I actually loved the episode with Greg’s hair turning orange. After my Dad passed away in 2023 and my mom was going through depression and crying fits, I was staying with her and found the Orange Hair Greg episode on TV and suggested we watch it together for some happy distraction. My mom laughed and smiled the whole episode and I secretly thanked the Brady family for that. Grew upon the show and it’s still wonderful. ❤ Rest In Peace Florence, Ann and Robert.
I met Christopher Knight in 2015 at a casino where he was part of a show. I was working there and had the opportunity to speak to him face to face. The Brady Bunch was, for me, an anchor where I witnessed children being treated with dignity and respect and love...which was the polar opposite of what was happening in our house...it was really bad. I watched that show when it first came on until it ended in '74 faithfully...it was so comforting for me. Anyway...I'm standing there in front of one of the most likable characters on the show...and yes-it was some 41 years later-but I honestly felt overwhelmed and a lot of stuff went through my mind...and I don't believe I spoke as intelligently as I had wanted to. He must have thought I was some kind of idiot...but he and everyone else on that show were such an incredible force of hope for me. And I'm very sure that so many others were encouraged by it as well. This video...attests to the love that they shared behind the cameras.
I was a child of the 70s, and wasn't old enough to appreciate it until once it was in reruns. but as an only child of a single mother who was stressed beyond belief, and never home when i'd come home from school, the Brady Bunch was my escape to the family I wish I had. So I totally understand where you're coming from.
@@wylierichardson-tu6zs My gosh...Homer's comment had nothing to do with Robert Reed's private life. It is tragic that society made gays feel they had to live in the closet or be ostracized and lose job opportunities. Nothing is funny about it. The character Mike Brady was not a closeted gay; Reed was.
@@shiroibasketshoes Yet another poster made a 'jokey' comment very much in the same vein. Im so happy I beat him to the punch (line) tho. Anyways, have a nice 2024.
Several years ago I was visiting Branson. Missouri and my husband and I were at the grocery store standing in line to check out. I happened to look at the gentleman in front of me and it was Barry Williams! I turned around to my husband and whispered “That’s Barry Williams!” He proceeded to check out and was very pleasant to the cashier. I was star struck and couldn’t think of a thing to say. At first I didn’t want to bother him but later I wished I had at least said how much I enjoyed him and the whole “blooming bunch.” As soon as I got to the parking lot I called my sisters, acting like a teenager all over again, to tell them who I saw. The Brady Bunch was such a big part of our childhood. It is such a fun memory. I now enjoy Barry and Chris’ podcast where they discuss all the episodes. So fun!
From what I heard, most big actors don't mind people saying hello and going on their way. It's the ones that hang around gushing and asking for pics are the ones that get on some of their nerves. I agree about hard it had to be to see Bob Reed sitting alone like that. If it were me, I would've simply acknowledged him by saying hello and enjoy your evening or something and walked away
I remember watching The Brady Bunch every Friday night and after that The Partridge Family. Two of my favorite shows at that time. I still enjoy the reruns. It was a pleasant escape for some of us whose families that didn't have it quite as together.
I got to meet Florence Henderson in L.A. around 1986 at a taping of a new talk show. She was the first guest, and I was in the audience made up of paid extras. I told her how much I loved her in the Brady Bunch and she was very sweet and friendly to everyone that wanted to meet her. I also ran into Robert Reed in New York City inside a bathroom of a movie theater, ha ha, and had to awkwardly tell him how much I loved his character in the the Brady Bunch and he thanked me. Then years later, I met Barry Williams in Palm Beach Gardens when he came around on a tour doing a karaoke show. I of course I let him know how much I loved the show, and he was very cool - and took a picture with me. Point is, I really hope all the love that so many people have expressed to them is what lasts in their memories of that time.
Somehow this ended up in my UA-cam feed and I'm glad it did. I was captivated from start to finish. Thank you for putting this together, I truly enjoyed it.
Wow, I didn’t know what I was watching at first but, this was a very well written, and superbly portrayed rendition of The Brady Bunch’ final days. I am of the age where, every Friday night since 1969, I was sitting in front of the television set at 7:55 pm waiting for the bumper to start the show, all the way through March 8 1974. It was a good time, and a good show. ❤
For me and my family, ABC was the network to watch on Friday nights. It had The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, Room 222, The Odd Couple, and Love, American Style. Those shows will always have a special feel to them.
The Brady Bunch and Star Trek were filmed in the same studio area. You can imagine the Brady Kids standing in lunch line with Captain Kirk, Spock, Uhura, and Dr. McCoy. Surreal.
Interesting how this started with Robert Reed drinking alone at a bar. He must have done a lot of that, especially toward the end of his life when he was battling HIV. The one and only time I saw him in person, he was sitting alone at the bar at Gus's BBQ in South Pasadena, CA, shortly before he passed. May he rest in peace.
He was like a lot of sitcom actors in the late 60s/early 70s who struggled to find good dramatic work as they were pigeon-holed as Comedy actors. But usually when they found a dramatic role, they nailed it. The best examples are Bob, Elizabeth Montgomery, Mary Tyler Moore, Edward Asner, half the cast of MASH , and Marlo Thomas. They all mostly went the Made-For-Tv film route to do this .
I loved this show so much when I was younger but I have to admit that seeing this portrayal allowed me the space to deconstruct the idea that this young black boy grew up with, admiring and hoping that my family resembled their family. Thank you to the creative team for doing such a great job in capturing the characters and actors behind the scenes. The Brady Bunch still has a very special place in my childhood but seeing this has liberated me from the version of my childhood that I thought wasn’t good enough.
@@phineasnewborniii8249 Thank you so much. Of all the films I’ve done, this is a personal favorite. And like you, I too measured my own family against the Brady fantasy; a process which was often distressing and depressing. So I was happy to reveal the truth and complexity behind the illusion. Thanks again!
I still watch the Brady Bunch to this day, and I was born in 1968 when they were actually already making The Brady Bunch.. it does bring calmness to my heart and I'm grateful that Pluto TV allows me to watch all my Classic Favorites ❤
Barry is an amazing human being. Barry Williams appeared at his book signing which I attended. He was so professional and so kind to each person and the book was an enjoyable read. We love the show as much now as when it first aired. As others have said it gave hope and a model to a lot of kids with troubled homes. We all need the kind of positivity that they bring to us.
Time has proved Robert Reed wrong....The Brady Bunch remains popular more than 50 years after it's premiere. R.I.P. Mr. Reed...you were a great Mike Brady!
@@arizonaalchemy7572 Probably not long...cultural changes to the country would not have supported a show like TBB for long after the 70s. Kinda sad; there was so much good about it (the show AND the country). Best wishes, be hopeful in spite of everything.
Wrong about what? The show did not end well. Really an episode about hair coloring? The only saving grace was when the Brady reunion specials of the 1980s
I agree with you about growing up in the 70's and watching TV shows such as this one, Gilligan's Island, I Dreamed of Jeannie and etc. The music was great, fashion was trending and it was just an incredible experience.
To all those of the Brady Bunch that worked on the Brady house I truly enjoyed watching you work on it and talking about the (good memories) again thank you.
Except on the last season or 2, she did wear her hair down. That she still had her hair in those braids and complained about it in this piece is nonsense.
It was worse for Anissa Jones on Family Affair. She had the Cindy Brady pigtails before Cindy Brady had them! Anissa was forced to wear hers the entire five year run. She was almost 13 when the show was canceled in 1971. Susan Olsen was allowed to wear her hair in braids by 11 and fully down about a 1/3 of the way into the last season while she was still 12.
@gheller2261 , not really I don't think she hardly wore her hair down. Maybe in a few episodes, but in the majority of episodes, her hair was still in curls, thus why she complained
I was one of Jim Nabors backup singers in Hawaii in the Polynesian extravaganza show Florence Henderson came to watch and be a part of the show I got to be with her little while it was such a good feeling and so humble she is❤
I realize that Robert Reed's background was as a Shakespearean actor, but The Brady Bunch was a situation comedy where, back then, everything could be resolved in about 25 minutes. He only had one more show to go and then he could have gone back to Shakespearean acting if he so wanted, but he complained so much that they wrote him out of the last show. A lot of the stuff he did after The Brady Bunch wasn't exactly Shakespearean acting like The Love Boat, Charlie's Angels, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, etc. The same thing with Tina Louise on Gilligan's Island. She thought that she was the star of GI, but she was a co-star, and it wasn't called Ginger's Island. I wish some of these actors would give some serious thought to the roles they end up taking. Again, these are situation comedies. They are there to bring smiles and laughs to the viewers which you don't find a lot of that in Macbeth or Romeo and Juliet.
I agree! That doesn't make sense.... Idk what's true or not...... It was said that sometimes rob reed was giving Sherwood shwartz a hard time w/ some of the scripts.... Oh well...there's gonna b issues behind the scenes......it is what it is ...But it was very sad when Bob Reed passed.... He was good! I believe his daughter from previous marriage....made an appearance on Brady bunch....the slumber party?
Im recalling back In the 1980's or early 90's .... Sally Jessy Raphael did a sequence of 'fathers day" with the actors from 'brady bunch". Different strokes... Adams family ". And rob reed said HE didn't like the fact that young people or kids workin full time on a t.v. series....not have a normal life! Well...some of the young actors COULD handle it ....and some couldn't.....I don't know what's more difficult......regular t.v. series....or filming a movie!? But he did have a good point!
This was hard to watch, I grew up in the 70's and this show was iconic, it hurt my heart to see the main star get disposed of so easily, he was a dignified man, and those children really were like his own children. I wonder how Sherwood felt when he found out about Robert Reed being sick? This whole episode broke my heart, but thanks for sharing it ☮
Sadly, Sherwood was a business man selling products to TV. Ask the cast of Gillighan's Island you will see how shafted they felt as they did not get paid for the reruns but Sherwood certainly did. I think the Brady Bunch could have expanded their story lines as Robert Reed wanted and given the actors a change to stretch out their acting chops to show more than the bubble gum that was shown each week; the bubble gum was what made the show lose momentum in the final season. If Robert Reed's ideas would have been enacted, the Brady Bunch might well have lasted longer and prevented the type-casting that haunted the cast for the rest of their lives.
