Robert Reed was an American actor, best known for his role as Michael Paul "Mike" Brady in the popular sitcom "The Brady Bunch" from 1969 to 1979. He reprised his role in several sequels and spin-offs.
Born John Robert Rietz Jr. in 1932 in Highland Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, Reed was the only child of government worker John Robert Rietz Sr. and homemaker Helen Teaverbaugh. His family moved frequently due to his father's career transfers, spending part of his childhood in Navasota, Texas, and Shawnee, Oklahoma.
Reed joined the 4-H agricultural club and demonstrated calves in agricultural shows. He was already fascinated with acting and music, and started performing as a theatrical and singer before graduating high school. He had a side career as a radio announcer for local radio stations and helped produce radio dramas.
Reed graduated from Muskogee's Central High School in 1950 and enrolled at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he studied drama. His mentor was acting coach Alvina Krause. During his university years, Reed played the leading role in eight different plays. After graduation, he studied abroad at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
Reed began his career as a theatrical actor, appearing in summer stock productions in Pennsylvania and joining the off-Broadway theatre group "The Shakespearewrights". He left the group to join the Chicago-based Studebaker Theatre company.
By the late 1950s, Reed was a relatively obscure theatrical actor. He moved to Los Angeles in hopes of finding higher-profile roles in film or television. In 1959, Reed made his television debut in a guest star role in the sitcom "Father Knows Best". He next had guest star roles in the science fiction series "Men into Space" and the Western series "Lawman".
Reed's first major role was as lawyer Kenneth Preston in the courtroom drama series "The Defenders" from 1961 to 1965. He played the son and junior partner of lawyer Lawrence Preston in a series featuring a father-son legal team. The series lasted for 132 episodes and was a ratings hit.
Following the cancellation of "The Defenders", Reed was mostly reduced to supporting roles in television. He appeared in several series, including "Family Affair", "Ironside", "The Mod Squad", and "Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre".
In 1968, Reed signed a contract to play a lead role in the television adaptation of the play "Barefoot in the Park" by Neil Simon. When it was decided that the television adaptation would feature a mostly African-American cast, Reed was offered a leading role in "The Brady Bunch" as a consolation prize.
"The Brady Bunch" lasted for 117 episodes, though it never was among the highest-rated shows on television. It found a larger audience in syndication after its cancellation and has remained a cult favorite. Reed was not happy with the often silly scripts of the sitcom and had regular arguments about suggested re-writes with the show's producer Sherwood Schwartz. On the other hand, Reed formed long-lasting friendships with most members of the series' main cast.
Reed refused to appear in the fifth season finale of "The Brady Bunch" because he felt its script was unacceptable. He was fired from the series, and the production team considered replacing him with a new actor for the series' sixth season. However, the fifth season turned out to be the final one, with network ABC deciding to cancel the series.
While "The Brady Bunch" was still ongoing, Reed had the recurring role of Lt. Adam Tobias in the detective series "Mannix". He played the role for 22 episodes, running from 1968 to 1975.
Reed's next notable role was that of transgender Dr. Pat Caddison in the two-part episode "The Fourth Sex" of the medical drama Medical Center. The role was critically well-received, and Reed was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.
Reed had a regular role as Teddy Boylan in the dramatic miniseries "Rich Man, Poor Man" and a prominent guest appearance as Dr. William Reynolds in the miniseries "Roots". For the first role, Reed was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. For the second role, Reed was nominated again for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
Reed reunited with his friends from the Brady Bunch in the sequel series "The Brady Bunch Hour", which only lasted for nine episodes. He next played Mike Brady in the television film "The Brady Girls Get Married", the television film "A Very Brady Christmas", and the short-lived sequel series "The Bradys".
Reed had another lead role in television as Dr. Adam Rose on the medical drama "Nurse". The series only lasted for 25 episodes. Otherwise, Reed was reduced to mostly
