My Three Sons

A TV Classic in the golden age of early 60's sitcoms that became creator-executive producer Don Fedderson's most successful show that became second only to "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" as the longest-running sitcom series in television history spanning 12 seasons and 380 episodes airing from September 29,1960 until April 13,1972 with repeated episodes airing from April 20,1972 until August 24,1972. The series first aired on ABC's Thursday night prime time schedule producing 153 black and white episodes from September 29, 1960 until May 20,1965. Then after it was canceled by ABC in 1965 the series was picked up by CBS for the next seven seasons in color for 227 episodes from September 16,1965 until April 13,1972. CBS also aired various episodes in repeats for it's daytime line-up for one season in September,1971 that featured various seasons in color. "My Three Sons" won the Golden Globe for Best Television Series in 1962 and was nominated for three Prime Time Emmys in 1961,1968 and 1969. The show's sponsors throughout it's run where during the earlier years The Chevrolet Motor Division where you saw Chevrolet products featured in various episodes and during the closing credits. Other sponsors were General Motors Division, The Quaker Oats Company, Ralston-Purina, and in it's final season the sponsor was The Ford Motor Company(Lincoln-Mercury Division).

Of all the cast members that were associated with the show only actors Fred MacMurray(Steve Douglas),and Stanley Livingston(Chip Douglas) remained throughout it's entire run. William Frawley(Bub O'Casey) appeared in 165 episodes; William Demarest(Charley O'Casey) appeared in 215 episodes. Tim Considine(Mike Douglas)appeared in 185 episodes; Don Grady(Robbie Douglas)appeared in 357 episodes;Barry Livingston,the brother of Stanley Livingston(Ernie Thompson-Douglas)appeared in 206 episodes; Tina Cole(Katie Miller Douglas)appeared in 134 episodes;Beverly Garland(Barbara Harper Douglas)appeared in 74 episodes; Dawn Lyn(Dodie Harper Douglas)appeared in 73 episodes;Ronne Troup(Polly Williams Douglas)appeared in 36 episodes. Tramp the Douglas' family dog was in all 380 episodes of the series throughout it's run.

The series revolves around Steve Douglas(Fred MacMurray)who was a widower and aeronautical engineer with three sons that consisted of the oldest(Mike),the middle-child(Robbie),and the youngest child(Chip)and their maternal grandfather(Bub O'Casey)who was the housekeeper and the family dog in their suburban household in fictional Bryant Park. Then numerous changes began to take when the series went from ABC to CBS. The first color telecast saw the marriage of the oldest son Mike to his college sweetheart Sally. And by the show's eighth season on CBS(when the show moved from Thursday nights to Saturday nights)saw the family's adoption of Ernie and also midway through the season saw Robbie's marriage to his college sweetheart Katie. That same season also saw the family moving from Bryant Park to North Hollywood where Steve has been offer a new position at his place of employment. Season 9 saw the birth of Robbie's wife Katie with three sons. Season 10 sees Steve Douglas walked down the aisle of martial bliss when he marries Barbara Harper and also brings along her daughter Dodie from a previous marriage. And during the show's 12th and final season(when CBS moved the series from Saturday nights to Monday nights in a later time slot opposite ABC's Monday Night Football)saw the youngest Chip also marrying his high school sweetheart Polly Williams.

When "My Three Sons" ended it's astounding run in 1972 after 12 seasons and 380 episodes it marked the end of an era in family situation comedy series where it was taken over during the 1970's with the landscape of prime time television changing it's programming to urban dramas and gritter police shows. The show that replaced "My Three Sons" on CBS in the fall of 1972 was "The Bill Cosby Comedy Hour"

It has a great cast like Fred MacMurray who was a movie star in the golden age. He played a single father of three sons. The show had a long run of twelve seasons which is unheard even now. The cast remained solid and the writing was fine. I grew up on the syndication series. I found the show sometimes to lose my interest. But those days of my childhood, comedy series like this were shown to us daily. The show also featured one of my favorites, William Frawley, who is best remembered as Fred Mertz from "I Love Lucy." The sons including Don Grady did a fantastic job. While the show might seem dated, it's still relevant today. Beverly Garland was one of my favorites.

