I met Robert Reed when I was a child when he came to do community theatre in Warren Ohio, "The Kenley Players". The performers would sit at a table at the shows end and sign autographs, and he playfully asked me "let me see who else you got", and started flipping through my little book. He was as nice and as handsome as could be. So, I don't necessarily believe that he was a good guy to his child coworkers for ulterior motives. Kudos to him for caring so much about the script and to the product that he appeared in though.

I don't agree with Lloyd's assessment that Reed's relationship with the kids was just a power play, he maintained contact and friendship with them long after the show ended

Gilligans Island wasn't a failure. It's well known that it was cancelled because the network President's wife was a big Gunsmoke fan, and they ditched Gilligan to save Gunsmoke. It actually still had respectable ratings when it got the axe.

Omg! From the first time I saw Cousin Oliver, I thought he looked just like John Denver too. 😂😂😂

Gene Hackman dodged a bullet there.

"Cousin Oliver" is on a par with "Jumping the shark"...

Mike Brady was my TV Father growing up in a household where my real father left us when I was 5. I watched him every week, and years later, regardless of him being gay or a mean old man, love him just the same.

I wish I had a father like him. My father could give zero flips about me, or what happens to me. Same with my mom. For those who have or had great parents. I hope you know how lucky you are.

"The REAL story." I never trust hearing those words because NO ONE knows the real truth because each person has their own version.

Gilligan's Island wasn't a failure. Do some research.

Those too young to remember, originally The Brady Bunch never had good ratings. When it was cancelled, ratings were pretty low. The show became a huge hit in reruns to young audiences / later generations.

How could Reed expect anything serious from the man who created Gilligan's Island? Hated Cousin Oliver!

I believe Sherwood was being a bit childish for not going to Robert's funeral. Regardless of the bad blood between them, the Brady Bunch made Schwartz rich and Robert was a big part of that success. In spite of being in his feels, it would've shown respect for Reed as a person and I'm sure at one time they were friends.

Reed forgot the strength of “The Brady Bunch” and “Gilligan’s Island” was its silliness and farce. People watched them to have a fun escape from reality.

I loved the scene in the movie where Greg and Marsha are arguing and suddenly realize they are not actually related. THAT was one of the most real scenes in the movie. 😏

We will always be grateful for Mike, Robert Reed, Brady. Warts and all!

As a 70s kid, I grew up on reruns of The Brady Bunch and Gilligan's Island. I loved both shows, and still do... I'm sentimental that way. I don't care about the 50 year old drama... just the characters I grew to love... ...especially Carol. 😂

My husband and I grew up watching the Brady Bunch, in fact we were both previously married with two kids each and likened our new family dynamic as a mini Brady Bunch. We even took family photo's of each of us plus 3 of our parents, all dressed in 70's attire with blue background and framed it just like the opening when they family is in the tic tac toe squares looking at each other lol. The show was a leader of its time depicting a blended family with its trials abd tribulations as they navigated new lives with each other. It was wholesome and light-hearted and always shared a life lesson with its young viewers. It gave us a view of a stable, supportive, loving family albeit chaotic at times, nevertheless expected under the circumstances and of that of a large blended family. After school kids of the 70's could immerse in family life with this show especially if they grew up with something less. Much like watching Friends in the 90's gave ppl friends they could be a part of for a little while. Robert Reed was an excellent father figure and extremely handsome and masculine ironically, he played his role beautifully...the dad everyone wanted. It was a shame that a classical, refined actor such as himself didnt recognize the huge impact he would have on young generations then and after, even likely still to this day in reruns. Alice was terrific too, loveable, funny and wise. Every character played their roles perfectly. An awesome,wholesome family show, something that is sadly missing in these times ever since. ❤

I have to say this: I agree with Robert Reed. The final episode of 'The Brady Bunch,' with Bobby dying Greg's hair orange was completely ridiculous. It was one of 2 episodes of the show that I was really embarrassed by (the other one was when Marcia had a crush on her dentist). You know what would have been a great way to have wrapped up the series? If in the final episode, they had Alice & Sam get married.

He was an interesting guy. I like to think that his affection for the kids was genuine and he had that protective instinct in him. He wanted to do theater and i think he would've had a happier or at least a less stressful life if he had just pursued that. Im sure back then he would've made a pretty good living. Also it's funny because despite all these stories of hate coming from both sides, Reed kept coming back for every damn show they did after the show was cancelled. And they were substantial. Had he lived longer we no doubt would've seen "Another very Brady Christmas"

Greg graduates from high school--not college--in the final episode.

