Robert Reed Reunited with Daughter after Learning He Would Be a Grandpa — That Same Day, He Was Diagnosed with HIV

America’s favorite dad Mike Brady aka the late Robert Reed, had an estranged relationship with his daughter, Karen Leigh Baldwin, now 67. The father had little to no contact with his daughter throughout his life up until Baldwin learned she was going to be a mother and shared the news with her father first. Shortly after, Reed discovered he was HIV-positive.

Suspicions that “The Brady Bunch” father hid the fact that he was gay had been present throughout Reed’s life, and his castmates and real-life daughter had always suspected this to be the case as well. His on-screen daughter, Susan Olsen, even went so far as to state that “being gay killed him,” as it was common during that time for many men to hide their true sexual identity. Reed also had cancer, and this eventually led to his demise.

Robert Reed was widely known as the “All-American” dad for his famous portrayal of Mike Brady from the forever-classic 70s sitcom, “The Brady Bunch.” Though viewers worldwide shared a connection to Reed, his own family, specifically his daughter, Karen Leigh Baldwin, felt as though they “barely knew him.” The “Prime Target” actor grew up in poverty on a Turkey farm in Oklahoma and got his first start in acting in a 1953 commercial that was a film project for college.

The entire cast of “The Brady Bunch” including Robert Reed as Mike Brady in 1969 | Source: Getty Images

Before being cast in “The Brady Bunch,” Reed relocated to Los Angeles to work for Paramount’s TV version of “Barefoot in the Park.” Following the show’s unsuccessful run, Reed got the part of Mike Brady on “The Brady Bunch.” Much to the public’s surprise, being a part of “The Brady Bunch” was not ideal for Reed, as several sources confirm that the actor was not “proud” nor happy to be a part of the show.

Reed thought the globally popular sitcom would fail to succeed. Having studied Shakespeare for two years (when he was studying), the impression became that Reed wanted a show that seemed more realistic. Sherwood Schwartz, the creator of “The Brady Bunch,” felt as though Reed thought of himself as “too good” for television:

“Television, in general, was beneath him. And situation comedy was beneath television, in his opinion. He wound up on a show that he didn’t want to do in the first place, and it became [increasingly] difficult for him.”

Susan Olsen, Mike Lookinland, Eve Plumb, Christopher Knight, Maureen McCormick, Barry Williams, Ann B. Davis, Florence Henderson, and Robert Reed as their characters from “The Brady Bunch” in 1969 | Source: Getty Images

Reed went on to be a part of other productions outside “The Brady Bunch,” but few were as noteworthy as the sitcom. Though Reed often clashed with the show’s creators and was very transparent about his dislike for the entire format, “The Brady Bunch” was still his most popular and recognizable role.

Before his life came to an end, Reed ended up teaching Shakespeare at UCLA. According to co-star Florence Henderson, this was what he ultimately envisioned himself doing.

Robert Reed and Florence Henderson as Mike and Carol Brady in “The Brady Bunch” in 1972 | Source: Getty Images

In 1954, Reed married Marilyn Rosenberg, and the two had a daughter, Karen Leigh Baldwin, in 1956. Growing up, Baldwin did not know her father very well, as her parents had bitterly divorced each other when she was only a toddler.

Reed rarely spent time with his daughter throughout her childhood and his successful career in Hollywood. Baldwin ended up being raised primarily by her mother outside of Chicago.

Robert Reed as Mike Brady in the “Pass The Tabu” episode of “The Brady Bunch” in 1972 | Source: Getty Images

Reportedly, Reed was extremely close with his TV family and spent copious amounts of time with them. After he died in 1992, the youngest child of the Brady clan, Cindy Brady, played by Susan Olsen, gave her opinion on Reed as a person and what ultimately stopped him from being his authentic self.

The relationship between Olsen and Reed as on-screen father and daughter extended far beyond the show. According to Olsen, Reed was a significant and instrumental father figure to her in addition to her biological father.

Robert Reed as Mike Brady in the “Getting Davy Jones” episode of “The Brady Bunch” in 1971 | Source: Getty Images

Olsen shared a special bond with her on-screen father, who, instead of trying to out-perform her biological dad, merely “harmonized” and reinforced the family values and principles she grew up with. While candidly speaking on the legacy of Reed, Olsen announced that the reason for Reed’s tragic passing was that the actor felt insurmountable pressure and stress to keep his authentic self a secret:

“My dad was gay. I can also say that being gay killed him because it was so taboo he could never make peace with himself. He never allowed himself to have genuine love [because] he was forever taunted by his own disdain for the natural inclinations that he was born with.”

Susan Olsen, Robert Reed and Mike Lookinland as Cindy, Mike, and Bobby Brady in “The Brady Braves” episode of “The Brady Bunch” in 1971 | Source: Getty Images

Olsen went further to predict that had Reed been given the opportunity to live his authentic life devoid of judgment; he would have been genuinely happy. She even went so far as to state that her on-screen dad would maybe still “be alive” had he been allowed to form a partnership with another man.