I have read various postings of the My Three Sons subject, and sincerely hope that they NEVER make a "new" version of it ! I only wish they would syndicate the black and white episodes, as they were the best ! Yeah,I miss the early California sitcoms with a message,, and would opt to view them rather than watch Will and Grace any day ! Naturally Bill Frawley was great as Bub, but you do get to see him tire through that last year or two episodes....Will Demerest as Uncle Charlie was precious though !,, I'm so sorry that through the last few years,, that the show scummed to the changing times, and the boys went "hip", and the issues got more messagey....Yup, the early years were the best, and there ain't no replacing' it !!!

There have been many wonderful shows, but My Three Sons have to be one of the best. Fred MacMurray, did such a wonderful job as the father in this show. When had those special scenes in which he was advising his kids or explaining something to them, he would come across as someone who was caring and very attached to his kids. I know some fathers in this world who have trouble at being interested let alone caring.

Today, this show might seem dated, but there is a lot we can gain from watching this show. The ideas of making a family that will work together and see things through, is a good example of one thing that we can gain from this. Television today doesn't have very many shows that will show a family working together as a unit.

Hopefully someday, we will see this show on DVD, and have it start from the beginning episode in season one. I think there is a lot we can get from this show.

Because of its many changes over the years, My Three Sons seemed almost like two different shows. Both were very good, but I prefer the earlier episodes, the black & white ones. They had a certain charm to them that was missing in later years. Robby somehow never seemed to fit the eldest brother role the way Mike did. That, and the move from Bryant Park, Michigan out to Los Angeles took away the small town feel that the earlier episodes had. Then came the arrival of women into the family, and that changed everything.

For the first five seasons, 1960-61 to 1964-65, the show was aired on ABC and filmed in black & white. For the last seven seasons, 1965-66 to 1971-72, it was aired on CBS and filmed in color. For the first 4.5 seasons, the boys "nanny" was their grandfather Bub, for the last 7.5 seasons it was their great uncle Charlie. For the first 5 seasons, the sons were Mike, Robby, and Chip, for the last 7 seasons the sons were Robby, Chip, and Ernie.

William Frawley left the show halfway through the 1964-65 due to ill health (he died in 1966). In the story line, Bub went over to Ireland to visit relatives and decided to stay there. Shortly after his departure, his brother Charlie arrived for a visit, and ended-up staying for the rest of the shows run. After the end of that season, Bub was never referred to again. In the first episode of the 1965-66 season, Mike married his girlfriend Sally and moved to another town to take a job. This marked Tim Considine's departure from the series. To re-establish the "three sons" storyline, Steve Douglas adopted Chip's friend Ernie, who had recently become an orphan. Mike was never seen again (not even when Steve married Barbara) and was only sporadically referred to thereafter.

More bits of trivia:

Before being cast as Katie, Tina Cole had appeared several years earlier(in the black & white days) as Ina, one of Robbys friends.

Stanley Livingston and Barry Livingston are brothers.

Before being adopted by the Douglases, Ernies last name was Thompson. Years later, Chip married Polly Thompson, no relation to Ernie.

When Robby and Katie had kids, it was triplets. They were all boys, thus keeping with the "three sons" theme.

Originally, the show was going to be called "The Fred MacMurray Show", but MacMurray objected to that, so the title was changed.

In its early years, My Three Sons was sponsored by Chevrolet, thus Chevy cars were seen behind the closing credits.

There are two syndication packages for My Three Sons. One package consists of the first five seasons (the black & white ones) and the final season. The other package contains the other six seasons. Why it is done this way I don't know, it doesn't make sense to me. I would think they would just have the B&W episodes as one package and the color episodes as the other.