At times, Reed could be right. He refused to appear in the episode in which Alice suddenly (though temporarily) quit because the kids were angry with her and giving her the cold shoulder. Reed said that a devoted maid like Alice would never do something like that, especially over something like a simple spat. And he was right. The episode was made even more awkward when Alice left without saying good bye to the man who hired her.

No one else could replace Mr Brady

Hahaha 😂 I always thought that Oliver had that John Denver look. 🤣

I guess Robert Reed forgot these words of wisdom... A wise man forgets his anger before he lies down to sleep.

Gilligan’s Island was hugely popular and did very well in syndication too. Wtf? I always thought Foxworth and Reed looked so much like. I didn’t know Foxworth was a possible replacement. The John Denver/cousin Oliver thing…priceless. We (as kids) always thought he was John Denver’s kid!

RIP ROBERT REED 🙏🕯️ Certainly a fine actor and human being we still love you BOB 🌹⭐👋👋

To me Robert Reed wanted to be taken seriously as an actor and must have felt that this show was making him into a joke. I've heard that he only agreed to do the show because he didn't think it would make it past pilot. I'm glad it didn't hurt his career though. I've seen a few of his performances in movies and TV and I always appreciated him as an actor.

So he basically ended the series because he didn't like a script where Greg gets a bad hair dye job, but two years later he signs up for that ludicrous variety show that has him wearing a giant bunny suit? Yeah, that makes perfect sense.

His first mistake was comparing Shakespeare to The Brady Bunch 😆

I think we need a family meeting.

Lol Gene Hackman would have kicked the bleep out of those spoiled kids.

In junior high I tried to dye my hair blonde. I got a box of Nice & Easy light blonde and went to town, not realizing I needed to strip my natural color first. The result was bright orange as my red undertones took center stage. I liked it and kept doing the same thing until I hit high school. Happy accident!

I read a book about the show that said Reed, a gay man, threw an absolute fit over being made to kiss Florence Henderson on the show because, y'know, it's just insane for a man to kiss his wife. Florence finally talked him into it. But yeah, Reed was always whining about things he didn't like about the show.

Talk about the hand that feeds you!

So interesting, I had no idea what a diva Robert Reed was. As a now 60 year old man, I grew up with the Brady Bunch, and I loved it. As a gay man looking back, I’m embarrassed how things went with Reed, the producer, and the show. And of course, for all of the actors of that show and others of the time, the lack of consideration of residual payments as far as reruns etc. It was a crime for the actors considering that the owners and producers of those shows made out like bandits whereas the talent got screwed. But that was what happened to many many people in films as well going back many decades.

I grew up loving the BB! It’s strange to learn about this because RR did such a great job playing the father. I would have never thunk he was gay either!

Robert Reed seemed like a jerk. Who cares if the show was unrealistic. You had 6 kids sharing 1 bathroom with no toilet. It was mindless fluff and we liked it that way.

I can't tell you how many times Brady Bunch was postponed because of Watergate... very frustrating...

I was just a kid back then and enjoyed watching the show. As kids we didn't know any of this stuff, it was grown up stuff we didn't care about. In some ways it sucks to be an adult with this information. It kinda tarnishes your childhood memories of the show that was just meant to provide entertainment back in a simpler time of life

Robert Reed kept getting in trouble by cruising the beaches of Southern California, looking to pick up young blonde surfers. It is rumored he had been arrested several times, and it became increasingly harder for the studio to cover it up. It was an open secret.

This what happens when you cast a classically trained Shakespearian actor in a light hearted TV sitcom. They’re never satisfied with anything.

Robert Reed could play Hamlet, get booed off the stage and then say "Don't blame me, I didn't write this crap!"

Reed was a legend in his own mind and thought what he did was important

Brady Bunch was a fun, cheesy 70s comedy. It's crazy how so many things were over thought.

These writers and producers get in their feelings and HATE constructive criticism. Just like in GOOD TIMES, the cast would tell Norman Lear that Blacks wouldn't say certain lines the way they were written. If you want these shows to be realistic and timeless and not filled with inaccuracies and unheard of situations, sometimes it's best to listen to the actors. The actors are the ones who are truly developing the characters and they have more of a feel about what the audience is looking for.

