If someone else OTHER than the late Robert Reed had played Mike Brady?Would Gene Hackman,who was,I've heard,originally the first choice to play Mike Brady,have worked?

If someone else OTHER than the late Robert Reed had played Mike Brady?Would Gene Hackman,who was,I've heard,originally the first choice to play Mike Brady,have worked?
Don't know, but are you aware this is show's anniversary?

You mean it wasn't a success??? :eek:

Not in its first run is wasn't. It barely made enough ratings for ABC to keep it on the air. It wasn't until it syndicated that it was a huge success.

Besides Gene Hackman, I've thought about Dick York (the first Darrin Stevens on Bewitched) playing the Mike role. (Interestingly he died the same year Robert Reed did!)

Not in its first run is wasn't. It barely made enough ratings for ABC to keep it on the air. It wasn't until it syndicated that it was a huge success.

It may not have been a top ten hit, but it ran for five years and had millions of kids (myself included) watching every Friday night, so I wouldn't exactly call it a failure either.

To answer the original question, Robert Reed was born to play Mike Brady, whether he liked it or not.

As great of an actor as he is, it is strange to imagine Hackman playing Mike Brady. He doesn't seem calm and affable.

As great of an actor as he is, it is strange to imagine Hackman playing Mike Brady. He doesn't seem calm and affable.

I don't really buy the Gene Hackman story. I mean, there might have been some truth to it technically, but it really just seems like a small bit of trivia that makes for interesting storytelling. I don't think he would have seriously considered the role or that he would have worked out in that role. He was a different caliber of actor, too good for a TV series.

No it wasn't a failure, but it wasn't nearly as successful as it was in syndication. Even The Partridge Family was beating it in the ratings, and I know Barry did sing on the show, but let's face it, he was no David Cassidy.