Actor Robert Reed, famous for playing Mike Brady on the beloved ’70s sitcom The Brady Bunch, died in 1992 of colon cancer. Reed may have been America’s Dad for the first half of the decade, but off screen he was a closeted gay man who was HIV positive at the time of his death.
Susan Olsen, who played lisping, lovable Cindy Brady on the hit show, said “being gay killed” the actor on her Facebook page.
Olsen, 51, said on the social networking site: ‘As a child, I was BLESSED to have another father figure in my life. He did not replace my own beloved, Norwegian version of Jed Clampett, nor would he have wanted to. He simply harmonized with all of my family values and brought his own heart to our table….
‘But the former child star voiced her own heart wrenching perspective on the influential man’s death: ‘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 a genuine love. He was forever taunted by his own disdain for the natural inclinations that he was BORN WITH. ‘Bob was a family man. Had he been allowed to form a relationship with another man, he would have been the best husband ever and might still be alive.’
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.