I always loved Bob as Mike Brady and can’t imagine anyone else in the role. I worked with him in the mid 1980s and always found him to be a sweet guy, good sport and total pro. I’m sure it couldn’t have been easy to see the BB’s original sweet, social message about blended families so quickly morph into slapstick. RIP RR

I can identify, I worked for a company that drove me nuts not following or enforcing important policies. I was constantly writing memos to see things improved. And was either ignored, or told they would look into it, then ignored. I finally quit after a number of years of banging my head against the brick wall. I only saw Gilligan and Brady Bunch in after school syndication. No idea who any of them were. No idea Robert had a career before or after. But good for him. To bad his life was cut so short. The kids all loved him, and I believe (from what I read after his passing) he genuinely loved them as he would biological kids. He took them on trips, bought them all 35mm cameras to record it all.

Gilligan's Island was not a "dismal failure" during its original run. Sure, the show was shredded by critics, but enjoyed solid ratings for three seasons straight. In 1967, it was besting The Monkees on NBC, and CBS greenlit a fourth year. It was only cancelled when CBS boss William Paley demanded Gunsmoke be retained on the schedule for the 1967-68 season.

I'm a filmmaker. Since when are actors stable people? I've never seen it!

Man, this was some fascinating stuff. I watched all the reruns and all the reboots and all the movies. How could I forgot that epic mustache he sported?! 😂

Reed was wrong! The Brady Bunch is loved by millions and a classic and still a sensation in 2024!!!!

This popped up on my feed and is GREAT! I’m glad I learned more about Robert.

I love the episode Hair Brain Scheme. Greg with orange hair is funny to me.

Many times when people say they CAN'T do something, they really mean they WON'T do it.:-)

Brady Bunch and Six Million Dollar Man were the shows that I watched before migrating from Korea to the US in 1976 when I was 4 years old...lol

Very interesting. Thanks for posting this. Have a nice day now.

Robert Reed's instincts were visionary. If Schwartz & Schwartz had given Reed more collaborative respect, Brady Bunch would have been at least a bit more successful and far more respected. It might not have gotten any easier, but it would have gotten better.

Can’t imagine Gene Hackman even taking this role. Gene is one of the greatest actors of all time.

Hair Brain Scheme was one of my favorites!

Robert Reed was not the first choice for Mike Brady and he definitely loathed the role. But it should be pointed out that Reed was often right in his criticisms.

I guess all of this shows to me what a good actor Reed was. I could never tell he hated the show.

What the heck kind of vehicle did Robert Reed think he was acting in?

This is a very interesting follow-up of datas that I've seen before but what's most interesting to me is to on the clicking thing for hair brained scheme is my 11th Birthday of May 15th 1974.

Interestingly, it was the only episode in which the word 'sex' was said. And by Oliver of all people.

Sam was always delivering meat to Alice.

Actually Greg graduates from High School in this episode

Playing a transgender character in that Medical Center two parter was a gutsy move back in those days especially since it wasn't a comedic drag role.

This was a good watch. Sometimes I'll see these things and they're a bit iffy but this one was good. Well done. 🙂 I have to admit that I agree with some of the issues Robert Reed had about the show, though, beause sometimes it was like a live action cartoon. That last episode was a great example of it. Greg transforming Mike's Den overnight is another example. His line about "strawberry heaven" is better than the one originally written. Reed was a method actor which was why he was so picky about reality. What also got me was there were times that laugh track could be intrusive.

He seemed to get really cranky as the show went on

Robert Reed was also still doing Mannix simultaneously, and some of those episodes used the Brady house as a setting

Trying to imagine Gene Hackman playing Mike Brady as Little Bill from the Unforgiven.

Gilligan’s Island wasn’t a failure

He also refused to be in the episode where Carol and Alice smoke pot.

It's sad that Robert Reed was only 59 years old when he passed away. RIP

8:05 Now I would take a sitcom based on Nog in a hearbeat.

Well, at least Gary Cole is a patient and wise actor in The Brady Bunch Movie.

I must've been watching it in syndication...not sure, but it was the early 70s. I remember most of them being very unlike my own home, which is why we liked them. It also turned my older cousin, younger sister, and me into total fan girls of Marcia's celeb dates lol. THIS EPISODE IS VERY MEMORABLE!

