Late 'Brady Bunch' Actor Robert Reed Once Took All 6 Brady Kids on a Surprise Trip to London
To the world, The Brady Bunch was born into existence the moment Mike and Carol Brady fell in love, combining their two families into one during the process. But before becoming the ultimate American TV parents, actors Robert Reed and Florence Henderson led different lives that were intricate in their own ways. In honor of The Brady Bunch's 50th anniversary, here's a closer look at the duo that led the Brady kids into adulthood and beyond.
Here’s the (Early) Story…
Born John Robert Rietz, Jr. on October 19, 1932, Robert Reed showed an interest in acting and music early on in life as a high schooler in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Originally from Highland Park, Illinois, Reed moved from place to place following his father as he repaired aircrafts for the government during World War II. Despite this, he was recognized by his peers for having talent on-stage and fully committed himself to the art when he attended Northwestern University. Although he continued to perform leading roles, he never actually graduated—a common practice for actors at the time—and eventually began making TV guest appearances on shows like, Make Room for Daddy, Father Knows Best, Men into Space, Bronco, and Lawman.
Florence Anges Henderson was born on Valentine’s Day in 1934—the youngest of 10 children—in Dale, Indiana. As an adult, Henderson recalled living in poverty during the Great Depression, relying on her talent of singing to help support her struggling family. With the help of a friend, she received voice lessons and eventually earned a scholarship to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. In 1952, she made her Broadway debut in the musical Wish You Were Here, and later landed the lead role in a touring production of Oklahoma! marking the start of a successful career.
Becoming Mike and Carol Brady
By the time Henderson became the matriarch of The Brady Bunch, she had built a substantial career spanning over 15 years full of singing, hosting, and acting. Along with being named the “Queen of Diamonds” in 1955 and appearing in commercials for Wesson and Tang, and Oldsmobile cars, she was the first woman to host The Tonight Show during the transition of hosts. In 1959, Henderson was also known as NBC’s “Today Girl”, reporting the weather and helping light news subjects.
Despite her impressive resumé, the multi-talented TV personality was actually cast for the role of Carol Brady at the last minute, even missing the filming of the first six episodes of The Brady Bunch—flying back to Hollywood after wrapping up Song of Norway in Scandinavia.
Meanwhile, Robert Reed’s TV guest appearances right out of Northwestern landed him a role in The Defenders, a CBS courtroom drama about father-and-son defense attorneys who tackle legally complex and controversial cases. In total, the show won 11 Emmy awards, and although Reed wasn’t awarded one himself, the series fell in line with his idea of serious material that he felt passionate about throughout his entire career. In 1965, The Defenders came to an end and Reed started making TV guest appearances again, before accepting his role as patriarch Mike Brady on The Brady Bunch.
Reed and Henderson’s Impact on The Brady Kids
In 1969, Reed was approached to star in the ‘70s family sitcom, ultimately selected because of his onscreen chemistry with Henderson and also for being recognizable to viewers, but he was conflicted from the beginning, believing the show would only last half a season. But it didn’t, and during The Brady Bunch’s five seasons Reed clashed with the series creator, Sherwood Schwartz, over the quality of the scripts and accuracy, according to Ted Nichelson, Reed’s biographer, who explained the actor’s frustration to Closer Weekly.
Through it all though, Reed would put his six TV children above production issues, ensuring they didn’t hear him argue with Schwartz, and he also educated them all on different subjects that were close to his heart. “He gave them movie cameras and took them on a trip to London,” Nichelson said to the outlet. “He would give them certain books to read. He was someone who cared about them and cared about their growth and development.”
And he wasn’t the only one: To this day, Henderson is known as “mom” to the Brady kids. "I really feel like she taught me a lot that I take with me now each and every day,” Maureen McCormick, who played the eldest daughter, Marcia Brady, told TV Insider. The accomplished actress maintained close relationships with her on-screen children and stood by Reed, not only as his TV wife, but as a trusted friend, understanding the gay actor’s struggle of having to live a double life.
Life After The Brady Bunch
After The Brady Bunch was cancelled in 1974, the family of eight (plus Ann B. Davis, who played Alice!) remained close with one another, reuniting through the years for Brady spin-offs like, The Brady Bunch Hour, The Brady Brides, and A Very Brady Christmas.
Reed went on to earn three Emmy Awards nominations for his work in Medical Center, Rich Man, Poor Man, and Roots. Even though doubted the original Brady Bunch’s direction, he always reunited with his Brady co-stars, and when he wasn’t with them, he appeared in other shows like, Hawaii Five-O and Charlie's Angels. Later, Reed took all of his years as a professional actor and taught at UCLA, but he wasn’t able to make the most of this part of his life.
In 1991, he was diagnosed with colon cancer and being HIV positive attributed to his early death, according to Nichelson. Reed died on May 12, 1992 in Pasadena at the age of 59. He continues to be remembered by his TV children as the quintessential father.
Before landing her own talk show, The Florence Henderson Show and a cooking show, Who's Cooking with Florence Henderson, the actress made appearances on various shows, even competing on Dancing with the Stars in 2010.
On Thanksgiving Day 2016, Henderson passed away in Los Angeles from heart failure. She was surrounded by her four children from her first marriage—most notably, her oldest daughter, Barbara Chase, who starred next to her in The Brady Bunch. Henderson is remembered as having a kind and loving spirit, whose identity was largely marked by her birth on Valentine’s Day.
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