I agree....I both watched/loved the show as a kid of the 70's but I think it's a shame Robert Reed couldn't have just gone with it instead of all the fighting about scripts when the show was shot in 5 days. He signed a contract and has a right to his opinion but to be so disruptive.......I could see why Mr Schwartz just had to cut him out just to get the shoot finished. I remember being crushed it was cancelled.
Thanks so much for sharing this video with us and posting it! It really hits the tension behind the scenes with Robert Reed and Sherwood Schwartz and his son. You can certainly feel how conflicted the actor of Reed must have been, on the one hand, loving the family he considered the Brady's to be. On the other, he was a frustrated actor who considered himself duped and cheated by the powers-that-be. He wanted the show to say something more substantial. Had the Brady Bunch been more of a show in the 1980 era, Reed might have gotten his wish--At least the previous spouses and the aftermath of their deaths would have been mentioned. I loved that line of Reed's when Schwartz told him that he wanted Gene Hackman for the role. "How unfortunate for Gene Hackman that he has to put up with Francis Ford Coppola instead of you!" What an amazing piece of dialogue. I laughed out loud.
Thanks so much for the kind words! Glad you enjoyed it! The conflict between Reed, Schwartz and son was central for me. I grew up with the show, so being able to explore it, even in a small way, was meaningful. Of course, as a kid, I was drawn to the relationships between the siblings. But as an adult, in the industry, the ugly politics of show business and the frustrations of being an artist in an ego-driven, commercial system became more relevant. And I was able to relate more directly with Reed’s struggles. Thanks again for commenting!
@@whospuss You're welcome. Thanks so much for sharing. As another poster said, I would have liked to have seen even more. Maybe the aftermath and how the tensions affected the then-kid actors, or even the adults. I don't think it would have affected my enjoyment of the nostalgia at all. The show was such a big part of my childhood. I think the show fit in with others of its time: Bewitched, I Dream Of Jennie, Gilligan's Island, they weren't meant to be anything other than enjoyed. But I do love to hear the behind the scenes stuff. What a pressure cooker the B.B. must have been for everyone. It makes the performances of the sweet and innocent facades even more amazing.
I didnt expect this to be that good. Actually shed a tear at the end. To this day all the cast respected Reed. That alone is a testimony that his personality on set was genuine. He was an individual just like anyone else. He had a perspective bigger than the show that unfortunately didnt fit the box. Ironic that real families are like that too. That age of innocence is shattered as all the kids grow into themselves and life goes on beyond those precious younger years where family bonds are at their peak.
What a beautiful sentiment. Thank you for responding. Filming the final moments between Reed and his children was one of the most important, challenging and moving days of our shoot.
The Brady bunch was one of my favorite shows. My childhood was nowhere near like the childhood of those kids. I longed to have The kind of life they did on the program.
I LOVE HOW AT 4:52 THEY START THE SHOW OFF WITH THE JACKSON 5 SONG CUZ IRONICALLY THE JACKSON'S SAID THAT EVERYBODY THOUGHT THEY HAD A BRADY BUNCH TYPE FAMILY AND THAT WAS SO UNTRUE....
WHOSPUSS THANK YOU FOR YOUR HEART......THIS IS A GREAT SHOW AND SCRIPT...I'M A WRITER AND DIRECTOR MYSELF AND I LOVE THE WAY YOU DID THIS....GREAT WORK....LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE WORK SO I CAN HELP PROMOTE IT...I UNDERSTAND BOB REED BUT WOW MANY OTHER ACTORS WOULD LOVE TO HAVE JUST HAD A NICE PAYING JOB ON A HIT SHOW...
@@vashtikelly6837 Thank you so much, Vashti, for the kind words. Of all the films I’ve made, this one is a personal favorite, as I was such a fan of TBB growing up. A lot of my films can be found on Tubi these days under Jack Perez. And my website is jackperezdirector.com. Regarding Reed - you’re right. There’s a lot to be thankful for when you’ve got a steady gig; but I also see Reed’s point of view, too, which comes from my own experiences working in the industry for 3 decades. Basically, there’s a lot of dumb decision-making, creatively. So many shows could be so much smarter, so much more interesting and entertaining; but are hamstrung by those in power. I think Reed knew the show could be better, and because he valued his profession so highly, he considered it a terrible shame and waste, as the show devolved into silliness; as so many shows that have run their course often do. Anyway, that’s show business:) Many thanks again!
It was good to know that Sherwood Schwartz and Robert Reed settled their differences seeing that Robert Reed was in all of the Brady Bunch movie specials after the series ended. The A Very Brady Christmas, Brady Brides etc. I liked this video just watched.
They didn't settle their differences. He thought the show's writing was ridiculous. He appeared in The specials and reunions because he said he knew the other actors wouldn't have not gotten as much money if Me Brady wasn't there. He liked the cast, gave them cameras and took them all to Ny and London on his dime.
Another video on this topic said that Schwartz wasn't involved with the specials and reunions so that's why Reed agreed to do them. Don't know if that's true but it would make sense.
I find it interesting that a show reenacting the last few days of filming the last episode of the Brady Bunch, they didn't get a blonde boy actor to play Robbie Rist. After all, cousin Oliver was a part of the last episode too.
The thing I loved most about Robert Reed is despite his intense dislike of the show & his role in it, since he considered it beneath his talent, he truly loved those kids, and they loved him. Since Bob never had any children of his own, his TV kids were a blessing in his life (and he was a blessing in their lives, too). That's the real "magic" behind the scenes; the unexpected lifelong bonds that don't end just because a series ends. I enjoyed this very much, thank you for posting it. Of course, I was a huge fan of the Brady Bunch, watching it back in 1969 and never missed an episode. I remember when I was 10 yrs old, I wrote Eve Plumb a fan letter, asking her to be my pen pal. I eventually got back a nice autographed B&W picture and a thank-you.
His real-life daughter was actually in the one of the Brady episodes - the one where the girls had a slumber party. She was the biggest girl there, didn't look much like him other than the blue eyes.
That early scene with the kids in Sherwood’s office making demands would probably never happen. A meeting like that would most likely never take place without their agents and possibly parents being present.
@@alwilson3204 I thought the show was cancelled because the ratings were down and they had enough seasons in the can for syndication. I could be wrong about that.
I really enjoyed this. After watching "Growing Up Brady" and researching the subject, I think this was a better depiction. It felt was more real. Whereas GuB felt like another overly scripted Brady Bunch episode. Well done. I would have liked to see what you would have done starting earlier in their careers.
I would actually think this was a more dramatic version of things that happened. Seeing Barry Williams wrote Growing Up Brady, I would think he's version of different events would be more accurate
@@whospuss It all depends on what you end up getting for your budget. Some people tell me they ask for less, as they somehow believe they would have a better chance at securing their funding. I tell them to add at least 10 - 20% onto their budget - and to get a good Line Producer! In "Hollywood" almost everything is negotiable. I'm currently an EAP on a few 10M features.
I've always liked light-hearted happy shows and movies. Whenever I get to sit down and watch something, I just want to turn off my brain and relax for a bit. Life is stressful enough. It's unfortunate that so many actors felt unfulfilled and like their roles didn't have meaning, but they should've done something else then. There aren't many wholesome things left, just leave them alone
It was only 5 years of Robert Reed's life. If he was such a great writer or Shakespearian actor he could have proven it. He had an inflated ego, more likely.
I'll just repeat what I told another who, like you, just did not get it because like them you have no idea what we go through as performers in the Guild - and no, it had nothing to do with an ego at all: As an actor myself in the Guild I can understand exactly what Robert was going through. Directors don't always have the final say, and they do screw us time to time. Robert was sticking up for what he felt was right and he WAS right. Sherwood was not understanding that the times were changing and he treated the kids as if they were still little when in the final seasons they were grown up to being teenagers. You would not understand because you are not an actor/actress and you only see things at face value. You really need to learn about our craft a lot more before you assume he was a jerk, because no one EVER had a bad thing to say about Robert Reed back then and even today. I've worked with many directors and performers in 15 years of working roles in movies and shows who knew and worked with him and they ALL had nothing, but positive things to say about the man. He was a visionary for his time and understood what the audience wanted and liked. Again, you would not understand because you are not in my industry...that makes you ignorant, but assuming what you did only makes you toxic. Grow up.
@@scypsylock9402 YOU assume too much. I do get it. I was an actress in my 20's & 30's. Thanks for the lecture. My opinion stands. And that's all it is. So why to YOU grow up.
@@scypsylock9402 LMAO!! big FREAKIN' Whoop-Dee-Doo so you're an actor...who cares? LOL That doesn't make Robert Reed acting like a pompous idiot justified!! I think a so-called "Shakespearian" actor would be smart enough to realize that you say what the writers tell you to say, act the way the director WANTS you to act in order to tell a story or else be written out. ACTOR mean someone who ACTS. Not changing scripts or staying up all night and writing stupid scripts for the writers, Not telling everybody how to do their jobs, Not refusing to read your lines, NOT crashing closed Sets. Reed was being paid to ACT, not changing things based on his own personal opinions. Did he try to change Shakespeare's writing to inflate his own boring Ego too??? On the Brady Bunch set Reed was behaving like a Bad Actor, Not a Trained actor........ Stop being a Cuck for Bad Actor Reed!!
@@scypsylock9402 by the way, what movies have YOU acted in if you're really an actor? I have a few hours to laugh at what you would consider "good acting" LMAO You are Probably Wil Weaton, whose very existence is just as unconvincing as his acting LOL
People have never lost interest in this show It was a great Friday night routine to watch this back in the day It’s good it ran five years Went out on top
I'm 60 and I still like to watch the show on Paramount Plus. I used to watch it when I'd become depressed, knowing after 30 minutes the show would bring me out of my depression.
@@nelda7071360 We're the same age. I well remember that killer Friday night lineup on ABC. Also had Odd Couple, Room 222, and Love Am Sty. The Bradys were safer than prozac and a hellava lot cheaper! Cheers.
What I could never understand is that after all Reed's whining about the show & how it was beneath him, when they did him a favor & gave him his way...he acted like a DIVA....plus he was in ALL the reunions & even did the Brady Bunch show, doing everything he hated again...
