Something thats bothered me for a long time is that I've noticed contemporary merchandise relating to the Brady Bunch omits Robert Reed (Mike Brady). I've tried to research this to find some sort of reason. Theres a wall calendar that comes out every year with the 9 squares (Alice is moved down to Mike's square); a family photo poster with Mike edited out; trivia books with a ? in Mike's square; the action figures with everyone (including Alice) omiting Mike, and other products. I seems very strange. Is it because he's deceased?, or because of the revalation that he was gay?, or what. I wouldn't want to buy any of these products. Can you imagine something related to Gilligan's Island without Gilligan?
Anyways, does anyone have any input on this?

I think I read some time ago that the estate of Robert Reed wanted much more money than the retailers were willing to pay.

Oh, that never occured to me. Still, I don't recall any other instance where a principle star of a show is omited from product merchandising. Seems strange, but I guess its an explanation.

Somehow I don't think Robert Reed would mind being excluded from the merchandising considering he was never a fan of the Brady Bunch! Of course His heirs may feel differently.($$$)

I totally agree, its all about $$$$$......Robert Reed had a love/hate relationship with the brady bunch considering he never turned down taking some part when asked to return in all the reunions.....sounds like his estate is full of a "bunch" of greedy idiots who are certainly not putting his legacy in his best interest......how much money can the robert reed estate really be making every year that they are in the position to want an extreme amount of money to include him in a calendar or doll collection of his most famous acting role.....would a serious fan actually not buy the calendar if it didn't include reed's pictures? NO!...so again how silly and greedy!

^ :yeahthat Disgusting, isn't it?

^ :yeahthat Disgusting, isn't it?
Yes, it sure is!

I totally agree, its all about $$$$$......Robert Reed had a love/hate relationship with the brady bunch considering he never turned down taking some part when asked to return in all the reunions.


Not to mention that despite all the moaning he did in his infamous memos to Sherwood Schwartz he somehow thought it was alright to appear in The Brady Bunch Variety Hour. :rolleyes:

Not to mention that despite all the moaning he did in his infamous memos to Sherwood Schwartz he somehow thought it was alright to appear in The Brady Bunch Variety Hour. :rolleyes:
That was his favorite of all the Brady incarnations!! Maureen McCormick even said in her book (and this is a direct quote) "he was letting out his inner Dorothy"!!

I've always heard it was his estate who doesn't want his image used for privacy.

^That is correct! His estate asked that all future merchandising other than the actual Brady episodes/sequels, etc not use Robert Reed's image.

Personally, even any casual fan looks at the stuff and wonders where the dad is.....

That was his favorite of all the Brady incarnations!! Maureen McCormick even said in her book (and this is a direct quote) "he was letting out his inner Dorothy"!!
Now that I have 1 question answered that brings me to just that...How in the world did they get Reed to appear in the Variety Hour? Atleast Florence Henderson and Barry Williams had it as a platform for their singing talent, but he wasn't talented musically. Thats a real curious situation. By the way Sherwood Schwartz, from what I remember was not involved with this show.

Now that I have 1 question answered that brings me to just that...How in the world did they get Reed to appear in the Variety Hour? Atleast Florence Henderson and Barry Williams had it as a platform for their singing talent, but he wasn't talented musically. Thats a real curious situation. By the was Sherwood Schwartz, from what I remember was not involved with this show.
The Schwartzes were not involved with the show (though they did receive royalties) - Sid and Marty Krofft were at the helm.

I just found this old article:

Mystery: Where, O Where is Mike Brady?
There are lunch boxes, T-shirts and 2002 calendars sporting images from "The Brady Bunch." Just don't look for Robert Reed (who played Dad) on them.By Stephen M. Silverman

Originally posted Thursday January 17, 2002 01:00 AM EST
There's still a fortune being made by licensing merchandise based on the 1969-74 sitcom "The Brady Bunch," which is now a staple on Nick at Night. But, reports The Washington Post in an exhaustive investigation appearing in Thursday's edition, on official "Brady" 2002 calendars, lunchboxes, T-shirts and other items tied into the old show about a family given to expressions like "groovy," nowhere does the image of paterfamilias Mike Brady, played by the late actor Robert Reed, appear. He's completely missing. Calls placed by The Post to a vice president at Viacom Consumer Products/Paramount Pictures to get to the bottom of this conundrum yielded only a "no comment" -- and a firm "no comment," at that, The Post noted -- suggesting that perhaps the vice president found the question silly to begin with. Reed, who died in 1992 at the age of 59 from complications arising from AIDS, was depicted as a difficult working colleague by some of his "Brady" costars on a recent A&E "Biography" about him. He took his acting seriously, and felt that the role of Mike Brady was beneath him, they said. He was also an uptight gay man deeply buried in the sexual closet and finicky when it came to letting people into his carefully decorated house, though he could also be generous -- and, acting out a Mike Brady fantasy, once took the entire cast of kids on the show to Europe, the "Biography" show revealed. Still, why the Reed blackout on the "Brady" products? The Post can only speculate that Reed, or the heirs to his estate (Reed had a daughter, Karen Baldwin, from an early marriage), are not permitting his likeness to be used. Speaking for the daughter and her son, attorney Cary S. Fleischer told the paper, "They're happy the Brady show is played and replayed, and sometimes, when someone wants to use his image for a charitable purpose, we say fine. But we take this very seriously."

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,623409,00.html

That was an interesting article. Thanks for posting it Monika. At least we know now it is his estate that is preventing the use of his image. Though the article doesn't really explain why they do so except to say they take te situation seriously. Whatever that means?

That was his favorite of all the Brady incarnations!! Maureen McCormick even said in her book (and this is a direct quote) "he was letting out his inner Dorothy"!!

:lol: :lol:

That's a shame that his estate is so greedy. Wonder if his family has anything to say about this?

BTW, the knowledge that you guys have about The Brady Bunch in terms of production is very impressive!

My Brady Bunch poster has no Reed. His decision, obviously. I guess that contradicts what we hear about the daughters's opinion of the show..

What dose what the daughters say about their opinion of the show have to do with Robert Reed or what he is not in the poster?

FWIW, I have two of these products, the 2002 calendar and the book with an asterisk in the bottom center square of the grid (although I thought it was intentional since there was a question pertinent to the situation)--of course, I am referring to The Brady Bunch Files by Lauren Johnson.