Robert Reed
Robert Reed | |
---|---|
Spouse |
Marilyn Rosenberger
(m. 1954; div. 1959) |
Children | 1 |
Robert Reed (born John Robert Rietz Jr.; October 19, 1932 – May 12, 1992) was an American actor. He played Kenneth Preston on the legal drama
Early life
Reed was born John Robert Rietz Jr. in the northern Chicago suburb of
In his youth, Reed joined the 4-H agricultural club and showed calves, but was more interested in acting and music.[4] While attending Central High School in Muskogee, he participated in both activities. Reed also took to the stage, where he performed and sang. He also worked as a radio announcer at local radio stations and wrote and produced radio dramas.[5] Reed graduated from Muskogee Central in 1950, and enrolled at Northwestern University to study drama.[6] During his years at Northwestern, Reed appeared in several plays under the direction of Alvina Krause, a celebrated Northwestern drama coach.[4] Reed performed in more than eight plays in college, all with leading roles.
He later studied for one term at the
Career
Reed made his first guest-starring appearance in an episode of
While appearing on The Defenders in 1964, Reed made his Broadway stage debut as Paul Bratter in
The Brady Bunch
Appearing in the Neil Simon play Barefoot in the Park led to two new contracts at Paramount Pictures and ABC, both in 1968. When Paramount had decided to turn the television version of Barefoot in the Park into a predominantly African-American show, they planned for Reed to star in something else. The new series was entitled The Brady Bunch and featured a widowed man with three boys marrying a widowed woman, with three girls. The series' creator, Sherwood Schwartz, said he was inspired to create the series after reading a news item in the Los Angeles Times stating that "more than 29 percent of all marriages included a child or children from a previous marriage." Schwartz thought the idea was "... the key to a new and unusual TV series. It was a revelation! The first blended family! His kids and her kids! Together!"[14]
Reed was the producers' second choice for the role of Mike Brady after
From the very beginning of the sitcom's debut in September 1969, Reed was unhappy with his role as Mike Brady. He felt that acting in the often silly program was beneath his training as a serious
Reed was particularly appalled by what would turn out to be the show's final episode "The Hair-Brained Scheme." He sent Schwartz a memo, picking apart his problems with the episode,[24] but Schwartz did not receive the memo promptly enough to alter the script as Reed wanted. As a result, Reed refused to appear in the episode altogether.[21] By this time, Schwartz was tired of Reed's antagonistic behavior and decided to replace him for the show's sixth season; however, the series was cancelled by ABC shortly thereafter.[25] Reed later claimed that he originally accepted the role for financial reasons,[26] but tried to remain positive despite his creative differences with Schwartz by reminding himself the series was primarily about the children. Reed masked his dissatisfaction in front of the camera, always performing professionally without any indication of his unhappiness. Despite his discontentment with the show, Reed genuinely liked all of his co-stars and was a father figure to the younger cast members.[27] Co-star Susan Olsen became friends with Reed's daughter Karen, who made a guest appearance in the episode "The Slumber Caper".[28] Reed's final appearance in the series was in the penultimate episode "The Hustler". His final line in that episode was "Now I can get my car in the garage."
During the run of The Brady Bunch, Reed also had a recurring role as Lieutenant Adam Tobias on
Later career
After The Brady Bunch series ended in 1974, Reed acted on stage and made guest star appearances on other television series and television movies, including
In 1981, Reed won the lead role of Dr. Adam Rose on the medical drama
Despite his dislike of The Brady Bunch and the character of Mike Brady, Reed continued to appear in Brady Bunch spinoffs and sequels for the remainder of his career. In 1976, Reed reprised the role of Mike Brady in the variety show
Shortly before his death, Reed appeared in the touring production of
Personal life
Reed and fellow Northwestern student Marilyn Rosenberger married in July 1954.[35] They had a daughter, Karen Rietz, before divorcing in 1959.[36][37]
Reed kept the fact that he was actually gay a close secret, since public knowledge of his true sexual orientation during that era would likely have damaged his career.[38][39]
Several years after his death, Reed's Brady Bunch co-stars – notably Barry Williams and Florence Henderson – publicly acknowledged Reed's sexual orientation, and revealed that the entire cast and crew of The Brady Bunch were aware of it.