The sad thing is that RR’s ego caused the 8 other actors to lose their roles too. Producers are always a pain. And it would seem that so are many actors. It makes you realise just how important the bond the cast of Friends had. They were back to back from day one until the end. But it’s hard to hear the back stories of some of these heartwarming nostalgic shows. 😢
I watched the Brady Bunch for many years. I have watched every episode. The first season, I felt like the actors and the show were trying to find their way. The second, third, and fourth seasons were great! By the second half of the fifth season, there weren't many good episodes anymore. The show had run its course. Adding Oliver was a mistake, and an indication that the show was basically over. That said, many people criticized the show - but I can find nothing wrong with a show about a family whose members loved one another. I felt the character I related to the most was Alice. The episode where the kids turned on her, and she was crying at her friend's apartment, and left her job with the Bradys, and became a waitress (4th season) - that was the only episode I saw where I could have cried. Who could be so mean to sweet Alice? At the end the kids found her working at a diner and apologized and told her they loved her. I loved the show so much that in the 90s, when Barry (a.k.a. Greg) came to my school to talk about his experiences on the Brady Bunch and to promote his book, "Growing up Brady", I was so excited and wanted to meet him. I waited in line and finally got to talk to him. I was very disappointed. He acted like all of his fans were annoying, and he was just there because he needed this job to make some money. I asked him a question about the show and he was just like "whatever". He wasn't friendly at all. I really lost respect for him after meeting him. Maybe some of the actors on the show didn't appreciate being typecast, which is unfortunate for them - but no matter how they may feel, they influenced a whole generation of American kids, and a lot of people still love them to this day. I think it is awesome that they also shared a connection in real life and kept in touch after the show was over. It was good that they never changed actors to play a certain character during the show (unlike Bewitched with Darren #1 and Darren #2!)
I had the same experience as you did! It must have been around 1992 for me and I was studying at University. Barry Williams came to the campus to promote his Brady Bunch book. He was dismissive to me and other students waiting in line. I was sad about the whole experience. Thank you for sharing your experience in your comment I am touched by it.
I’m sorry you had such a negative experience with Barry, that sucks. I know how you feel. I met John De Lancie at a Star Trek convention (he played Q) and he was so dismissive while signing my picture. Not friendly. 😞
I met Barry Williams in April of 1971 at my friends sweet 16 birthday party. Then, we went on a double date. She with Barry and me with Kevin Burchet. They were very nice, but I didn't like it. They were not completely comfortable with their fame and it felt awkward. Maybe it was me projecting, but it wasn't the best. Barry drive a baby blue Buick Riviera Convertible, and, he smoked Marlboro Reds in the Box. I imagine he's quit smoking since then.
It's a shame Robert Reed didn't fully realize how important the Brady Bunch and his character was, and would be, for generations of children. Unfortunate the show and his participation ended on this note. Strange he took that moment to make his stand, especially with the potential this could be the final episode. It was.
He had been complaining to Schwartz for almost the entire run of the BB. He hated the writing, and let them know it. Schwartz' big claim to fame was he was a gag writer for Bob Hope in the 1940s and from most of the scripts you can see that. This wasn't a one time thing this was on going and Schwartz was making contingencey plans for the next season without Robert reed.
@@blabbermouth777 he could play drama. He had plenty of experience in dramas. That's why many people in the industry were suprised when he took the role of Mike Brady. he was not a comedic actor.
Ive seen alot of Videos but ive Never felt so sad at the end . I almost cried not just for Mr. Reed but for the Cast. Touching to say the least. BRAVO to the writers and director. Thank you.
It doesn't really make sense for Bobby's character though. Think about it...why would the good brother ever do something like that? Not saying he didn't have his "really shouldn't have done that" moments, but come on...Bobby would never prank his brothers or sisters or in an earlier episode dare be so cross with Alice (and neither would Jan due to their bond as middle kids)...because Alice was specifically brought on as a housekeeper for him...are we sure that the most responsible Brady would ever do that? I mean really...the same Bobby "Happy Handy Helper" Brady cons his big brother? The hairbrained schemes were more Cindy's department...which annoyed Susan Olsen.
It has a lot in common with the monkees show. If you read the pilot and do not want it, then don’t audition and bust your tail to get it. The show is what it is, if you don’t like it... move on to something else.
Reed nearly leaving the show was a blessing in disguise. BB was one of the greatest shows on American TV because it ran five years. Four would've been okay, but six seasons would'be been too much. The kids weren't kids anymore. (Happy Days ran for *eleven years* - WAY too long. Ron Howard wisely left after the seventh season. By 1984 Anson Williams was 34 and Henry Winkler was 38. Jump that shark)
You're right about what you're saying...but let's be realistic...nobody cares about how the public views the show in terms of the length or even the quality-although they act as if they do at the time...but the truth is it lasted for 11 years because it made money for 11 years...like it or not...that's what it's all about.
Odd. Accurate historically for the most part. Actor playing Bob Reed looks remarkably like Barry Williams. Florence actress got voice spot on. Kids were ok. Very surreal look and feel to the whole doco. Bit creepy.
Robert Reed was like a real life Dad to theses kids .I remember when Florence Henderson told the story that Robert call her and told her that he was going to pass away and please call the kids .I also Florence Henderson singing the national anthem for the Chicago Cubs .
As lightweight as this show was, it is still one of the most important sitcoms ever put on television. Thanks to syndication, generations of children have grown up with the show. Many of them didn't have anywhere near the childhood that these six child actors did. It gave kids a half hour of fun, sillyness, love and kindness. And there was always a lesson to be learned that they may have never been exposed to. When ranking the importance of sitcoms in American television, it may rank right near the top for its influence on children.
I thought the same thing for a second, but I'm pretty sure I saw a documentary somewhere and was surprised to see the character names on the chairs instead of their real ones at the time.
I managed Donna Douglas from 1990 until her death. We also were very close, and dear friend. (Not romantic) Anyhow, I CONSTANTLY had to tell people, NOT to call her ELLY MAY, that is NOT HER NAME. We made a lot of tv appearances, many times I appeared on the shows with her. (I also was a performer for over 30 years, headlined on the Grand Ole' Opry, my own show at "The Aladdin" in Las Vegas, etc. etc.) So I would get everyone straightened out, the segment would start shooing, and the host or interview would say, "So Elly, tell us about......"
Lots of stuff in here was written out of chronological order; Kelly's Kids pilot came before the finale, no Cousin Oliver in the finale. I can understand Robert Reed's dislike of the show, but it was a job; there's very little call for classically trained Shakespearean stage actors, even 50+ years ago.
Is this really the way it played out? Watched 'The Brady Bunch' in England in the early 70's.....loved it! And now here I am....mid life crisis and all....and I'm moved 😘
Never heard of this before. It was interesting and well acted I must say. However, the makers certainly played with the timeline of events and if this really was about the final episode..the only question I have is...WHERE IS COUSING OLIVER????...lol
The Brady Bunch Variety Hour was 100 times more embarrassing than the Brady Bunch itself, yet Robert Reed had no problem doing that. Check out any episode of that series, if you dare!
He loved the kids and wanted to see them again. He was lonely. Personally, I think he should've gotten a puppy or something rather than do that show.@@mrsheatherteske
They all did a great job. I watched a TV show that was on a long time, I still go back to watch old reruns, the characters were there thru thick & then. Kids grew up on the show as actors for much longer. It depends on ones perspective. Erin Torpey was a little girl when she started, she had adult roles too. She was loved by all.
@@mrsheatherteske The Schwartz’s didn’t produce the the variety show, Sid and Marty Krofft did. They were upfront with Reed about the format. Reed had never done song and dance in his career and wanted to try it. Finally, the big name guest stars were a sign Reed that things wouldn’t get out of hand (he was wrong.)
@@sandygarner7757 I was born with that name 6 years before The Brady Bunch went on the air, yes it’s for real. Funny thing is that my wife (who has 3 daughters of her own) asked me the same question when we met on line in 2007. I have a son, but not three sons. If I had 3 sons, well that’s another television show, isn’t it?
I could never understand Robert Reed’s hate for this great show he says was unrealistic but yet he chose to go on their variety show which I thought was stupid
It’s because the variety show allowed him to sing and dance, showing America a side of him they hadn’t seen. He was a classically trained stage actor and while he had issues with the tone and character motivations of Mike Brady on the Brady Bunch, the variety hour made no illusions about what it was so I guess he thought it was fine.
@@StallingsFilm it also didn't hurt that Sherwood and Lloyd Schwartz- both of whom he genuinely despised (and in turn they genuinely despised him)- had NOTHING to do with it.
When an actor finds a role that's iconic some actors will run that character into the Ground (Example: Kelsey Grammer as Frasier) and got typecast but there's this teen suspense film he did in late 50's that got roasted on Mystery Science Theater 3000
Sure it was unrealistic. But most of us watch the show because we found it entertaining and it gave us a break from our realistic lives that were nothing like the Brady Bunch. My family certainly was not the model of the Brady Bunch, far from it. But we were a large family much like the sitcom. Six kids but not blended. Mom stayed home and Dad worked and provided for the family. My dad was not much of a family patriarch. He was more reserved and barely had a backbone. Except for when punishing us. But on the surface we looked like the model family. So we were already living the lie. But the Brady Bunch lie looked better than ours. Watching The Brady Bunch gave us a break from our reality.
I'm so torn on this, on one hand I see why Robert Reed wanted the show to be better...on the other hand, I kind of wish I could have told him to lighten up, the show was never supposed to be some award winning, critically acclaimed piece of art. It was just a silly sitcom...one of many. I just wish Robert Reed could have seen it for what it is and relaxed a little and enjoyed working on a show that would never be forgotten.
Even African American kids loved this show. My cousin and I would always say the brady's was our favorite white family. Mike Brady was America's dad before Bill Cosby.
As a Shakespearean Thespian, Robert Reed felt that he was selling out his craft by playing Mike Brady. However; the money was good and there weren't many Shakespeare plays that could pay as much.
Richard Basehart was one of the leading Shakespearean actors in the world when, to the surprise of many, he agreed to star in Irwin Allen's television adaptation of "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea." Basehart would later admit he did it for the money, so that after the show's run he'd have the financial security to pick and choose his roles. Although the show had descended into utter absurdity by its third and final season, Basehart remained a consummate professional throughout. He and co-star David Hedison even snuck in a few sly references in later episodes poking fun at the show and themselves. Maybe Robert Reed could have followed the example of his fellow Shakespearean.
