My Three Sons (1960–1972)

Widower Steve Douglas raises three sons with the help of his father-in-law, and is later aided by the boys' great-uncle. An adopted son, a stepdaughter, wives, and another generation of sons join the loving family in later seasons.

Stars:

Fred MacMurray, Stanley Livingston, Don Grady

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 9 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Fred MacMurray	...	Steve Douglas (380 episodes, 1960-1972)
Stanley Livingston	...	Chip Douglas (380 episodes, 1960-1972)
Don Grady	...	Robbie Douglas (356 episodes, 1960-1971)
William Demarest	...	Uncle Charley O'Casey (215 episodes, 1965-1972)
Barry Livingston	...	Ernie Thompson Douglas (206 episodes, 1963-1972)
Tim Considine	...	Mike Douglas (185 episodes, 1960-1965)
William Frawley	...	Michael Francis 'Bub' O'Casey (165 episodes, 1960-1965)

Storyline

Widower Steven Douglas is left to bring up three boys all by himself with the aide of his housekeeper "Uncle Charlie". The series revolves around the trials and tribulations of life's experiences as a single parent family.

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Plot Keywords:

college | uncle | single parent | 1970s | brother brother relationship | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Family

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Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 September 1960 (USA)

Also Known As:

Io e i miei tre figli

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Desilu Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Don Fedderson Productions, Gregg-Don Inc., MCA Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min 30 min (369 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White (1960-1965) Color (1965-1972)

Aspect Ratio:

4:3

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to one account, Chip was born Richard but as a toddler pronounced his name Chipper. The name stuck and as he got older it was shortened to Chip. If you'll notice his dad regularly called him Chipper.

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Quotes

Robbie Douglas: Beanbrain!
Mike Douglas: Knothead!

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Connections

Referenced in Yours, Mine and Ours (2005)

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Soundtracks

"My Three Sons"
Written and Performed by Frank De Vol (1960-1972)

User Reviews

One of Television's Greatest Hits

"My Three Sons" remains one of the most popular television series ever. Of course it has its detractors as any show does, but its historical value lies in its simplicity and naivete. A hybrid of the era the would be labeled the 'dom-com' or domestic situation comedy, "My Three Sons" is notable for its star-friendly shooting schedule, and the composition of the nuclear family, with a motherless family being brought up by the widowed father and housekeeper grandfather, something that was relatively new to television in 1960. In its early years the cast changes were minimal but as the show progressed and additional characters were added, most viewers had no problem keeping up with the Douglases. In reruns the show has found a whole new generation of audience, even if they seem more sophisticated now than what we were at a younger age. The fact remains that the series is still popular and with a huge catalogue of episodes in it's inventory, the reruns will probably continue for ever as long as television stations need programming.

By today's standards it appears wholesome, tame and perhaps slightly dated, but it's a slice of life that all of us can appreciate and learn from. "My Three Sons" is more than just another run of the mill television show from the 1960s - it is an enduring piece of sitcom entertainment that still entertains today some forty plus years after its premiere. The comfortably numb nostalgia that the show evokes is only part of the viewing pleasure. There really is great work here so take a step back in time to the good old days when there were no tv dinners... and watch a much loved part of television history.