Henderson spoke of Reed being in the closet during a 2000 interview with ABC News: "Here he was, the perfect father of this wonderful little family, a perfect husband. Off camera, he was an unhappy person – I think had Bob not been forced to live this double life, I think it would have dissipated a lot of that anger and frustration. I never asked him. I never challenged him. I had a lot of compassion for him because I knew how he was suffering with keeping this secret."[38]
Regarding Reed's unwillingness to discuss his sexuality, even off-camera and in private, Williams told ABC News during an interview in 2000 that "Robert didn't want to go there. I don't think he talked about it with anyone. I just don't think it was open for discussion–period. Had it ever come out that Robert Reed was gay, it probably would have caused the demise of the show. I think it would have hurt his career tremendously."[38]
Death
In November 1991, Reed was diagnosed with colon lymphoma, a rare form of colorectal cancer.[40][41][42] When he became ill, he only allowed his daughter Karen and actress Anne Haney, a close friend, to visit him.[36][40] Haney later said of Reed, "He came from the old school, where people had a sense of decorum. He went the way he wanted to, without publicity."[36] Weeks before his death, Reed called Henderson and asked her to inform the rest of The Brady Bunch cast that he was terminally ill.[23] He died on May 12, 1992, at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, California, at age 59.[7]
Initially, Reed's death was solely attributed to cancer, but details that were written on his death certificate were later made public, revealing that Reed was also HIV-positive.[43] The actor had been diagnosed with HIV in the spring of 1991.[41] It remains unknown when Reed contracted HIV, because he kept his medical condition and private life a secret from the public until his death, telling only a few close friends.[44] While Reed did not have AIDS at the time of his death,[9][38][45] his doctor listed his HIV-positive status as one of the "significant conditions that contributed to death" on the death certificate.[43][46][47] He is buried in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Skokie, Illinois.[48]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1957 | Pal Joey | Boy Friend | Uncredited |
1958 | The Hunters | Jackson | |
Torpedo Run | Woolsey | ||
1961 | Bloodlust! | Johnny Randall | |
1967 | Hurry Sundown | Lars Finchley | |
1968 | Star! | Charles Fraser | |
Journey into Darkness | Hank Prentiss | (Segment: "The New People") | |
1969 | The Maltese Bippy | Lt. Tim Crane | |
1991 | Prime Target | Agent Harrington |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1959 | Make Room for Daddy
|
Airline Pilot | Episode: "Terry Comes Home" |
The Californians | Ed Carpenter | Episode: "Bella Union" As Robert Rietz | |
Father Knows Best | Tom Cameron | Episode: "The Impostor" | |
1960 | Men into Space | Russell Smith | Episode: "Earthbound" |
Bronco | Tom Fuller | Episode: "Volunteers from Aberdeen" | |
Lawman | Jim Malone | Episode: "Left Hand of the Law" | |
1961 | Tallahassee 7000 | Episode: "Hostage" | |
1961–1965 | The Defenders | Kenneth Preston | 132 episodes |
1965 | Dr. Kildare | Judd Morrison | 6 episodes |
