Here's what Robert Reed loved about working on The Brady Bunch

The Brady kids made working on the series a little bit better for Reed.

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We all know how Mike, Carol, Greg, Marica, Peter, Jan, Cindy and Bobby became The Brady Bunch. Behind the scenes, a family was formed between the cast and crew.

The Brady Bunch was considered a light-hearted family sitcom that followed the lives of a blended family coming together as one. There weren't any major or harsh life lessons learned in the episodes, but they always showcased the value of family and the perks of telling the truth.

Critics had issues with the series, one being that it was too "clean," meaning the minor problems and solutions didn't replicate real life enough. Although the cast was grateful for the impact of the series, they also, later in life, voiced their opinions about the show.

Robert Reed was Mike Brady, the head of the household who raised six adventurous children along with his wife, Carol. There weren't many times the character had to become a "strict" parent, but the role became known as one of the best television fathers during the '70s, although the show debuted in 1969.

The actor loved playing the father of the bunch, but only because he enjoyed working with the children. "I'd love to be identified as the father of six. I'd love that. The role, apart from the ninny writers, is terrific," he told Gannett News Service in 1972. "These are the finest kid actors I've ever worked with."

Reed knew working with a hand full of children could be a bit challenging. However, Eve Plumb, Maureen McCormick, Susan Olsen, Barry Williams, Christopher Knight and Mike Lookinland made his job a little bit easier.

"There's never an argument or friction. The fact that they're good and pros is exciting to me," he added.

The actor praised Florence Henderson and Ann B. Davis, saying, "And Florence and Ann are the nicest people you can be with."

Despite having issues with the show's writing format and episode plots, Reed stayed on The Brady Bunch throughout the series run.


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48 Comments

manofawholebunchofvoices 17 months ago
Reed played a really odd school teacher on an episode of Family Affair. Cissy had a weird crush oh him and they invited him over for dinner and he ended up calling Buffy and Jody Little Monsters!
KirwoodDerby 18 months ago
I know Reed had some problems with the writing on the show and as I got older I noticed how embarrassingly stupid the show really was, especially the later seasons. This could have been one of those shows that aged with dignity, instead it's very difficult to watch anymore.
I blame the Schwartzes for never giving into Bob's legitimate criticisms. But, if you look at Sherwood's body of work; Gilligan's Island and Curry's Trail, your expectations can't be too high. He never let logic get in the way of a plot he'd written. I mean, how many people escaped that damned Island without dispatching help for the castaways. Oh, Sherwood, you must have laughed all the way to the bank.

