The D Word
The show’s creator, Sherwood Schwartz wanted to portray Carol Brady as a divorcee. However, the network was strongly against this. At the time, “divorce” was uncommon and remained as a taboo topic. They came to an agreement with Mike being a widow while Carol’s background wasn’t revealed. Florence Henderson even joked that she killed her husband when she was asked about him.
The D Word
In The Closet
Another taboo topic during the show’s airing was homosexuality. Gay actors stayed closeted as much as possible since they feared the public’s judgment. Among these actors was Robert Reed who played Mike Brady. Florence Henderson had begun to suspect something when she noticed that he was rather awkward while shooting romantic scenes. Reed later told her truth in private. The pair then diligently rehearsed their hugging and kissing scenes off-screen. This was to make their relationship seem more natural during filming. Another touching fact was that all the cast members kept mum about Reed’s secret even after he died.
In The Closet