Talk about art imitating life. My brother graduated in 1981 and just a week away from graduating used a new shampoo on the market and did not realize that it was recalled. The shampoo turned his hair, believe it oh not, a sickly orange green. He came running out of the bathroom screaming. 😂😂😂😂. True story.
This movie got Reed's relationship with the actors spot on. To this day, the former child actors all speak kindly of him. As for the conflict between him and Schwartz. I think it's just a little bit biased towards Reed. Yes, the scripts were inane and the Schwartz's weren't the easiest folks to work for. The film is correct there. Reed could be a kind of a diva though, too. There is a famous story of how Reed wouldn't say a line about the smell of strawberries because he'd read that strawberries don't have a scent. He was technically right, but it was kind of a silly hill to die on, so to speak. Thanks for uploading this, btw. I enjoyed it quite a bit. :-)
The last episode was filmed when I was just a small baby, and I still grew up watching the reruns.. I'm sure I saw every episode 20 times throughout my life. Like other kids, I often envied not having 5 siblings, the cool house, and swing set that somehow always had lush green grass rather than ruts under each swing. Yes, at times, it was unrealistic and sappy but everything was back then because everything was censured and had to follow crazy guidelines and rules.. Now I miss those days and the pre-cable censured TV shows and The Brady Bunch nostalgia..
It did...this is about how the actors on set lives were actually better than their off camera lives for most of them...Susan and Mike seemed to have the most normal lives off set...and Susan wound up with the opposite problem here.
I always felt bad for Robert Reed, that he never fully understood what his role was. Schwartz had a vision ... invited him to make it happen - and he accepted. He then, somehow, got the idea that it was his job to expand on Sherwood's vision and make it over in his own image. He never quite understood that he was merely an employee and not a partner.
@@truckingwithatablet4489 - I'm not sure if there was a complete sentence in there or not. But what on earth are you talking about? I NEVER suggested that Reed was first choice. I simply said that he was asked to play the role and he did. He wasn't forced to do it.. and he didn't force himself upon Schwartz. Despite hoping that the role would be something different, he still pulled it off beautifully.
As a kid in the 70s that watched the show every day, this was very interesting but very sad too. That was a great show and they were all great actors. A part of many peoples lives❤
I know right?! Same here, we lived for this show as kids, I still watch it on METV every Sunday morning. Who knew all this stuff was going on behind the scenes and in front of the kids in a lot of cases. I've read things over the years, but to see it acted out in this documentary makes it seem more real, I feel bad for Robert Reed. May he RIP, as well as Florence Henderson and Ann B Davis. Who didn't want their very own Alice?
When I watched the Betty Thomas Brady movie, I remember that I almost started crying during the scenes where she made fun of the characters, and introduced homosexuality into the Brady universe. It felt like Thomas was disrespecting friends of mine, and foisting her own baggage onto something good growing up.
I think Reed had a point, though. You can have comedy and good writing. You can have comedy and trash writing. A lot of the episodes were trash and unrealistic.
I can remember seeing a preview of the Brady Bunch in TV Guide. I was so drawn to those pictures and couldn't wait to see the first episode. I can't remember having to mow the lawn before it came on. I was 10 at the time.
Can we just acknowledge the actor portraying Robert Reed looks more like an older Barry Williams than Barry Williams does.
Until I read the credits, I thought it was Barry Williams.
Doppelgänger 😂
I was thinking the same.
True 😂
Yes!
I actually loved the episode with Greg’s hair turning orange. After my Dad passed away in 2023 and my mom was going through depression and crying fits, I was staying with her and found the Orange Hair Greg episode on TV and suggested we watch it together for some happy distraction. My mom laughed and smiled the whole episode and I secretly thanked the Brady family for that. Grew upon the show and it’s still wonderful. ❤ Rest In Peace Florence, Ann and Robert.
and your Dad.
It's actually the funniest episode of the whole show, in my opinion.
ya well it was the last one then they got cancelled sadly
Actually, I remember when certain hair tonics did indeed turn peoples' hair an unintended color. People in my neighborhood growing up dealt with this.
In Jr. High I used "Lemon Go Lightly" on my dark brown hair & it turned a muted orange-ish shade. Not clown orange, but still not good!
I met Christopher Knight in 2015 at a casino where he was part of a show. I was working there and had the opportunity to speak to him face to face. The Brady Bunch was, for me, an anchor where I witnessed children being treated with dignity and respect and love...which was the polar opposite of what was happening in our house...it was really bad. I watched that show when it first came on until it ended in '74 faithfully...it was so comforting for me. Anyway...I'm standing there in front of one of the most likable characters on the show...and yes-it was some 41 years later-but I honestly felt overwhelmed and a lot of stuff went through my mind...and I don't believe I spoke as intelligently as I had wanted to. He must have thought I was some kind of idiot...but he and everyone else on that show were such an incredible force of hope for me. And I'm very sure that so many others were encouraged by it as well. This video...attests to the love that they shared behind the cameras.
The Brady Bunch was a wonderful part of my childhood. I’m glad you had the opportunity to meet a “Brady”. Thank you for sharing.
@@MichelleFaithLove Thank you...a very kind comment indeed!
I was a child of the 70s, and wasn't old enough to appreciate it until once it was in reruns. but as an only child of a single mother who was stressed beyond belief, and never home when i'd come home from school, the Brady Bunch was my escape to the family I wish I had. So I totally understand where you're coming from.
Joliet Casino?
@@jbeebs1 no
My dad used to tell us kids "why cant you kids be more like the Brady kids"? I said "why can't you be like the Brady parents"? 🤣🤣
Wasn't that kind of your cue to make bets, dares and play ball in the house? Blessings to your family.
Well, if your dad was (ahem) 'in the closet', he probably was just like Mike Brady. 😛
Did your dad start dating dudes after that?
@@wylierichardson-tu6zs My gosh...Homer's comment had nothing to do with Robert Reed's private life. It is tragic that society made gays feel they had to live in the closet or be ostracized and lose job opportunities. Nothing is funny about it. The character Mike Brady was not a closeted gay; Reed was.
@@shiroibasketshoes Yet another poster made a 'jokey' comment very much in the same vein. Im so happy I beat him to the punch (line) tho. Anyways, have a nice 2024.
Several years ago I was visiting Branson. Missouri and my husband and I were at the grocery store standing in line to check out. I happened to look at the gentleman in front of me and it was Barry Williams! I turned around to my husband and whispered “That’s Barry Williams!” He proceeded to check out and was very pleasant to the cashier. I was star struck and couldn’t think of a thing to say. At first I didn’t want to bother him but later I wished I had at least said how much I enjoyed him and the whole “blooming bunch.” As soon as I got to the parking lot I called my sisters, acting like a teenager all over again, to tell them who I saw. The Brady Bunch was such a big part of our childhood. It is such a fun memory. I now enjoy Barry and Chris’ podcast where they discuss all the episodes. So fun!
From what I heard, most big actors don't mind people saying hello and going on their way. It's the ones that hang around gushing and asking for pics are the ones that get on some of their nerves. I agree about hard it had to be to see Bob Reed sitting alone like that. If it were me, I would've simply acknowledged him by saying hello and enjoy your evening or something and walked away
Brandon MO?!? Wtf that’s crazy
I remember watching The Brady Bunch every Friday night and after that The Partridge Family. Two of my favorite shows at that time. I still enjoy the reruns. It was a pleasant escape for some of us whose families that didn't have it quite as together.
Rip to Sherwood Schwartz, Robert Reed, Florence Henderson & Ann b Davis,we still miss you all
AND Sam Franklin (Allan Melvin)
Sam never settled down with Alice.😞, he really loved her.
@@junesondrab3833In THE BRADY BRIDES it was confirmed they DID get married
He always seemed on edge.
Robert Reed was a jerk
I got to meet Florence Henderson in L.A. around 1986 at a taping of a new talk show. She was the first guest, and I was in the audience made up of paid extras. I told her how much I loved her in the Brady Bunch and she was very sweet and friendly to everyone that wanted to meet her. I also ran into Robert Reed in New York City inside a bathroom of a movie theater, ha ha, and had to awkwardly tell him how much I loved his character in the the Brady Bunch and he thanked me. Then years later, I met Barry Williams in Palm Beach Gardens when he came around on a tour doing a karaoke show. I of course I let him know how much I loved the show, and he was very cool - and took a picture with me. Point is, I really hope all the love that so many people have expressed to them is what lasts in their memories of that time.
❤
😊😊
I always loved the Brady bunch I watch it forever❤
Bradybunch is a good show😅
He spent a lot of time in bathrooms, it was a favourite pastime for Reed.
Somehow this ended up in my UA-cam feed and I'm glad it did. I was captivated from start to finish. Thank you for putting this together, I truly enjoyed it.
The Mr. Brady actor looks like Barry Williams, but his voice sounds like Robert Reed.
Yes. Everyone on the crew thought similarly.
I was thinking the same .... he sounds identical to Robert Reed but looks more like Barry Williams did at one time.
That's what I said lol
1:19 big time resemblance to Reed.
@@davidleavitt835 I just see a close up of the script at 1:19
Wow, I didn’t know what I was watching at first but, this was a very well written, and superbly portrayed rendition of The Brady Bunch’ final days. I am of the age where, every Friday night since 1969, I was sitting in front of the television set at 7:55 pm waiting for the bumper to start the show, all the way through March 8 1974. It was a good time, and a good show. ❤
For me and my family, ABC was the network to watch on Friday nights. It had The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, Room 222, The Odd Couple, and Love, American Style. Those shows will always have a special feel to them.
The Brady Bunch and Star Trek were filmed in the same studio area.
You can imagine the Brady Kids standing in lunch line with Captain Kirk, Spock, Uhura, and Dr. McCoy.
Surreal.
I remember sitting on my school bus reading about the Brady Bunch. I couldn’t get enough of them. Such a huge part of my life growing up.
Interesting how this started with Robert Reed drinking alone at a bar. He must have done a lot of that, especially toward the end of his life when he was battling HIV. The one and only time I saw him in person, he was sitting alone at the bar at Gus's BBQ in South Pasadena, CA, shortly before he passed. May he rest in peace.