ncadams27 18 months ago
Many people don’t want sitcoms that “represent real life”. They want fantasy and humor. They can get real life at home, work, and school. They watch TV to entertain them. I never expected sitcoms to mirror my actual life. If so, I would have a horse that talks, a witch for a wife, live on an island, and not watch TV (sitcom characters don’t spend much time watching TV).
BobbieSue17 18 months ago
The Brady Bunch, my all time favorite show as a child, and still today! The whole cast was just great!!!
samseal 18 months ago
Who the heck is Marica? Shouldn't it be Marsha?
samseal 18 months ago
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Zip samseal 18 months ago
You know! "Merica."
327053 18 months ago
He was a true professional and a great TV dad to us Gen X’s. 😄
PawAboutMeGrooms 327053 18 months ago
Great actor even before the Brady Bunch. He did an awe
Runeshaper 18 months ago
Good story. Thanks for sharing, MeTV! 😊
JamesB 18 months ago
I looked forward to the Brady Bunch when it was in first run, of course to see Maureen McCormick, who was a bit older than I was. I didn't identify with one character, but liked all of them. We didn't have a housekeeper so that was something new. The episodes did have lessons for kids like me, as the worst stuff that happened at my grade school were some cigarette smoking or petty mischief. We didn't care if older kids mocked the show, since those kids were regarded by us as jerks, anyways. The show didn't end well, but when you work with growing kids, it would always come to an end!
manofawholebunchofvoices 18 months ago
Robert Reed pops up on Mannix a bunch of times, and what is really interesting is the Brady House set is used on Mannix every now and then but I don't think Robert Reed was ever in those scenes. I think he was not aloud to appear in any scene taking place on the Brady set because that would just be too weird.
😉What's mistaken a lot of times. Is that the BB house wasn't Mannix home (re: set design). In fact it was very, very thoughtfully put together. Which is appreciated only after watching all the episodes. Meaning, that it was multi-level, where he could hide clients, or entertain ladies, or gave an excuse for a costume change. Additionally, there was a way to escape from the upper floor. To spy on suspects. And then, they introduced the other dwellings (of Paseo) for the office people Mannix knew/helped. I mean, it was a building for all kinds of purposes. And curiously his address, shares a street (via the long view) of a very distinctive, multi-arched white building. The BB "home/yard" must've filled a much larger set on TCF lot. Used for crowd shots and entertaining. RR probably wasn't the acting Lt. in enough episode to warrant his appearance on that set. IMO, it wasn't a matter of being weird. People probably would've chuckled.
And why are you the man of a whole bunch of voices?
Oh I do lots of voices and impressions. I actually narrate a famous Disney ride based on an old television show that shows on MeTV!!
LalaLucy 18 months ago
Yep. Reed was famously critical of the writing. Yet, I could often see his point. My family and I watched the reruns quite a lot-enough that we had a "how quick can you spot the episode?" game- but it was always with tongue firmly in cheek. Eh, heavy on the hokum, yes, but I will actually give it a little credit for not smutting things up like so much of today's fare. At least, my family and I could watch and only cringe over poorly written scripts. 😄
LoveMETV22 18 months ago
From his bio "The Defenders" and "The Brady Bunch" were his most recognizable series.
Credit to Sherwood Schwartz for his patience with Reed as he was clearly a thorn in his side during the production of TBB.
Truvy LoveMETV22 18 months ago
Don’t forget Mannix!
Bapa1 LoveMETV22 18 months ago
He had some show called 'Runaway' where he located, well runaways. I think he also had a recurring part in Battlestar Galactica 80.
CouchPotato19 Bapa1 10 months ago
He had a part in "His Boyfriend", too.
Deleted 18 months ago
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BlueRabbit20 18 months ago
Same to you and all of our MeTV family🐇🐰
KaterTot 18 months ago
This article is very positive concerning Robert Reed. I love Robert Reed's work as an actor, but I've seen the Growing Up Brady movie based on Barry Williams' book, and I feel like this article was missing some stuff, ya know?
LalaLucy KaterTot 18 months ago
Same here.
Andybandit 18 months ago
That is good that Robert liked playing a TV Dad. I don't know if he has kids of his own.
cperrynaples Andybandit 18 months ago
Well,if you read my post below, It should come to you...LOL!
cperrynaples cperrynaples 18 months ago
Out of fairness, I checked Wikipedia and yes he had a daughter from an early marriage! However, that ended a decade before TBB!
MrsPhilHarris 18 months ago
I’m not sure why he thought the show was going to be more compelling. Did he not read the script of the first episode?
bradyguy MrsPhilHarris 18 months ago
He did. It's been reported many times that Reed did NOT think the show would ever be picked up. Hey...a job's a job...take the money...and move on to the next thing. Oops...117 eps later....there he was.

But I think most of us fans are grateful that the show did go forward for five years, and despite hsi difficulties with the series' silliiness at times, Reed was a huge part of a show that is very dear to many of us. Thanks, Bob!
Bapa1 18 months ago
........except for the last episode.
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LoveMETV22 Adanor 18 months ago
Yes Sherwood Schwartz has said in interviews that Reed did show up during the taping of the last episode. SS was very mindful of the other cast in that regard, however even though the network executives said they could have had Reed removed from the set, Schwartz allowed him to remain as long as there were no disruptions. Again a lot of credit to Mr. Schwartz for his patience throughout the series when dealing with Robert Reed.
Henderson LoveMETV22 18 months ago
Yeah, I read an article saying he was a jerk thru out all the seasons. He thought the scripts were foolish and had arguments with SS a lot. Lost respect for him for that.
LoveMETV22 Henderson 18 months ago
He was certainly a difficult or challenging actor on the Brady Bunch series at least from
Sherwood Schwartz's perspective, but he wasn't the only difficult actor in the Entertainment Industry then or now.
Pacificsun CatBeau 18 months ago
MeTV 2am last 5 years currently S4 Ep8
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