#tv dad

[vee-dmsr]

[helloparkerrose]

Favorite TV Dads: Mike Brady and Andy Taylor

[catfindr]

[chaoflaka]

[aesoth]

[100gayicons]

I posted recently about Dick Sargent (the Second Darrin) who starred in the popular sitcom “Bewitched”. Today I’m posting about another popular Sitcom Dad - this one “The Brady Bunch”.

Robert Reed’s acting training took him from Illinois (studying at drama at Northwestern), to London (attending the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art), to Pennsylvania (performing in Summer Stock Theater).

After a stint at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago, Reed moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting professionally. He garnered a few guess roles on sitcoms, then he got his first big break - costarring on “The Defenders” (1961-1965) with fellow Studebaker Theater alumni E. G. Marshall.

When the series ended, he filled in for Robert Redford in the Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in the Park” on Broadway. That appearance got him a contract with Paramount Pictures which planned to make the comedy into a sitcom. When the network (ABC) decided to cast the main roles with African American actors, Paramount found a new show for Reed - “The Brady Bunch” produced by Sherwood Schwartz.

The Bunch ran for five seasons, then spin-offs, then a long run in syndication. Reed became synonymous with “TV Dad” for several generation of children.

But there were two secrets kept from the audience. First, Reed was unhappy with his role and often argued with the producers over scripts. He didn’t want the show to slide into farce like Schwartz’s other popular show, “Gilligan's Island”. In fact, Reed was so unhappy that he refused to appear on the final episode of season 5. Producer Schwartz was incensed and plan to replace Reed in the 6th season BUT the show was cancelled.

Reed’s other secret (a career killer in the 1970s) was that he was gay, although he had married (then divorced) a college sweetheart. Like other men of his generation, Reed was intensely private, never discussing his personal life with others.

Interviewed after his death, both Florence Henderson and Barry Williams revealed they knew Reed was gay during the production of the series, as did most of the cast and crew.

In 2000, Williams said:

“I don't think he talked about it with anyone. I just don't think it was open for discussion – period.”

Henderson added:

"Here he was, the perfect father… a perfect husband. Off camera, he was an unhappy person – I had a lot of compassion for him because I knew how he was suffering with keeping this secret."

In 1991, Reed was diagnosed with colon cancer. The next year he became gravely ill. Reed contacted Henderson and asked her to tell the rest of The Brady Bunch cast. He died at the age of 59. Reed did not have AIDS, but his death certificate indicated that his HIV+ status was a contributing factor to his death.

[samtaylorillustrator]

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[allaboutjmo]

‪Happy #NationalHuggingDay 🤗 Bringing back these adorable pictures of when Jen & her TV dad Josh Dallas reunited at Toronto airport (09/01/2018)