Back in the late 80s RR chased me around WeHo one night. I was terrified. lol

I know it was a silly show. But I think Robert should have embraced it. One of the greatest American television shows that has transcended decades. I still watch the reruns on Tubi. ❤❤❤

Robert Reed was living a very stressful and dishonest life in public. But that still is no excuse for being such a dick.

It was the last episode of the series, so it was no big deal. The episode was terrible. It was wrong to treat Greg's graduation in such a manner, so Robert Reed was right. The other cast members should have protested as well. Imagine their surprise when they were all banned from the studio after the show was canceled!

Cousin Oliver went on to become the voice of Michelangelo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

So Robert Reed felt that many episodes were unrealistic. For crying out loud, it's a sitcom, not a documentary.

He sounds like a primadona. Who rewrites scripts and picks at tiny things like that? If he hated it all so much, why did he stay?

I never knew how much bad blood there was behind the supposedly well bonded cast of Happy Days. Ron Howard proved to be very difficult. The actor (Ric Carrott) playing his older brother was dropped after the first episode because Howard put up a stink about playing in a supporting role to an unknown actor like Carrott. Then, after the character of Fonzie took off, Howard put up another stink, but there was no way the producers were going to get rid of Henry Winkler. As a result, Howard walked. Winkler was no saint, either. The actress playing Pinky Toscadero (Fonzie's love interest) was dropped because Winkler saw her as a threat. Moreover, the rest of the cast pretty much ganged up on her as well. (She had been getting a lot of public acclaim). In the final episode, Donny Most and Anson Williams were not even there. (They had left the show a good deal earlier, but even Howard returned for the finale). During the pandemic, there was a Zoom reunion of the cast members (without the late Tom Bosley and Erin Moran), but Scott Baio was not invited due to his support for Donald Trump. Winkler even said something snotty about him. (And to think that Baio was the only one who reached out to Moran when she was slowly killing herself with alcohol and drugs). It just goes to show what nastiness can go on behind the scenes, even with the "happiest" of cast members.

Wow. This is a fantastic video. I had no idea Robert Reed had so many problems with the Brady Bunch. I am not really much of a fan of the show, but my sisters and some female friends of mine loved it, and I never thought there was any kind of problem with the show, or that it should have been changed. It's always odd to me, when actors feel they should have control of a show, as they are hired to act, and only act. I have heard that Good Times had similar problems, though I can understand the actors gripes with that show much more than I can understand Robert Reed's concerns. His comparison to Gillian's Island is really odd to me, as that show was really silly, but great fun and I really enjoyed watching it. Wow again! I had no idea there was a Brady variety show, and Maureen McCormick summation that he was lousy, is really odd, as I get the impression Robert Reed's performance was entertaining, which means it was good, even if he wasn't a "talented" singer or dancer. I am amazed that he played Mr. Brady on the Love Boat and I have to track down that episode!!!

I could see Gene Hackman as Mike Brady.

I've heard this about Read. Like Larry Hagman on I dream of Jennie...such likable characters, you'd never know that they were such pains in the butt on the set. Good video.

Is the footage of Reed walking onto the set from a behind-the-scenes movie on the Brady Bunch?

I have to say, all of this makes me think more highly of Robert Reed (Mr. Brady) than I did before.

Reed reminds me of Dustin Hoffman's character in Tootsie. Complained so much nobody wanted to work with him.

I met Cousin Oliver... I feel bad because I think I insulted him but I didnt mean to. I told him he never should've hung with those Brady's. But I meant because they were so square. Not because he shouldnt have been cast.

I Love Lucy storylines were frequently implausible and it's one of the GREATEST SITCOMS of all time

5:51 - "Imagine Archie Bunker suddenly landing on Gilligan's Island" Um, I REALLY want to see that episode!

Every time I used hair coloring of any type it would turn my medium brown hair to red.

Cousin Oliver aka The Jinx!

I always thought it strange. As much as Mr. Brady supposed his children not go to his son's Highschool Graduation

May I offer, when I really wanted separation from the baffoons at work I started to "enforce the rules" & "make thing better". Sherwood/Schwartz should have saw this. We have ALL been there.

He also guested on a two part, 5th season Mod Squad episode as a gangster! I knocked out the whole series last year lol