Baldwin’s father never disclosed his HIV status to her directly, but she had always suspected her father’s homosexuality despite it being a subject that was never broached.

Ann B. Davis, Eve Plumb, Robert Reed, Susan Olsen and Florence Henderson as Alice Nelson, Jan, Mike, Cindy, and Carol Brady in “The Brady Bunch” in 1971 | Source: Getty Images

Florence Henderson, who played Reed’s on-screen wife, Carol Brady, also shared a close relationship with the deceased actor. Florence spoke about how “unhappy” Reed had been in his life because of the secret he kept:

“He was an unhappy person…I think had Bob not been forced to live this double life…it would have dissipated a lot of that anger and frustration. I never challenged him. I had a lot of compassion for him because I knew how he was suffering.”

Florence Henderson and Robert Reed as Carol and Mike Brady in “The Subject Was Noses” episode of “The Brady Bunch” in 1973 | Source: Getty Images

The general opinion held by Reed’s TV family is such that had Reed revealed who he truly was, they believe that his career would have taken a severe hit. Barry Williams, who played Reed’s son, Greg Brady, weighed in on the discussion:

“Robert didn’t want to go there [and] I don’t think he [spoke] about it with anyone. It [most likely] would have caused the [show’s demise, and] I think it would have [damaged] his career tremendously.”

Robert Reed, Barry Williams, Christopher Knight, and Mike Lookinland as Mike, Greg, Peter, and Bobby Brady in “The Brady Bunch” in 1972 | Source: Getty Images

Robert Reed’s Estranged Relationship With His Daughter Karen Baldwin

Despite not being close to his real-life daughter, “The Brady Bunch” dad loved children and would frequently take his TV family on vacations around the world. His on-screen son, Barry Williams, who played Greg Brady, reiterated how much love Reed had for his Brady Bunch family:

“I think he cared for us greatly, and I think we were probably one of the single most consistent things in his life.”

Florence Henderson and Robert Reed as Carol and Mike Brady in “The Un-Underground Movie” episode of “The Brady Bunch” in 1970 | Source: Getty Images

After her parents’ turbulent divorce, Reed and Baldwin barely had a relationship for most of her life; however, on a break from school, she visited her father when she was in the 9th grade. She even made a cameo appearance on “The Brady Bunch” as Marcia’s friend.

The trip was a special occasion for both the father and daughter, as they had barely gotten to see each other prior. Reed even broke down at the airport when he had to say goodbye to his daughter going back home.

Robert and Karen Reunited In His Final Days

After Baldwin’s trip to Reed in the 9th grade, she lost all contact with her father for ten years until 1996, when Baldwin called her dad to tell him that she was pregnant with his grandson. Baldwin spoke about how as soon as she found out she was expecting, her father was the first person she wanted to tell:

“It’s funny, as soon as I got pregnant, and as soon as I knew, he was the first one I called.”

Reed was delighted to hear the news, and the two had some time to catch up on a crucial bond as father and daughter that they never had the opportunity to explore. However, their reunion was short-lived, as Baldwin reveals that the same day Reed learned he would be a grandfather, he also unfortunately learned of his HIV-positive status:

“The very day that he got the message that he was gonna be a grandfather, he got the results that he was HIV-positive [on] the very same day.”

Baldwin’s father never disclosed his HIV status to her directly, but she had always suspected her father’s homosexuality despite it being a subject that was never broached. Baldwin explained that her father was most likely ashamed and uncomfortable with living out in the open:

“I’m just sorry that he was so mortified that his sexual preference would ever come to light and so afraid that it would ruin his career or ruin his persona as Mike Brady. I’m just sorry he ever had to go through that.”

Reed was diagnosed with colon cancer in November 1991, and during his final days, the actor lived in isolation. He had turned away visitations from all except two people, his close companion, actress Anne Haney, and his daughter, Baldwin. Reed passed away at age 59 in May 1992 at Huntington Memorial Hospital located in Pasadena and was laid to rest at Memorial Park Cemetery in Illinois.

The public never knew of Reed’s HIV-positive status until his death certificate records surfaced. According to his doctors, they could not determine whether or not his HIV diagnosis had contributed to his health’s overall deterioration, as he was not suffering from AIDS-related complications.

However, Baldwin later confirmed that her father eventually passed due to his worsened cancer prognosis. Despite Baldwin’s attempts to correct assertions made that her father passed from HIV-related complications, Reed’s doctor, Dr. H. Rex Greene, had listed his HIV infection amidst “significant conditions contributing to death.”

Robert Reed and his close friend Anne Haney at the 41st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in California 1989 | Source: Getty Images

Reed was deeply loved by both his TV family and his real family, despite not being as close to his daughter, Baldwin. His death shook his loved ones to the core, and the 70s star is profoundly missed. The actor’s legacy remains with Baldwin and his grandson, whom he left most of his estate to and proudly spoke about during his final days.

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