- Born
- Died
- Birth nameThomas Wardell Braden
- Thomas Braden was born on February 22, 1917 in Greene, Iowa, USA. He was a writer, known for Eight Is Enough (1977), An Eight Is Enough Wedding (1989) and Eight Is Enough: A Family Reunion (1987). He was married to Joan Vermillion Ridley. He died on April 3, 2009 in Denver, Colorado, USA.
- SpouseJoan Vermillion Ridley(December 18, 1948 - August 30, 1999) (her death, 8 children)
- Children
- Wrote book "Eight is Enough" based on real-life adventures of himself, his wife, Joan Vermillion Braden and their eight children, David, Mary, Joannie, Susan, Nancy, Elizabeth, Tommy, and Nicholas. Was inspiration for television show.
- After leaving the CIA, he bought a newspaper in Oceanside, CA. He became a popular columnist which led to jobs on television and radio as political commentator.
- Not realizing the show would be a hit, sold the rights of his book "Eight Is Enough" to ABC-TV for only $1,000.
- His children are David Braden of Taipei, Taiwan; Mary Poole of Alexandria, VA; Susan Braden of Takoma Park, MD.; Joannie Braden, Nancy Basta and Elizabeth Braden, all of Denver, CO; and Nicholas Braden of Washington, D.C. Son Tommy, the seventh of his eight children, died in 1994. He has 12 grandchildren.
- Worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), 1950-1954.
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