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | Lt. Chris Callahan | Episode: "The Admiral" | |
1966 | Preview Tonight | Lieutenant John Leahy | Episode: "Somewhere in Italy... Company B!" |
Operation Razzle-Dazzle | Lieutenant John Leahy | Television film | |
Family Affair | Julian Hill | Episode: "Think Deep" | |
My Husband Tom...and John | John | Unaired preview film for Paramount | |
1967 | Li'l Abner | Senator Cod | Unsold pilot |
Hondo | Frank Davis | Episode: "Hondo and the Superstition Massacre" | |
Ironside | Jerry Pearson | Episode: "Light at the End of the Journey" | |
1968 | Journey to the Unknown | Hank Prentiss | Episode: "The New People" |
1968–1975 | Mannix | Lt. Adam Tobias | 22 episodes |
1969–1971 | Love, American Style | Various roles | 4 episodes |
1969–1974 | The Brady Bunch | Mike Brady | Main role |
1971 | The City | Sealy Graham | Television film |
1972 | Assignment: Munich | Doug "Mitch" Mitchell | |
The Mod Squad | Jerry Silver | Episode: "The Connection" | |
Haunts of the Very Rich | Reverend John Fellows | Television film | |
Mission: Impossible | Assistant D.A. Arthur Reynolds | Episode: "Hit" | |
1973 | Snatched | Frank McCloy | Television film |
Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law | Harker | Episode: "They've Got to Blame Somebody" | |
Intertect | Blake Hollister | Television film | |
The Man Who Could Talk to Kids | Tom Lassiter | ||
The World of Sid & Marty Krofft at the Hollywood Bowl | Audience member | Television special (Uncredited) | |
1974 | Pray for the Wildcats | Paul McIlvain | Television film |
Chase | Dr. Playter | Episode: "Remote Control" | |
Harry O | Paul Virdon | Episode: "Accounts Balanced" | |
1975 | The Secret Night Caller | Freddy Durant | Television film |
Medical Center | Dr. Pat Caddison | Episode: "The Fourth Sex" (Parts 1 & 2) | |
McCloud | Jason Carter | Episode: "Fire!" | |
1976 | The Streets of San Francisco | Dr. Arnold Stephen Holtfield | Episode: "The Honorable Profession" |
Jigsaw John | Alan Bellamy | Episode: "Promise to Kill" | |
Wonder Woman | Fallon, the "Falcon" | Episode: "The Pluto File" | |
Rich Man, Poor Man | Teddy Boylan | Miniseries | |
Law and Order | Aaron Levine | Television film | |
Lanigan's Rabbi | Morton Galen | Episode: "Pilot" | |
Nightmare in Badham County | Supt. Dancer | Television film | |
The Boy in the Plastic Bubble | Johnny Lubitch | ||
Revenge for a Rape | Sheriff Paley | ||
1976–1977 | The Brady Bunch Hour | Mike Brady | 9 episodes |
1977 | Roots | Dr. William Reynolds | Miniseries |
The Wonderful World of Disney
|
Captain John C. Frémont | Episode: "Kit Carson and the Mountain Men" (Parts 1 & 2) | |
The Love Boat II
|
Stephen Palmer | Television film | |
SST: Death Flight | Captain Jim Walsh | ||
Barnaby Jones | DeWitt Robinson | Episode: "Death Beat" | |
The Hunted Lady | Dr. Arthur Sills | Television film | |
1977–1986 | The Love Boat | Various roles | 6 episodes |
1978 | The Runaways | David McKay | 4 episodes |
Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery | Jack Kimball | Television film | |
Bud and Lou | Alan Randall | ||
1978–1979 | Vega$
|
Various roles | 2 episodes |
1978–1983 | Fantasy Island | Leo Drake | |
1979 | Mandrake | Arkadian | Television film |
The Paper Chase | Professor Howard | Episode: "Once More with Feeling" | |
