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Monday, March 1, 2010

eight is enough wher...


Long before there were Octomoms and reality TV shows featuring dozens of children there were the Bradfords of ABC's 'Eight Is Enough.' The sitcom was based on the life and book of syndicated newspaper columnist Thomas Braden and his real-life eight children. 'Eight Is Enough' aired for five seasons from 1977-1981. The cast reunited on 'The Today Show' March 1, prompting our trip down memory lane.

Adam Rich
Nicholas Bradford
Rich played the youngest of the eight, lovable Nicholas. After 'Eight' he went on to guest star on 'The Love Boat,' 'Baywatch' and 'Fantasy Island,' but Rich is now most likely remembered for his legal troubles. Rich, who did not appear on the 'Today Show' reunion, has had numerous arrests due to substance abuse, shoplifting and breaking and entering. In fact, Rich's TV dad, Dick Van Patten bailed him out of jail at one point. In 2003, Rich was arrested for driving while intoxicated on a stretch of Interstate 10 in the Los Angeles area.

Dick Van Patten
Tom Bradford
Van Patten is no stranger to TV fans. After portraying the 'Eight' patriarch for five years, Van Patten appeared on programs such as 'Arrested Development,' and '7th Heaven.' Van Patten made regular appearances in Mel Brooks films including 'Spaceballs' and 'Robin Hood: Men in Tights.' In November 2009, Van Patten co-wrote 'Eighty Is Not Enough,' a book detailing his insights and anecdotes from his long career.

Willie Aames
Tommy Bradford
After 'Eight,' Aames went on to another memorable role as Buddy in 'Charles in Charge.' After 'Eight,' Aames struggled with drugs, but eventually mended his way and became an ordained minister. From 1995-2004, Aames played Bibleman in a video series and tour. He recently resurfaced in the public eye after an appearance on VH1's 'Celebrity Fit Club' where he displayed erratic behavior and clashed with the cast. In 2008, Aames filed for bankruptcy. Aames' financial troubles were documented in the VH1 program 'Broke & Famous: Willie Aames."

Betty Buckley
Sandra Sue Abbott
Buckley joined the 'Eight' cast during the second season after Dianna Hyland's death. Buckley's character became the stepmom of the Bradford kids. After 'Eight,' Buckley appeared in several films including 'Tender Mercies,' 'Another Woman' and 'Frantic.' Buckley's other TV credits include 'Monk,' 'Without a Trace' and 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.' Buckley, an accomplished singer and Broadway star, has released 13 albums, her most recent in 2008. Buckley can next be seen in the HBO series 'The Pacific.'

Grant Goodeve
David Bradford
Like many of his 'Eight' costars, Bradford went on to guest star on numerous shows including 'The Love Boat,' 'Dynasty' and 'Fantasy Island.' Goodeve also appeared on 'One Life to Live' and 'Murder, She Wrote.' The actor has also done some voices for several popular video games including 'Star Fox: Assault' and 'Team Fortress 2.' Goodeve recently took to the stage and appeared in performances with the Taproot Theatre Company.

Laurie Walters
Joanie Bradford
After 'Eight,' Walters made guest appearances on shows such as 'Cheers,' Highway to Heaven' and 'Dragnet,' but she has not acted on TV since 1993. Currently, Walters is the head of film acquisitions for Ironweed Films, a distributor of independent documentaries and short films.

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