He was like a lot of sitcom actors in the late 60s/early 70s who struggled to find good dramatic work as they were pigeon-holed as Comedy actors. But usually when they found a dramatic role, they nailed it. The best examples are Bob, Elizabeth Montgomery, Mary Tyler Moore, Edward Asner, half the cast of MASH , and Marlo Thomas. They all mostly went the Made-For-Tv film route to do this .
I used to live in south pass. Gus's is an awesome place...I wonder what he was doing way out there
@@danpatrick9080 He lived in Pasadena, as I recall.
Being a fag in the 70s was no picnic. Even Liberace had to hide it. And Paul Lynde.
@@danpatrick9080what were you doing out there?....celebrity look for obscure places
One of my favorite shows. I still watch it today. Never gets old.
In 1974 it is plausible that a teenaged boy would be selling hair tonic. We had pet rocks and sea monkeys for crying out loud.
And clackers too! lol
@@steverakes6182don’t forget the lawn darts lol.
The back of every comic book had sales promotions for crap a lot worse than hair potion.
Those wacky clackers practically broke my arm!
I loved the sea monkeys
even if bob didn’t like being on the show he really cared for those kids
Yes he was like a,second father to them.he didn't gave a problem with anyone on the show. His problem was personal with sherwood swartz
Unfortunately , he was eyeing up the young actors...
@@helbitkelbit1790 he never did anything to those kids he was very good to them
@@ronsadventures2007 agree did his best
@jenniferholzman119 the cast never had a problem with him.his problem was personal with sherwood Schwartz
This made me really sad. I grew up like many of you watching this wonderful show. It will always have a special place in my heart. 💜
I loved this show so much when I was younger but I have to admit that seeing this portrayal allowed me the space to deconstruct the idea that this young black boy grew up with, admiring and hoping that my family resembled their family. Thank you to the creative team for doing such a great job in capturing the characters and actors behind the scenes. The Brady Bunch still has a very special place in my childhood but seeing this has liberated me from the version of my childhood that I thought wasn’t good enough.
@@phineasnewborniii8249 Thank you so much. Of all the films I’ve done, this is a personal favorite. And like you, I too measured my own family against the Brady fantasy; a process which was often distressing and depressing. So I was happy to reveal the truth and complexity behind the illusion. Thanks again!
I still watch the Brady Bunch to this day, and I was born in 1968 when they were actually already making The Brady Bunch.. it does bring calmness to my heart and I'm grateful that Pluto TV allows me to watch all my Classic Favorites ❤
I was born in 1968 as well and found the joys of watching the Brady Bunch in Syndication......
1968 baby here too! #GenX
I watched the Brady Bunch reruns all through my childhood & teens.
1963 baby and I watched the episodes from my Grandma’s house when they first aired!
@calisongbird I literally bought the Box Set... 😜 and The Brady Christmas 🤗
Barry is an amazing human being. Barry Williams appeared at his book signing which I attended. He was so professional and so kind to each person and the book was an enjoyable read. We love the show as much now as when it first aired. As others have said it gave hope and a model to a lot of kids with troubled homes. We all need the kind of positivity that they bring to us.
Time has proved Robert Reed wrong....The Brady Bunch remains popular more than 50 years after it's premiere. R.I.P. Mr. Reed...you were a great Mike Brady!
Well said, such a Great Show and Amazing Actors, Still watch the re-runs. Sad documentary. I've often wondered how long series might have lasted. :)
@@arizonaalchemy7572 Probably not long...cultural changes to the country would not have supported a show like TBB for long after the 70s. Kinda sad; there was so much good about it (the show AND the country). Best wishes, be hopeful in spite of everything.
@@kelseymathias3881 , Yeah, true point. Happy that most of us were exposed to a great series. ;)
Wrong about what? The show did not end well. Really an episode about hair coloring? The only saving grace was when the Brady reunion specials of the 1980s
@@3dartistguy Wrong in the sense that the show remains so popular. The ending episode, though not a great one, is just one of many.
The 70s ruled Glad I was a part of it I'm 56 now& it was an awesome time love the Brady bunch always 🤟🎸
I agree with you about growing up in the 70's and watching TV shows such as this one, Gilligan's Island, I Dreamed of Jeannie and etc. The music was great, fashion was trending and it was just an incredible experience.
Same i am 56 and i watched BB abd Gilligan's island all the time. Brings back great memories.
The 70s was the very best decade ever!
I'm 56 too. Watched the show religiously
Punctuation rules!
To all those of the Brady Bunch that worked on the Brady house I truly enjoyed watching you work on it and talking about the (good memories) again thank you.
After 5 years, the characters should be allowed to grow and change. Cindy keeping her hair up like a 5 year old girl was just weird.
Except on the last season or 2, she did wear her hair down. That she still had her hair in those braids and complained about it in this piece is nonsense.
I agree but it’s in the title song. “ the youngest one with curls. “ I think they were stuck with it!
It was worse for Anissa Jones on Family Affair. She had the Cindy Brady pigtails before Cindy Brady had them! Anissa was forced to wear hers the entire five year run. She was almost 13 when the show was canceled in 1971. Susan Olsen was allowed to wear her hair in braids by 11 and fully down about a 1/3 of the way into the last season while she was still 12.
And creepy AF
@gheller2261 , not really
I don't think she hardly wore her hair down. Maybe in a few episodes, but in the majority of episodes, her hair was still in curls, thus why she complained
I was one of Jim Nabors backup singers in Hawaii in the Polynesian extravaganza show Florence Henderson came to watch and be a part of the show I got to be with her little while it was such a good feeling and so humble she is❤
How lovely!
lol @@whospuss
@who spouse
I realize that Robert Reed's background was as a Shakespearean actor, but The Brady Bunch was a situation comedy where, back then, everything could be resolved in about 25 minutes. He only had one more show to go and then he could have gone back to Shakespearean acting if he so wanted, but he complained so much that they wrote him out of the last show. A lot of the stuff he did after The Brady Bunch wasn't exactly Shakespearean acting like The Love Boat, Charlie's Angels, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, etc. The same thing with Tina Louise on Gilligan's Island. She thought that she was the star of GI, but she was a co-star, and it wasn't called Ginger's Island. I wish some of these actors would give some serious thought to the roles they end up taking. Again, these are situation comedies. They are there to bring smiles and laughs to the viewers which you don't find a lot of that in Macbeth or Romeo and Juliet.
Reed played a dramatic role before the Brady Bunch where' he played a attorney I believe that it was called The Defenders.
Again the poor guy. To be in such a shit show.
Well summarized.
Completely agree… if Robert reed didn’t like the role he played in Brady bunch, he shouldnt have taken The role
@@TheNaturalibra I seem to remember Schwartz said he didn't expect the show to take off like it did. Only planned 6 episodes.
The actor that played Robert Reed was spot on, and his mannerisms! Well done!
He even had the same voice.
A real fruit
There are so many great actors and so few great roles.
For somebody who detested his role and scripts so much...Reed sure did show up for almost every Brady reunion movie and specials after the show ended.
Bunk. It was $$. @@A5M5-hm9lk
I agree! That doesn't make sense.... Idk what's true or not...... It was said that sometimes rob reed was giving Sherwood shwartz a hard time w/ some of the scripts.... Oh well...there's gonna b issues behind the scenes......it is what it is ...But it was very sad when Bob Reed passed.... He was good! I believe his daughter from previous marriage....made an appearance on Brady bunch....the slumber party?
Im recalling back In the 1980's or early 90's .... Sally Jessy Raphael did a sequence of 'fathers day" with the actors from 'brady bunch". Different strokes... Adams family ". And rob reed said HE didn't like the fact that young people or kids workin full time on a t.v. series....not have a normal life! Well...some of the young actors COULD handle it ....and some couldn't.....I don't know what's more difficult......regular t.v. series....or filming a movie!? But he did have a good point!
You know this show is not True....
A5M5....your right about mr. Reed taking the kids on big trip.... London. Barry shared about that!
I liked Robert Reed and respected his gift as a great actor, but if he had a problem with the show, he never should have accepted the role of Mike.
@BlairBart-zr1hd KAREN... go away...
@BlairBart-zr1hd or at least he was told that it would address serious issues.
$$$ 😂
I agree 100%. He was unprofessional and wasted his and his co-workers’ lives living with his negative attitude.
@@graveeverystep it certain wasn't Sherwood Schwartz's fault that his acting career tanked after "The Defenders."
I really enjoyed watching this. I appreciated your attention to detail, and the songs (soundtrack) was spot on!
Thank you!
This was hard to watch, I grew up in the 70's and this show was iconic, it hurt my heart to see the main star get disposed of so easily, he was a dignified man, and those children really were like his own children. I wonder how Sherwood felt when he found out about Robert Reed being sick? This whole episode broke my heart, but thanks for sharing it ☮
Sadly, Sherwood was a business man selling products to TV. Ask the cast of Gillighan's Island you will see how shafted they felt as they did not get paid for the reruns but Sherwood certainly did. I think the Brady Bunch could have expanded their story lines as Robert Reed wanted and given the actors a change to stretch out their acting chops to show more than the bubble gum that was shown each week; the bubble gum was what made the show lose momentum in the final season. If Robert Reed's ideas would have been enacted, the Brady Bunch might well have lasted longer and prevented the type-casting that haunted the cast for the rest of their lives.
I agree....I both watched/loved the show as a kid of the 70's but I think it's a shame Robert Reed couldn't have just gone with it instead of all the fighting about scripts when the show was shot in 5 days. He signed a contract and has a right to his opinion but to be so disruptive.......I could see why Mr Schwartz just had to cut him out just to get the shoot finished. I remember being crushed it was cancelled.
He wasn't disposed easily. He caused problems the entire 5 years. They finally called his bluff.
Mine too. 😢
From the first , to the final episode , my two brother's and I could never get enough of THE BRADY BUNCH !
Thanks so much for sharing this video with us and posting it! It really hits the tension behind the scenes with Robert Reed and Sherwood Schwartz and his son. You can certainly feel how conflicted the actor of Reed must have been, on the one hand, loving the family he considered the Brady's to be. On the other, he was a frustrated actor who considered himself duped and cheated by the powers-that-be. He wanted the show to say something more substantial. Had the Brady Bunch been more of a show in the 1980 era, Reed might have gotten his wish--At least the previous spouses and the aftermath of their deaths would have been mentioned.
