OurBiography

Mike Lookinland is an American actor best known for playing Bobby Brady, the youngest of three sons on the popular 1970s sitcom The Brady Bunch.

Synopsis

Former child actor and cameraman Mike Lookinland was born on December 19, 1960, in Mount Pleasant, Utah. He started acting at the age of 6, and at age 8, was cast as Bobby Brady on the 1970s hit sitcom The Brady Bunch. Lookinland went on to appear on numerous Brady Bunch reunions shows. Later, he began working behind the scenes as a successful cameraman.

Early Life

Child actor and cameraman Mike Lookinland was born Michael Paul Lookinland on December 19, 1960, in Mount Pleasant, Utah, into a Mormon family.

Lookinland began working as an actor at the age of 7, and by the time he was 9, had appeared in dozens of television commercials, including spots for Cheerios and Band-Aid and in promos for children's toys. When his career took off, his parents, Paul and Karen, moved  Lookinland and his siblings, Todd and Theresa, to California. Todd Lookinland is also an actor.

At only 8 years old, Mike Lookinland was cast as Bobby Brady, the youngest of three boys in a blended family (joined by three stepsisters), on the popular 1970s sitcom The Brady Bunch.

Playing Bobby Brady

For the duration of The Brady Bunch, from 1969 to its final airing in 1974, Lookinland lived a young boy's dream: He traveled to the scenic Grand Canyon and Hawaii to film vacation episodes, and met his football hero, Joe Namath, among other stars of the day. Lookinland revealed in later years that his naturally sandy-colored, slightly wavy hair was dyed dark brown and straightened for the show to make him look more like his on-screen brothers.

Lookinland developed real-life friendships with his on-screen siblings, with Susan Olsen, who played Cindy Brady, being his closest in age. He attributes his love for camera work to Robert Reed, who played his fictional father, Mike Brady. After Reed gifted his on-screen brood each with Super 8 movie cameras, Lookinland became fascinated with being behind the scenes, often chatting with the camera operators during production of the show. His passion for camera work continued thereafter.

After 'The Brady Bunch'

After the series ended, Lookinland played Bobby Brady on TV's The Brady Bunch Hour, The Bradys, Pop-Up Brady, A Very Brady Christmas and The Brady Brides. He also made dozens of other appearances, including on Little House on the Prairie and Stephen King's The Stand, among other TV specials and movies. He also appeared in the 1974 action drama The Towering Inferno.

Lookinland's TV cameraman credits include Promised Land, Everwood and Gambler V: Playing for Keeps. In motion pictures, he served as first assistant camera operator for Halloween 5: Michael Myers' Revenge, Fast Getaway, The Rage and The Way of the Gun.

Personal Life

Lookinland attended Chadwick School in Palos Verdes Peninsula, California, during his high school years. He went on to attend the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, but dropped out to become a movie production assistant and a cameraman.

In 1987, Lookinland married Kelly Wermuth. The couple has two sons, Scott (born in 1990) and Joe (born in 1993).

In November 1997, Lookinland was arrested for drunk driving in Utah after losing control of his vehicle. He entered rehab in December of that year, and has reportedly not had a drink since.

In 2000, Lookinland's son, Scott, played the part of Bobby Brady in the TV movie Growing Up Brady, co-written by Barry Williams, Lookinland's former co-star; Lookinland himself appeared in a cameo role as a cameraman.

Lookinland lives in Salt Lake City. He is a spokesman for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance and operates a business that makes decorative concrete.