa Clause suit. You're supposed to look old in that."
Basically, they used that Santa suit to hide the fact that it wasn't our beloved Allan Melvin playing Sam.
Remember, when "Sam" came to the Brady House dressed as Santa, and alice asks him what he brought her for Christmas, he answers, "Yes, I brought me". At that moment, he has his back to the camera as he takes off his phony beard momentarilly as Alice exclaims "SAM!". Then he puts the beard back on, and then the camera goes back to showing his face (with the Santa beard).
No doubt, if they had the actual Sam, Allan Melvin, in the cast, they would have expanded his part and not have used that phony story line about Sam leaving Alice for another woman. And would have not hidden his face behind a Santa beard.

I assumed he had died as well but he is still alive.today.
It shouldn't have mattered whether or not he looked too old or not. All he had to do was wear a Santa Clause suit. You're supposed to look old in that.

wow, for years i had thought that the original sam had died, so they had to get someone else!!

"I just assumed Allan Melvin wasn't available though I have never heard any concrete story as to why he didn't play Sam."
It could be that he was too old. I mean, he looked like he was in his fifties during his appearances on the Brady Bunch. It could be that he looked too old, even for Alice.
(Though he give a few voice over commentaries on the Phil Silvers show (Bilko) DVD

I just assumed Allan Melvin wasn't available though I have never heard any concrete story as to why he didn't play Sam.

I would have liked the real Sam.
I didn't mind the replaced Cindy so much because Jennifer Runyon was HOT!!!
"You said it, Curly..ACK!"

LMFAO!!!

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ah, Dude - Jan wasn't fake she is Eve Plumb - my fave

Susan wasn't it because when they began filming itshe was on her honeymoon. (She is now twice divorced for the record).

How come I thought usan Oleson wasnt in it because they offered her less money than everyone else? Thats just a rumor?
(What a crappy fake Sam they picked. Much worse than Fake Jan (VARIETY SHOW)and Fake Cindy!)
LOUD & PROUD HAL LOVER
LIVING IN THE PAST
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WHATEVER. I thought it was AWESOME.

A better question would beWhy "A Very Brady Christmas"? It stank.

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