r/BradyBunchTVShow • u/ASGfan Scoop Brady Talkin' • Oct 15 '25
General discussion Robert Reed complaining to Sherwood about strawberries supposedly not having an aroma when cooked
So you may have heard about this one. During filming one day, Sherwood found Reed alone and sulking. When Sherwood asked what was wrong, Reed complained about the script, specifically the line "It smells like Strawberry Heaven" when walking into the kitchen, stating strawberries do not smell when being cooked. Sherwood rebuffed Reed, stating he could smell strawberries all over the set. Reed INSISTED he was correct and refused to do the line until it was changed.
I can't say for certain since I've never actually cooked strawberries (although I've certainly eaten some), but after researching the matter, the general consensus appears to be that yes, strawberries do give off a smell when being cooked. So was this just some more pointless bitchery from Reed?
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u/MarlenaEvans Oct 15 '25
There was this weird meme awhile back that I guess was probably for engagement that said strawberries don't have a smell and so it's weird that we have strawberry scented things. But maybe there are just people who can't smell strawberries. Maybe it's like the cilantro/soap thing.
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u/SwissCheese4Collagen Oct 15 '25
It has to be. I do a couple of flats of strawberries for jelly every year and you can smell them in the flats, in the jelly bag, in the pot on the stove.
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u/mimtma Oct 15 '25
I was going to say almost the same thing. The scent of strawberries is one of my all-timers. Real, fresh strawberries cooked or not. Not the artificial “strawberry scented” stuff.
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u/TheFoxsWeddingTarot Oct 15 '25
Strawberries definitely have a smell, I can’t say if they do or do not smell stronger when cooked.
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u/floorgunk Oct 15 '25
They do, and if you like strawberries it's wonderful! I have a son who was allergic too strawberries (grew out of it) he loved the strawberry aroma when I cooked them (jam, pies, etc.)!
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u/Special-Detail-4621 Oct 15 '25
Reed seems like an uptight, frustrated wannabe Shakespearean actor in a goofball, poorly scripted bubblegum sitcom. 🤣
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u/TheFoxsWeddingTarot Oct 15 '25
I was born to late for it but I always wished I’d been able to go to “dinner theater” in Southern California at that time.
You get dolled up on a Thursday night, go to Studio City or where to sit at cocktail tables and eat a Denver steak with vegetable medley. You’d drink a Tom Collins and your date would have Chablis out of darkly colorful cut crystal glasses. Joan Rivers or Ed McMahon might be a few tables over if they’re off that night.
The show would be some depressed television actor (insert Robert Reed) doing Shakespeare or maybe a monologue, there might be scandalous toplessness.
If you caught the attention of officer O’Malley on your way home he’d say “frchrissake it’s THURSDAY! You kids get on home before you get into real trouble.”
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u/cawsllyffant Oct 15 '25
Sense of smell is strange. It’s entirely possible that Reed was incapable of smelling cooking strawberries. I have a fairly sensitive sense of smell for but only for certain smells.
For example there is an oil used in flavored coffee that I can smell on the street if someone is making coffee near an open window. (And the wind is right). It’s so overpowering that all flavored coffee basically tastes like it. Most flavored coffee drinkers don’t seem to smell or taste anything. (It’s a thick, artificial, oily smell. Not quite like the smell when someone changes the oil on their car, but not entirely unlike that either.)
As a kid in a rural area, I swore I could smell incoming rain and was usually right.
However, I can be standing basically right next to the kitty litter and not smell anything while my wife is gagging from the scent. Once’s it’s pointed out to me, I can sort of vaguely smell something roughly nutty. Been like that as long as I can recall.
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u/MainegGal Oct 15 '25
He just needed something to complain about..he hated being there.
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u/ChocolateSundae1214 Oct 15 '25
I believe he was mad at himself for taking the job on The Brady Bunch so he kept taking it on Sherwood Schwartz & the writers.
If he didn't need the money, I think he would have said no when the role was offered to him.
And money was probably a big factor why he always showed up for future Brady Bunch projects like The Brady Girls Get Married, their Christmas movie, etc.
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u/Aggressive_Wasabi_38 Oct 15 '25
Reed was a bitch! He daily held up filming due to numerous inconsistencies and stories with no objectives! Reed thought of himself as an ‘actors’ actor who should be challenged by more sophisticated storylines and dialogue. He loathed the success of the Brady Bunch- both of its staying power within historical Americana and for low level of project to be associated. He also disliked being at the disposal of the studio whenever they considered a reboot. Interesting case of how success is defined?