I loved that line of Reed's when Schwartz told him that he wanted Gene Hackman for the role. "How unfortunate for Gene Hackman that he has to put up with Francis Ford Coppola instead of you!" What an amazing piece of dialogue. I laughed out loud.
Thanks so much for the kind words! Glad you enjoyed it! The conflict between Reed, Schwartz and son was central for me. I grew up with the show, so being able to explore it, even in a small way, was meaningful. Of course, as a kid, I was drawn to the relationships between the siblings. But as an adult, in the industry, the ugly politics of show business and the frustrations of being an artist in an ego-driven, commercial system became more relevant. And I was able to relate more directly with Reed’s struggles. Thanks again for commenting!
@@whospuss You're welcome. Thanks so much for sharing. As another poster said, I would have liked to have seen even more. Maybe the aftermath and how the tensions affected the then-kid actors, or even the adults. I don't think it would have affected my enjoyment of the nostalgia at all. The show was such a big part of my childhood. I think the show fit in with others of its time: Bewitched, I Dream Of Jennie, Gilligan's Island, they weren't meant to be anything other than enjoyed. But I do love to hear the behind the scenes stuff. What a pressure cooker the B.B. must have been for everyone. It makes the performances of the sweet and innocent facades even more amazing.
The hell was the wig on Carole Brady.
The actor that played Reed in this was brilliant
He had his voice and tone perfect his mannerisms etc
Incredible
He was one of the few redeeming qualities in this insanity.
Gary cole too
@@kevinmc4500 It was not Gary Cole in this
I think it actually is Barry williams
@@everydaywithsandra 😯
This was great 😃, and I totally thought the guy playing Robert Reed was actually Barry Williams! 😅
I didnt expect this to be that good. Actually shed a tear at the end. To this day all the cast respected Reed. That alone is a testimony that his personality on set was genuine. He was an individual just like anyone else. He had a perspective bigger than the show that unfortunately didnt fit the box. Ironic that real families are like that too. That age of innocence is shattered as all the kids grow into themselves and life goes on beyond those precious younger years where family bonds are at their peak.
What a beautiful sentiment. Thank you for responding. Filming the final moments between Reed and his children was one of the most important, challenging and moving days of our shoot.
The Brady bunch was one of my favorite shows. My childhood was nowhere near like the childhood of those kids. I longed to have The kind of life they did on the program.
Amen!!
I LOVE HOW AT 4:52 THEY START THE SHOW OFF WITH THE JACKSON 5 SONG CUZ IRONICALLY THE JACKSON'S SAID THAT EVERYBODY THOUGHT THEY HAD A BRADY BUNCH TYPE FAMILY AND THAT WAS SO UNTRUE....
That’s one of the reasons I fought to have that song in the show. I also used “I’LL BE THERE” later, when Chris & Eve are parked:)
WHOSPUSS THANK YOU FOR YOUR HEART......THIS IS A GREAT SHOW AND SCRIPT...I'M A WRITER AND DIRECTOR MYSELF AND I LOVE THE WAY YOU DID THIS....GREAT WORK....LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE WORK SO I CAN HELP PROMOTE IT...I UNDERSTAND BOB REED BUT WOW MANY OTHER ACTORS WOULD LOVE TO HAVE JUST HAD A NICE PAYING JOB ON A HIT SHOW...
@@vashtikelly6837 Thank you so much, Vashti, for the kind words. Of all the films I’ve made, this one is a personal favorite, as I was such a fan of TBB growing up. A lot of my films can be found on Tubi these days under Jack Perez. And my website is jackperezdirector.com.
Regarding Reed - you’re right. There’s a lot to be thankful for when you’ve got a steady gig; but I also see Reed’s point of view, too, which comes from my own experiences working in the industry for 3 decades. Basically, there’s a lot of dumb decision-making, creatively. So many shows could be so much smarter, so much more interesting and entertaining; but are hamstrung by those in power. I think Reed knew the show could be better, and because he valued his profession so highly, he considered it a terrible shame and waste, as the show devolved into silliness; as so many shows that have run their course often do. Anyway, that’s show business:) Many thanks again!
Maybe a workable compromise would have been to let Reed write or even direct some episodes.
@@vashtikelly6837 turn off the caps lock when you’re online. It’s considered YELLING.
Sad documentary. Happy that the show is still watched and still popular. Great Actors, and sadened for the ones who have passed away.
It was good to know that Sherwood Schwartz and Robert Reed settled their differences seeing that Robert Reed was in all of the Brady Bunch movie specials after the series ended. The A Very Brady Christmas, Brady Brides etc. I liked this video just watched.
They didn't settle their differences. He thought the show's writing was ridiculous. He appeared in The specials and reunions because he said he knew the other actors wouldn't have not gotten as much money if Me Brady wasn't there. He liked the cast, gave them cameras and took them all to Ny and London on his dime.
@@ladyjane8985 Well they had to work together in order to do those specials so they must have just moved on.
Another video on this topic said that Schwartz wasn't involved with the specials and reunions so that's why Reed agreed to do them. Don't know if that's true but it would make sense.
@@AuntK68 I'm sure they had regrets regarding the final episode.
Robert Reed needed to get over himself. It's Acting. It wasn't Real life. A certain Arrogance on his part...as he got Paid.
I find it interesting that a show reenacting the last few days of filming the last episode of the Brady Bunch, they didn't get a blonde boy actor to play Robbie Rist. After all, cousin Oliver was a part of the last episode too.
This was very well done. Thank you for showing it
Thanks, Lisa!
32:44 That’s not true, we did wonder and worry about where Tiger went!
The thing I loved most about Robert Reed is despite his intense dislike of the show & his role in it, since he considered it beneath his talent, he truly loved those kids, and they loved him. Since Bob never had any children of his own, his TV kids were a blessing in his life (and he was a blessing in their lives, too). That's the real "magic" behind the scenes; the unexpected lifelong bonds that don't end just because a series ends.
I enjoyed this very much, thank you for posting it. Of course, I was a huge fan of the Brady Bunch, watching it back in 1969 and never missed an episode. I remember when I was 10 yrs old, I wrote Eve Plumb a fan letter, asking her to be my pen pal. I eventually got back a nice autographed B&W picture and a thank-you.
Reed had a daughter from a 1950s marriage.
Did you watch the movie? They clearly said Bob Reed had a daughter….
His real-life daughter was actually in the one of the Brady episodes - the one where the girls had a slumber party. She was the biggest girl there, didn't look much like him other than the blue eyes.
That early scene with the kids in Sherwood’s office making demands would probably never happen. A meeting like that would most likely never take place without their agents and possibly parents being present.
Really
Either way, Sxhwartz did meet with them and following bad advice, the greed was the main reason the network cancelled the show.
@@alwilson3204 I thought the show was cancelled because the ratings were down and they had enough seasons in the can for syndication. I could be wrong about that.
@@alwilson3204 I don't think the kids would have been that aggressive though.
Barry tells the same story 🤷🏻♀️
I really enjoyed this. After watching "Growing Up Brady" and researching the subject, I think this was a better depiction. It felt was more real. Whereas GuB felt like another overly scripted Brady Bunch episode. Well done. I would have liked to see what you would have done starting earlier in their careers.
Thank you very much. I would have enjoyed doing a longer piece. I appreciate the kind words!
I feel like this is somewhat realistic. However, the growing up Brady cast looked more like the original cast.
I would actually think this was a more dramatic version of things that happened. Seeing Barry Williams wrote Growing Up Brady, I would think he's version of different events would be more accurate
@@whospuss It all depends on what you end up getting for your budget. Some people tell me they ask for less, as they somehow believe they would have a better chance at securing their funding. I tell them to add at least 10 - 20% onto their budget - and to get a good Line Producer! In "Hollywood" almost everything is negotiable. I'm currently an EAP on a few 10M features.
This is cool! I forgot this one. Was it vh1?
I've always liked light-hearted happy shows and movies. Whenever I get to sit down and watch something, I just want to turn off my brain and relax for a bit. Life is stressful enough.
It's unfortunate that so many actors felt unfulfilled and like their roles didn't have meaning, but they should've done something else then. There aren't many wholesome things left, just leave them alone
It was only 5 years of Robert Reed's life. If he was such a great writer or Shakespearian actor he could have proven it. He had an inflated ego, more likely.
I'll just repeat what I told another who, like you, just did not get it because like them you have no idea what we go through as performers in the Guild - and no, it had nothing to do with an ego at all:
As an actor myself in the Guild I can understand exactly what Robert was going through. Directors don't always have the final say, and they do screw us time to time. Robert was sticking up for what he felt was right and he WAS right. Sherwood was not understanding that the times were changing and he treated the kids as if they were still little when in the final seasons they were grown up to being teenagers. You would not understand because you are not an actor/actress and you only see things at face value. You really need to learn about our craft a lot more before you assume he was a jerk, because no one EVER had a bad thing to say about Robert Reed back then and even today. I've worked with many directors and performers in 15 years of working roles in movies and shows who knew and worked with him and they ALL had nothing, but positive things to say about the man. He was a visionary for his time and understood what the audience wanted and liked. Again, you would not understand because you are not in my industry...that makes you ignorant, but assuming what you did only makes you toxic. Grow up.
@@scypsylock9402 YOU assume too much. I do get it. I was an actress in my 20's & 30's. Thanks for the lecture. My opinion stands. And that's all it is. So why to YOU grow up.
@@scypsylock9402 LMAO!! big FREAKIN' Whoop-Dee-Doo so you're an actor...who cares? LOL That doesn't make Robert Reed acting like a pompous idiot justified!! I think a so-called "Shakespearian" actor would be smart enough to realize that you say what the writers tell you to say, act the way the director WANTS you to act in order to tell a story or else be written out. ACTOR mean someone who ACTS. Not changing scripts or staying up all night and writing stupid scripts for the writers, Not telling everybody how to do their jobs, Not refusing to read your lines, NOT crashing closed Sets. Reed was being paid to ACT, not changing things based on his own personal opinions. Did he try to change Shakespeare's writing to inflate his own boring Ego too??? On the Brady Bunch set Reed was behaving like a Bad Actor, Not a Trained actor........ Stop being a Cuck for Bad Actor Reed!!