Love's Savage Fury | Commander Marston | Television film | |
Hawaii Five-O | Various roles | 2 episodes | |
The Seekers | Daniel Clapper | Miniseries | |
Password Plus
|
Himself | Game Show Participant / Celebrity Guest Star | |
1980 | Galactica 1980 | Dr. Donald Mortinson | 3 episodes |
Scruples | Josh Hillman | Mminiseries | |
Nurse | Dr. Kenneth Rose | Television film | |
Charlie's Angels | Glenn Staley | 2 episodes | |
Casino | Darius | Television film | |
1981 | The Brady Girls Get Married | Mike Brady | |
Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story
|
David Palmer | ||
1981–1982 | Nurse | Dr. Adam Rose | 25 episodes |
1982 | ABC Afterschool Special | Henry Forbes | Episode: "Between Two Loves" |
1983–1986 | Hotel | Various roles | 3 episodes |
1984 | The Mississippi | Tyler Marshall | Episode: "Abigail" |
Matt Houston | Bradley Denholm | Episode: "Stolen" | |
Cover Up | Martin Dunbar | Episode: "A Subtle Seduction" | |
1985 | Finder of Lost Loves | Tim Sanderson | Episode: "From the Heart" |
International Airport | Carl Roberts | Television film | |
Glitter | Episode: "Suddenly Innocent" | ||
1985–1990 | Murder, She Wrote | Various roles | 3 episodes |
1986 | Crazy Like a Fox | Hoffer | Episode: "Just Another Fox in the Crowd" |
Search for Tomorrow | Lloyd Kendall | Multiple episodes | |
1987 | Hunter | Judge Warren Unger | 3 episodes |
Duet | Jim Phillips | 2 episodes | |
1987–1992 | Jake and the Fatman | Various roles | 2 episodes, (final appearance) |
1988 | The Law & Harry McGraw | Henry Carrington | Episode: "Beware the Ides of May" |
A Very Brady Christmas | Mike Brady | Television film | |
1989 | Day by Day | Episode: "A Very Brady Episode" | |
Free Spirit | Albert Stillman | Episode: "The New Secretary" | |
Snoops | Doug Mitchell | Episode: "Tango, Dance of Death" | |
1990 | The Bradys | Mike Brady | Main role |
Award nominations
Year | Award | Category | Title of work |
---|---|---|---|
1976 | Primetime Emmy Award
|
Outstanding Lead Actor for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series | Medical Center (For episode "The Fourth Sex: Parts 1&2") |
Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Rich Man, Poor Man | ||
1977 | Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Series | Roots (For part V) |
References
- ^ "Biography: Robert Reed". The Biography Channel. A+E Television Networks, LLC. p. 1. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ a b c "Robert Reed: Biography". TV Guide. CBS Interactive Inc. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ^ St. Petersburg Times. p. 10-D. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ^ a b Freeman, Don (May 30, 1978). "How They Shook the Okie Out of Robert Reed". The Evening News. p. 9A. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ^ a b "'Serious Problem' Says Robert Reed". The Dispatch. May 13, 1978. p. 12. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
- ISBN 978-0-7864-3562-3. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ^ a b "Robert Reed, Actor Who Gained Fame As Patriarch Of 'The Brady Bunch'". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. May 14, 1992. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
- ^ The Schenectady Gazette. July 24, 1971. p. 18. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7864-3562-3.