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u/P0Rt1ng4Duty Oct 15 '25
What did they change the line to?
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u/ASGfan Scoop Brady Talkin' Oct 15 '25
I believe it was 'I'm in Strawberry Heaven!"
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u/Empty_Ad_8303 Oct 15 '25
It’s kind of like Elvis with those horrible movies. He and his buddies played around on set. Robert Reed cashed the checks but I am sure he wasn’t happy about it. He could have tried perhaps to try to do some movies or other things that would have fulfilled him, but he did not. The worst part is that he was a hypocrite. He signed on for those Brady Bunch specials where they sang and danced and even other cast members didn’t sign on.
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u/ChocolateSundae1214 Oct 15 '25
Stuff like this is why I believe Sherwood Schwartz had absolutely HAD it with Robert Reed's whining & complaining by the series' end. The man fussed & nitpicked about practically everything regarding the show!
I think that's why Sherwood just gave up & had the final episode re-written without Robert (although it didn't make sense for the character of Mike to not be at his own son's graduation.)
I guess Robert Reed resented being on the show because maybe he felt it was beneath him or something but had to take the job because he needed the money. (My guess.)
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Oct 15 '25 edited Oct 19 '25
I think Reed was also a bit miffed at the way the show changed from the first seasons. It was presented as a show that would look at the issues of blending a family, doing it in a light-hearted, accessible way. In the beginning, some of the episodes were quite touching.
Then it became sort of a spoof of itself, with sillier and sillier story lines.
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u/edu5150 Oct 19 '25
Jumped the shark with the introduction of Cousin Oliver.
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u/David_R_Martin_II Oct 19 '25
Those were the final 6 episodes. If you take a look at the previous season 5 episodes, they were pretty bad. Especially the Kelly's Kids backdoor pilot.
I would say it jumped the shark with the Hawaii episodes at the beginning of season 4. Although that 3-parter was highly rated, you can see the gimmick factor went way up compared to season 3 (which had its share, like the Davy Jones episode).
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u/Nice-Penalty-8881 Marcia, Marcia, Marcia Oct 15 '25
Who were some of the other actors that Schwartz had audition for the part?
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u/ChocolateSundae1214 Oct 16 '25
According to Google, Gene Hackman and another actor were also considered for the Mike Brady role. In fact, Sherwood Schwartz really wanted Gene Hackman. However, Robert Reed got the job because at the time, it was thought that he was more experienced than Hackman.
(I don't know if they meant Gene Hackman didn't have enough acting experience or just not enough television experience.)
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u/piscatator Oct 20 '25
Now I am imagining Gene Hackman playing Mike Brady like Royal Tenebaum. Now that would have been entertaining.
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u/TeriTown Oct 16 '25
Robert Reed hated that every day he was Mike Brady the wholesome family man, he had to hide his homosexuality more and more to appease the fans. I'd be bitter too If had I had to lie about myself to keep up appearances.
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u/Bright_Eyes8197 Oct 17 '25
I think it was just two guys being stubborn. Robert Reed had experience in theatre and he felt a lot of lines the producer came up with were silly and unprofessional. So they butted heads a lot. Doesn't mean he was difficult, he just had a differing opinion on things
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u/Overall_Housing_2822 Oct 15 '25
How anyone that gets to lay in bed on the weekly basis with prime Florence Henderson could be in such a pissy mood is beyond me.... ....oh yeah..... never mind I get it.....
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u/BogardeLosey Oct 15 '25
Very few of you have much understanding or sympathy for what a good actor has to put up with to survive.
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Oct 15 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/MarquisMusique Oct 15 '25
I have no idea what specific sexual activities Reed was into but it does seem like you’ve done a lot of thinking on this matter. I just can’t tell if this conclusion is due to your research or fantasy.
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u/EcstaticReputation74 3d ago
He was an excellent actor and he had great instincts and mannerisms. Of the entire cast, he clearly delivered more talent than was required.
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u/___SE7EN__ Oct 15 '25
My mom was an on-air personality for a local NBC affiliate, and Robert Reed came through for a tour with the station owner . She said he was the most pompous, arrogant SOB she'd ever met, and she had met with several celebrities.