@@scypsylock9402 by the way, what movies have YOU acted in if you're really an actor?
I have a few hours to laugh at what you would consider "good acting" LMAO
You are Probably Wil Weaton, whose very existence is just as unconvincing as his acting LOL
He DID prove it....three Emmy nominations - including for Roots and Rich Man, Poor Man. Thanks for playing...
People have never lost interest in this show
It was a great Friday night routine to watch this back in the day
It’s good it ran five years
Went out on top
I'm 60 and I still like to watch the show on Paramount Plus. I used to watch it when I'd become depressed, knowing after 30 minutes the show would bring me out of my depression.
@@nelda7071360 We're the same age. I well remember that killer Friday night lineup on ABC. Also had Odd Couple, Room 222, and Love Am Sty. The Bradys were safer than prozac and a hellava lot cheaper! Cheers.
What I could never understand is that after all Reed's whining about the show & how it was beneath him, when they did him a favor & gave him his way...he acted like a DIVA....plus he was in ALL the reunions & even did the Brady Bunch show, doing everything he hated again...
$$
...and, I think, he loved being with his TV children.
The sad thing is that RR’s ego caused the 8 other actors to lose their roles too. Producers are always a pain. And it would seem that so are many actors. It makes you realise just how important the bond the cast of Friends had. They were back to back from day one until the end. But it’s hard to hear the back stories of some of these heartwarming nostalgic shows. 😢
I watched the Brady Bunch for many years. I have watched every episode. The first season, I felt like the actors and the show were trying to find their way. The second, third, and fourth seasons were great! By the second half of the fifth season, there weren't many good episodes anymore. The show had run its course. Adding Oliver was a mistake, and an indication that the show was basically over. That said, many people criticized the show - but I can find nothing wrong with a show about a family whose members loved one another. I felt the character I related to the most was Alice. The episode where the kids turned on her, and she was crying at her friend's apartment, and left her job with the Bradys, and became a waitress (4th season) - that was the only episode I saw where I could have cried. Who could be so mean to sweet Alice? At the end the kids found her working at a diner and apologized and told her they loved her. I loved the show so much that in the 90s, when Barry (a.k.a. Greg) came to my school to talk about his experiences on the Brady Bunch and to promote his book, "Growing up Brady", I was so excited and wanted to meet him. I waited in line and finally got to talk to him. I was very disappointed. He acted like all of his fans were annoying, and he was just there because he needed this job to make some money. I asked him a question about the show and he was just like "whatever". He wasn't friendly at all. I really lost respect for him after meeting him. Maybe some of the actors on the show didn't appreciate being typecast, which is unfortunate for them - but no matter how they may feel, they influenced a whole generation of American kids, and a lot of people still love them to this day. I think it is awesome that they also shared a connection in real life and kept in touch after the show was over. It was good that they never changed actors to play a certain character during the show (unlike Bewitched with Darren #1 and Darren #2!)
I had the same experience as you did! It must have been around 1992 for me and I was studying at University. Barry Williams came to the campus to promote his Brady Bunch book. He was dismissive to me and other students waiting in line. I was sad about the whole experience. Thank you for sharing your experience in your comment I am touched by it.
Thx for sharing , maybe his dog died though that day ? I heard they were really overworked, weekends at shopping malls , etc.
So much for me thinking he might just had a bad day, thx for sharing too.
Maybe try using paragraphs sometime. More people'll read your shpeal
I’m sorry you had such a negative experience with Barry, that sucks. I know how you feel. I met John De Lancie at a Star Trek convention (he played Q) and he was so dismissive while signing my picture. Not friendly. 😞
I met Barry Williams in April of 1971 at my friends sweet 16 birthday party. Then, we went on a double date. She with Barry and me with Kevin Burchet. They were very nice, but I didn't like it. They were not completely comfortable with their fame and it felt awkward. Maybe it was me projecting, but it wasn't the best. Barry drive a baby blue Buick Riviera Convertible, and, he smoked Marlboro Reds in the Box. I imagine he's quit smoking since then.
Did you girls play stink finger with Kevin and Barry?
LOL...Kevin Burchett was never that famous. And he was 20 when he took out your 16-year-old friend??? Ewwww..
What made the Brady Bunch so successful was the casting. The casting is what made the show authentic.
I've watched the Brady bunch a million times and never knew Robert Reed hated the show and the producers.
that just means he was a great actor
He became self-centered.
Consummate professional. No, that doesn’t anagram to Robert Reed, but it should. RIP
He hated especially how cornball the storylines were. The shampoo that turned Greg's hair orange, for example.
It's a shame Robert Reed didn't fully realize how important the Brady Bunch and his character was, and would be, for generations of children. Unfortunate the show and his participation ended on this note. Strange he took that moment to make his stand, especially with the potential this could be the final episode. It was.
He had been complaining to Schwartz for almost the entire run of the BB. He hated the writing, and let them know it. Schwartz' big claim to fame was he was a gag writer for Bob Hope in the 1940s and from most of the scripts you can see that. This wasn't a one time thing this was on going and Schwartz was making contingencey plans for the next season without Robert reed.
I feel so sorry for Reed. I don't know if he could play real drama but who knows.
@@blabbermouth777 he could play drama. He had plenty of experience in dramas. That's why many people in the industry were suprised when he took the role of Mike Brady. he was not a comedic actor.
@@edwardcricchio6106 if he really could play drama makes it even worse. Brady Bunch might have been one of the most ridiculous shows in history.
@blabbermouth777 Brady Bunch was an amazing show.
I'm glad the BB is still going strong so the new generations can enjoy it like we did.
That is the worse imitation Carol Brady wig I’ve ever seen…the mullet isn’t mulleting! 🤣🤣
It’s laughable 😂😂😂
Right, even Shelley Long’s wig in The Brady Bunch parody movies looked better than that LMAO
Yeah, they could have done a much better shag wig.
All the wigs in this are abysmal, Bobbys wig looks like a dead beaver on his head
😂😂😂
I was a Brady disciple as it kid it made me feel normal. This show has had a great following for decades. I still watch it on TV
Same. ❤
Me too.
Ive seen alot of Videos but ive Never felt so sad at the end . I almost cried not just for Mr. Reed but for the Cast. Touching to say the least. BRAVO to the writers and director. Thank you.
I appreciate that. Thank you so much. It was moving for us all, as we made it.
I loved the hair tonic episode. We young brains loved that stuff.
Yep, I love that episode too. Minus the annoying Oliver of course.
It doesn't really make sense for Bobby's character though. Think about it...why would the good brother ever do something like that? Not saying he didn't have his "really shouldn't have done that" moments, but come on...Bobby would never prank his brothers or sisters or in an earlier episode dare be so cross with Alice (and neither would Jan due to their bond as middle kids)...because Alice was specifically brought on as a housekeeper for him...are we sure that the most responsible Brady would ever do that? I mean really...the same Bobby "Happy Handy Helper" Brady cons his big brother? The hairbrained schemes were more Cindy's department...which annoyed Susan Olsen.
It has a lot in common with the monkees show. If you read the pilot and do not want it, then don’t audition and bust your tail to get it. The show is what it is, if you don’t like it... move on to something else.
Reed nearly leaving the show was a blessing in disguise. BB was one of the greatest shows on American TV because it ran five years. Four would've been okay, but six seasons would'be been too much. The kids weren't kids anymore.
(Happy Days ran for *eleven years* - WAY too long. Ron Howard wisely left after the seventh season. By 1984 Anson Williams was 34 and Henry Winkler was 38. Jump that shark)
Happy Days should've went off the air in 1981 or 1982 at the latest.
He was actually fired after Season 5. It didn't matter because Season 6 never happened.
You're right about what you're saying...but let's be realistic...nobody cares about how the public views the show in terms of the length or even the quality-although they act as if they do at the time...but the truth is it lasted for 11 years because it made money for 11 years...like it or not...that's what it's all about.
Ron Howard wanting to further his career as a director of movies. He was tired of TV, been playing TV since he was a little kid.
That's a good point.
Will always be a favorite of mine and I will have great childhood memories from that show❤️
Odd. Accurate historically for the most part. Actor playing Bob Reed looks remarkably like Barry Williams. Florence actress got voice spot on. Kids were ok. Very surreal look and feel to the whole doco. Bit creepy.
True, when he came in I thought it was Barry Williams playing the role, but then I realized it wasn't him.
Definitely creepier than Growing Up Brady
He looks like Barry but sounds remarkably like Mr. Brady 🙀🙀🙀
Agreed
Yes I agree 👍 💯
Carol's wig here is more ludicrous than anything Florence Henderson ever sported... haha
She sported an equally hideous shag-mullet in the last season. haha
Robert Reed was like a real life Dad to theses kids .I remember when Florence Henderson told the story that Robert call her and told her that he was going to pass away and please call the kids .I also Florence Henderson singing the national anthem for the Chicago Cubs .
If Robert Reed wasn’t so difficult to work with “The Brady Bunch” probably would have lasted at least two more seasons
I think Christine Taylor (Married to Ben Stiller) looked most like Maureen McCormick
You are right they are married
Taylor has nothing to do with this video...or this TV movie...
As lightweight as this show was, it is still one of the most important sitcoms ever put on television. Thanks to syndication, generations of children have grown up with the show. Many of them didn't have anywhere near the childhood that these six child actors did. It gave kids a half hour of fun, sillyness, love and kindness. And there was always a lesson to be learned that they may have never been exposed to. When ranking the importance of sitcoms in American television, it may rank right near the top for its influence on children.
Lol. Show was important to what. I am probably a little dumber for watching this as a kid.
the show still resonates all these years later, which says something about it.
In all my years on sets, Robert Reed's chair would not have read "Mike." It would have read Robert or even ROBERT.
I thought the same thing for a second, but I'm pretty sure I saw a documentary somewhere and was surprised to see the character names on the chairs instead of their real ones at the time.
I managed Donna Douglas from 1990 until her death. We also were very close, and dear friend. (Not romantic) Anyhow, I CONSTANTLY had to tell people, NOT to call her ELLY MAY, that is NOT HER NAME. We made a lot of tv appearances, many times I appeared on the shows with her. (I also was a performer for over 30 years, headlined on the Grand Ole' Opry, my own show at "The Aladdin" in Las Vegas, etc. etc.) So I would get everyone straightened out, the segment would start shooing, and the host or interview would say, "So Elly, tell us about......"