- ^ Evans, Kay (May 3, 1962). "Robert Reed Got Start On 'Father Knows Best' Show". The Pittsburgh Press. p. 70. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ^ a b c d Folkart, Burt A. (May 14, 1992). "Robert Reed, TV's 'Brady Bunch' dad, dies at 59". The News Journal. p. 2A. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ^ Bacon, James (April 25, 1965). "With 'Defenders' Over, Reed Looks For Film Role". Ocala Star-Banner. p. 22. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
- ^ Lyons, Leonard (November 5, 1964). "Hoover Reportedly Considered He Might Return to Top Spot". Lawrence Journal-World. p. 4. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
- ^ Silverman, Stephen M. (July 12, 2011). "Sherwood Schwartz, The Brady Bunch Creator, Dies". People. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ Ryan, Joel (July 12, 2011). "RIP, Sherwood Schwartz: Five Things You Didn't Know About Brady Bunch, Gilligan's Island Creator". E!. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ^ Warren, Roz (September 1, 2013). "Thanks For Sharing, Shirley!". HuffPost. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ^ a b McLellan, Dennis (July 13, 2011). "Sherwood Schwartz dies at 94; 'Gilligan's Island' and 'Brady Bunch' creator". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ Thompson, Robert (July 13, 2011). "Remembering Sherwood Schwartz -- The Genius Behind 'Gilligan's Island' and 'The Brady Bunch'". Fox News. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ Gates, Anita (July 12, 2011). "Sherwood Schwartz, Creator of Gilligan and the Bradys, Dies at 94". The New York Times. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ a b "Robert Reed, 'Brady Bunch' dad dies at 59". The Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press. May 14, 1992. p. 3D. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ^ a b Kronke, David (May 20, 2000). "Keep Your Hands to Yourself, Kids". Los Angeles Daily News. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ^ a b c Heldenfels, R.D. (May 16, 1992). "Robert Reed struggled in vain to make 'Brady Bunch' better". The Daily Gazette. p. B12. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
- ^ a b "Actor Reed dies at 59". Sun-Journal. May 14, 1992. p. 9. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
- ^ Sassone, Bob (December 30, 2007). "Here's the story, of a man named Brady, who hated the show's scripts". AOL TV. Archived from the original on October 10, 2018. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ISBN 978-0-7624-3962-1.
- ^ a b "Robert Reed Is a Man of Determination". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. August 11, 1972. p. 9-B. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
- ^ a b "Downtown: The Real 'Mike Brady'". ABC News. January 6, 2006. p. 2. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ^ Schwartz 2010 p.134
- The Milwaukee Journal. p. 11. Retrieved March 14, 2014.[permanent dead link]
- ISBN 978-1-4129-0999-0. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ^ a b "Robert Reed". Emmys. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ^ Buck, Jerry (August 24, 1981). "Robert Reed To Play Doctor Role". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. p. 5-C. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
- ^ "Television In Brief: 'The Brady Bunch' Is Coming Back on CBS". Los Angeles Times. December 8, 1990. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
- ISBN 9781629331300.
- ISBN 1-55850-418-4.
- ^ a b c Gliatto, Tom; Abrahams, Andrew; Eftimiades, Maria (May 25, 1992). "An Actor's Last Wish". People. 37 (20). Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ^ "Robert Reed Daughter REFUSES to License His Image for Brady Products".
- ^ a b c d "Downtown: The Real 'Mike Brady'". ABC News. November 6, 2000. p. 1. Archived from the original on January 8, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ "Biography: Robert Reed". The Biography Channel. p. 2. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ Steinberg, Jacques (May 14, 1992). "Robert Reed, Actor, Dead at 59. The Father of 'The Brady Bunch'". The New York Times. Retrieved February 5, 2014.. He was 59 years old and lived in Pasadena. He died of bowel cancer, said Anne Haney, a family friend.
Robert Reed, who became a surrogate father to a generation as the head of an exceptionally large household on television's "Brady Bunch," died on Tuesday night at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, California
- ^ a b "Autopsy: The Last Hours of Robert Reed." Autopsy: The Last Hours of.... Narrated by Eric Meyers, executive produced Suzy Davis, Phil Mount, and Michael Kelpie. Reelz, 23 Apr. 2023.
- ^ "Robert Reed had colon lymphoma". The Rock Island Argus. May 20, 1992. p. 13.
- ^ a b MacMinn, Aleene (May 20, 1992). "Television". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ Gliatto, Tom; Eftimiades, Maria; Abrahams, Andrew; Baker, Kathryn; Johnston, Jerry (June 1, 1992). "Here's the Story..." People. 37 (21). Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ^ "Celebrities who died of AIDS". CBS News. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ "H.I.V. Contributed to Death of Robert Reed, Doctor Says". The New York Times. May 20, 1992. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ^ "'Brady Bunch' Father Had Aids Virus, Doctor Says". Orlando Sentinel. May 20, 1992. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ISBN 978-1-60376-390-5. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
External links
- Robert Reed at IMDb
- Robert Reed at the Internet Broadway Database
- Robert Reed at Find a Grave