Chris HelmsThe Enterprise
BROCKTON — When Tim King started his shift at the Cod on Tuesday, he had no idea he'd be teaching the guy who played Peter Brady on "The Brady Bunch" how to pull a pie out of the oven.
"I taught a Brady how to cook a pizza," King said later as he shared a table with the actor, producer and entrepreneur Christopher Knight.
Knight stopped by both Cape Cod Cafe and the Italian Kitchen Tuesday. He's is in the area to host a fundraiser for Journey Forward, a Canton-based charity that works with people who've suffered spinal cord injuries.
And for those wondering: No, the Cod did not prepare a special porkchop and applesauce pizza. For the record, Knight sampled two pies: one a half linguica, half pepper and onion, the other a half cheese, half pepperoni.
"It was brought up," said Jonathan Jamoulis, one of two brothers who own the Cod and the Italian Kitchen. "[We decided] Just leave the guy alone."
Arguably Peter's best-known scene on "The Brady Bunch" was channeling Humphrey Bogart to say what's for dinner: "Porkchops and applesauce."
What is Journey Forward in Canton, MA?
Journey Forward in Canton is a gym and program designed to help paralyzed people. If you've had a spinal cord injury, for instance, it offers intense exercise programs that aim to restore mobility if possible and at a minimum provide the benefits of exercise, according to the nonprofit organization's website.
"We work with paralyzed clients of all levels and abilities providing a very active and full body approach to recovery," Journey Forward's description of itself reads. "This is what separates Journey Forward from many other adaptive gyms."
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Why does Christopher Knight work with Journey Forward?
For years, Knight hosted Journey Forward's "Casino Night" fundraiser. This year's event is Thursday at King's bowling alley in Dedham.
"I was drawn to it," said Knight, 65. "It was planted in front of me and it spoke to me."
Knight said it's not the only charity he gives time to, but it's the only one he gives time to consistently.
"There are so many benefits to it," Knight said of Journey Forward.
Insurance does not pay for the intensive exercise program. It leverages million-dollar plus exercise equipment. Knight's wife, Cara, told of being impressed by seeing a patient able to move with the help of one such machine and see his own strides and rebuild neural pathways.
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Christopher Knight played Peter Brady in the 1970s: What else has he done?
Knight has "starred in a 'bunch' of TV shows and movies," to quote his punny Instagram bio. He's best known for playing Peter Brady, the middle son on "The Brady Bunch." The iconic series ran from 1969 to 1974, and Knight appeared in 117 episodes, according to IDMB.com.
His production company will release a documentary this fall about Callie Truelove, a young woman with Williams syndrome. The chromosomal disorder poses great challenges to her, but also gives her a kind of superpower to connect with people.
Outside of movies and TV, Knight has a furniture brand, Christopher Knight Home. You might have seen his furniture in an "accidental product placement" when Oprah sat the duke and duch*ess of Sussex in chairs from his line for her famous interview with the couple.
Knight is good-natured when folks want to talk about his most famous role. He said the enduring appeal of the show about what we'd today call a "blended family" is that kids like watching kids and learning "Where do I fit?" in their families. He said the show's best demographic now on reruns and streaming is probably ages 4-9. And it's huge in Australia.
The short history of Cape Cod Cafe in Brockton
Knight got a chance Tuesday to learn all about "bar pizza," a category he said he hadn't heard of before his visit to Brockton. Cape Cod Cafe not only slings a lot of the pies out of their restaurant, but they also sell frozen versions at grocery stores in the region.
The short history of the Italian Kitchen of Brockton
The Italian Kitchen is an iconic Brockton restaurant. The Jamoulis brothers bought it from the Tosches family last year. The staff has stayed largely the same across its 60-plus year history, as has the recipe for its famous meatballs.
Made a celebrity sighting? Send your news tips to reporter Chris Helms by email at CHelms@enterprisenews.com or connect on Twitter at @HelmsNews.Thank you, subscribers. You make this coverage possible. If you're not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Enterprise of Brockton.