Lots of stuff in here was written out of chronological order; Kelly's Kids pilot came before the finale, no Cousin Oliver in the finale.
I can understand Robert Reed's dislike of the show, but it was a job; there's very little call for classically trained Shakespearean stage actors, even 50+ years ago.
Is this really the way it played out? Watched 'The Brady Bunch' in England in the early 70's.....loved it! And now here I am....mid life crisis and all....and I'm moved 😘
This is sad.. it's like watching a family be ripped apart.
The show was to silly for him yet years later signs up for the brady bunch hour. LOL
I would have to imagine that it was largely due to not being able to get other work from being typecast... Imo
@Michael Caraccia LOLLL even the cast was stumped by that!
It was more of a stage performance and the Schwartzes had NOTHING to do with it. That's why.
It was sad he couldn't get the parts he wanted after the show ended.
They sweetened the contract by offering to put his dressing room in the bathroom.
Never heard of this before. It was interesting and well acted I must say. However, the makers certainly played with the timeline of events and if this really was about the final episode..the only question I have is...WHERE IS COUSING OLIVER????...lol
They stuffed Cousin Oliver in a dumpster, in a far away neighborhood 😮
I was thinking the same thing.
The Freeway Killer got him.
😂❤😂
@@rcmorales9014 shhhh! We don’t talk about that in the Brady household 😊
The Brady Bunch Variety Hour was 100 times more embarrassing than the Brady Bunch itself, yet Robert Reed had no problem doing that. Check out any episode of that series, if you dare!
You're so right! If he hated this show, I'm wondering why he did sign up for the variety hour.
He loved the kids and wanted to see them again. He was lonely. Personally, I think he should've gotten a puppy or something rather than do that show.@@mrsheatherteske
They all did a great job. I watched a TV show that was on a long time, I still go back to watch old reruns, the characters were there thru thick & then. Kids grew up on the show as actors for much longer. It depends on ones perspective. Erin Torpey was a little girl when she started, she had adult roles too. She was loved by all.
@@mrsheatherteske
The Schwartz’s didn’t produce the the variety show, Sid and Marty Krofft did. They were upfront with Reed about the format. Reed had never done song and dance in his career and wanted to try it. Finally, the big name guest stars were a sign Reed that things wouldn’t get out of hand (he was wrong.)
You Kariens...
The Brady Bunch still lives on. Yes, that’s my real name. As for Alice, she’s my cat.
LOL!!!!
So, she's PussyCat Alice?
Are you the real Mike Brady
@@sandygarner7757 I was born with that name 6 years before The Brady Bunch went on the air, yes it’s for real. Funny thing is that my wife (who has 3 daughters of her own) asked me the same question when we met on line in 2007. I have a son, but not three sons. If I had 3 sons, well that’s another television show, isn’t it?
@Mike Brady lol..awww how sweet and yes it is My Three Sons starring Fred McMurry
Peter was the star everybody was holding him back he didn’t need the rest of them
Barry the next David Cassidy is hysterical
This is how hard that life of acting really is...when the line between actor and character blurs and eventually fades...
Thanks for such a great video. Highly enjoyed it! 👏👏👏
Omg hair and makeup totally bombed Carol’s hair!!!! Wtf?!!
I could never understand Robert Reed’s hate for this great show he says was unrealistic but yet he chose to go on their variety show which I thought was stupid
It’s because the variety show allowed him to sing and dance, showing America a side of him they hadn’t seen. He was a classically trained stage actor and while he had issues with the tone and character motivations of Mike Brady on the Brady Bunch, the variety hour made no illusions about what it was so I guess he thought it was fine.
@@StallingsFilm it also didn't hurt that Sherwood and Lloyd Schwartz- both of whom he genuinely despised (and in turn they genuinely despised him)- had NOTHING to do with it.
Bills were due too probably.
When an actor finds a role that's iconic some actors will run that character into the Ground (Example: Kelsey Grammer as Frasier) and got typecast but there's this teen suspense film he did in late 50's that got roasted on Mystery Science Theater 3000
Sure it was unrealistic. But most of us watch the show because we found it entertaining and it gave us a break from our realistic lives that were nothing like the Brady Bunch. My family certainly was not the model of the Brady Bunch, far from it. But we were a large family much like the sitcom. Six kids but not blended. Mom stayed home and Dad worked and provided for the family. My dad was not much of a family patriarch. He was more reserved and barely had a backbone. Except for when punishing us. But on the surface we looked like the model family. So we were already living the lie. But the Brady Bunch lie looked better than ours. Watching The Brady Bunch gave us a break from our reality.
I'm so torn on this, on one hand I see why Robert Reed wanted the show to be better...on the other hand, I kind of wish I could have told him to lighten up, the show was never supposed to be some award winning, critically acclaimed piece of art. It was just a silly sitcom...one of many. I just wish Robert Reed could have seen it for what it is and relaxed a little and enjoyed working on a show that would never be forgotten.
That whole Florence and Barry date night thing was so creepy when I heard of it back in the day.
And wasn't Florence Henderson actually married at that point?
I always thought Jan & Peter were the cutest on the show. I always hoped I would look like Jan when I grew up. I never understood the Marcia thing.
I'm sure you look just fine as you are...
The slander!😂
I was so jealous of her loooong hair.
"MARCIA, MARCIA, MARCIA!!!
Marcia had the sex appeal
Even African American kids loved this show. My cousin and I would always say the brady's was our favorite white family. Mike Brady was America's dad before Bill Cosby.
As a Shakespearean Thespian, Robert Reed felt that he was selling out his craft by playing Mike Brady. However; the money was good and there weren't many Shakespeare plays that could pay as much.
Richard Basehart was one of the leading Shakespearean actors in the world when, to the surprise of many, he agreed to star in Irwin Allen's television adaptation of "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea." Basehart would later admit he did it for the money, so that after the show's run he'd have the financial security to pick and choose his roles. Although the show had descended into utter absurdity by its third and final season, Basehart remained a consummate professional throughout. He and co-star David Hedison even snuck in a few sly references in later episodes poking fun at the show and themselves. Maybe Robert Reed could have followed the example of his fellow Shakespearean.
Talk about art imitating life. My brother graduated in 1981 and just a week away from graduating used a new shampoo on the market and did not realize that it was recalled. The shampoo turned his hair, believe it oh not, a sickly orange green. He came running out of the bathroom screaming. 😂😂😂😂. True story.
This movie got Reed's relationship with the actors spot on. To this day, the former child actors all speak kindly of him.
As for the conflict between him and Schwartz. I think it's just a little bit biased towards Reed. Yes, the scripts were inane and the Schwartz's weren't the easiest folks to work for. The film is correct there. Reed could be a kind of a diva though, too.
There is a famous story of how Reed wouldn't say a line about the smell of strawberries because he'd read that strawberries don't have a scent. He was technically right, but it was kind of a silly hill to die on, so to speak.
Thanks for uploading this, btw. I enjoyed it quite a bit. :-)
Thank you so much for the thoughtful comments!
The last episode was filmed when I was just a small baby, and I still grew up watching the reruns.. I'm sure I saw every episode 20 times throughout my life. Like other kids, I often envied not having 5 siblings, the cool house, and swing set that somehow always had lush green grass rather than ruts under each swing.
Yes, at times, it was unrealistic and sappy but everything was back then because everything was censured and had to follow crazy guidelines and rules..
Now I miss those days and the pre-cable censured TV shows and The Brady Bunch nostalgia..
It’s sad if this really happened to the actual actors of the Brady bunch.
It did...this is about how the actors on set lives were actually better than their off camera lives for most of them...Susan and Mike seemed to have the most normal lives off set...and Susan wound up with the opposite problem here.
I always felt bad for Robert Reed, that he never fully understood what his role was. Schwartz had a vision ... invited him to make it happen - and he accepted. He then, somehow, got the idea that it was his job to expand on Sherwood's vision and make it over in his own image. He never quite understood that he was merely an employee and not a partner.
That is not accurate he was told be the head of the network who was going to play Mike Brady he wanted Gene Hackman for the role.
@@truckingwithatablet4489 - I'm not sure if there was a complete sentence in there or not. But what on earth are you talking about? I NEVER suggested that Reed was first choice. I simply said that he was asked to play the role and he did. He wasn't forced to do it.. and he didn't force himself upon Schwartz. Despite hoping that the role would be something different, he still pulled it off beautifully.
Barry Williams could never be a David Cassidy
I'm sure he's okay with not being a dead alcoholic~
This was really well done. Sad to see that one of our favorite shows wasnt as perfect as it appeared, but thats life!
As a kid in the 70s that watched the show every day, this was very interesting but very sad too. That was a great show and they were all great actors. A part of many peoples lives❤
I know right?! Same here, we lived for this show as kids, I still watch it on METV every Sunday morning. Who knew all this stuff was going on behind the scenes and in front of the kids in a lot of cases. I've read things over the years, but to see it acted out in this documentary makes it seem more real, I feel bad for Robert Reed. May he RIP, as well as Florence Henderson and Ann B Davis. Who didn't want their very own Alice?
They STANK at acting which is why they never worked again
@@notgivinupDVD releases review history books documentary about biography Ture life story ture in the past flash back past life look back
When I watched the Betty Thomas Brady movie, I remember that I almost started crying during the scenes where she made fun of the characters, and introduced homosexuality into the Brady universe.
It felt like Thomas was disrespecting friends of mine, and foisting her own baggage onto something good growing up.
I think Reed had a point, though. You can have comedy and good writing. You can have comedy and trash writing. A lot of the episodes were trash and unrealistic.
I can remember seeing a preview of the Brady Bunch in TV Guide. I was so drawn to those pictures and couldn't wait to see the first episode. I can't remember having to mow the lawn before it came on. I was 10 at the time.
The actress playing Jan Brady is Jill Ritchie. She is the younger sister of singer Kid Rock.
Nice. Good triv.
This was touching.
I had every episode, taped from TV, on VHS. Organized, titled, and journaled.
❤
@@acsentu8 thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!