Robert Reed was born John Robert Rietz Jr. on October 19, 1932. He was an American actor most notably known for his role as Mike Brady in the ABC sitcom, “The Brady Bunch.” Reed was a household name throughout the 60s and 70s and was awarded several Emmy nominations for some of his primetime appearances. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, and was the only child of high school sweethearts Helen Teaverbaugh and John Robert Rietz.
Early on, the young Reed knew he wanted to be a performer. He was a regular lead role in most of his high school plays and was a radio announcer and radio drama writer at a local station. Reed starred in eight college theatre productions at Northwestern University, all in leading roles. He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London but returned to the US and joined a theatre group called “The Shakespearewrights.”
Reed made his first TV appearance on “Father Knows Best” in 1959. He landed his first starring role two years later on “The Defenders.” The show was extremely successful, getting 22 Emmy Award nominations. Reed then took the role of patriarch Mike Brady in “The Brady Bunch” which aired from 1969 to 1974. Though the actor disliked the role as he considered it beneath him, the show became his legacy.
In 1991, Reed was diagnosed with colon lymphoma, a rare type of colon cancer. He became terminally ill and died on May 12, 1992. When details about his death were made public, people were quick to point out that he had been diagnosed with HIV. This led a lot of people to ask, “Was Robert Reed gay?” Let’s look at the Brady bunch household head’s personal life to find the answer.
VOTE: What was Robert Reed’s Sexuality?
Robert Reed’s Marriage to Marilyn Rosenberg (1954 – 1959)
Reed only has one publicly known heterosexual relationship. He married fellow Northwestern University student Marilyn Rosenberg in July of 1954. There are very few details about their relationship, but it’s believed the couple was happy. They had a daughter named Karen Rietz in 1956, but the pair separated in 1959.
Robert Reed as Mike Brady
Reed was reportedly unhappy with his role as Mike Brady. It’s reported that Reed wasn’t the first choice for the role, and he also believed the role was beneath him. He had training in theatre and acting in London and viewed the sitcom role as “silly.” Reed often got into fights with producers and directors, arguing over character motivations and plot progression.
We fought over the scripts. Always over the scripts. The producer, Sherwood Schwartz, had done “Gilligan’s Island”…Just gag lines. That would have been what “The Brady Bunch” would have been if I hadn’t protested.”
Robert Reed, in a 1983 interview
Regardless of his sentiments, he was professional towards the cast and crew. Fortunately, his difficulties with the showrunners didn’t translate onto the screen. Despite Reed’s incessant complaints, “The Brady Bunch” still managed to get good ratings throughout its runtime.
Reed’s Sexuality In Question
Rumors and questions about the actor’s sexuality came after working on “The Brady Bunch.” The crew was still unclear about Reed’s gender orientation, but it never stopped speculations and rumors to spread. This was exemplified when Reed won critical acclaim for taking up the role of Pat Caddison, a transgender doctor.
After his death, Reed’s co-stars, Barry Williams and Florence Henderson, spoke about the actor’s sexuality:
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.”
Florence Henderson, ABC News interview, 2000
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.”
Barry Williams, ABC News interview, 2000
Robert Reed’s Illness And Death
When Reed became terminally ill, he only allowed his daughter and a close friend, Anne Haney, to visit. He informed the cast of “The Brady Bunch” a while later, and all of the cast members paid respects and visited as well. He died at Huntington Memorial Hospital in California at age 59.
After his death, it was revealed that he had been diagnosed with HIV in 1991. How he contracted the sickness is still unknown as he kept his medical information private. Reed wasn’t sick with AIDS at the time of his death, but the doctors considered his HIV-positive status as one of the significant contributors that worsened his condition.
At the time, HIV was believed to only afflict gay men and other members of the LGBTQ Community. When Reed’s HIV result became public knowledge, people were quick to formulate theories and speculations about the actor’s sexuality.
Robert Reed’s Extensive Television and Film Career
Reed’s career spans several decades, about a dozen films, and almost a hundred television appearances. He was nominated twice for a Primetime Emmy Award in 1976 and once the year after for Outstanding Lead Actor for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series in “Medical Center,” Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in “Rich Man, Poor Man,” and Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Series for “Roots.”
Was Robert Reed Gay?
Yes, Robert Reed was gay. Reed’s true sexuality was kept hidden for most of his life and most of his career. Though he was diagnosed with HIV, doctors confirmed that he had never contracted AIDS. Many of Reed’s co-stars on “The Brady Bunch” knew of his sexuality. They grew close to him, considering him a good friend and father figure.
Featured Image: “Robert Reed”, by ABC Television, licensed under CC0 1.0 DEED