Also known as "The Fred MacMurray Show",the television series "My Three Sons" was the cornerstone of the situation family shows that came out during the 1960's and continued onward into the early 1970's. "My Three Sons" was creator-executive producer Don Fedderson's most successful series(along with producers Edmund H. Hartmann, George Tibbles,and Peter Tewksbury),that was second only to "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" as the longest-running family situation comedy sitcom in television history producing 380 episodes and it was telecast on two major television networks running from September 29, 1960 until April 13,1972 with repeated episodes running from April 20, 1972 until August 24,1972. First,it aired on ABC's Thursday night prime-time schedule running for five seasons and 153 black and white episodes airing from September 29,1960 until May 20,1965. After it was abruptly canceled in the Spring of 1965 by ABC,"My Three Sons" was picked up by CBS for the next seven seasons and 227 episodes in color for the remainder of it's run from September 16,1965 until April 13,1972 and it also CBS that repeated various episodes from it's final season airing from April 20,1972 until August 24,1972. CBS also aired daytime re-runs of "My Three Sons" for one season in September of 1971 that had various episodes from past 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 and nominated for four WGA Awards in 1961,1963,1964 and 1968.Out of the actors that were with the series,only actors Fred MacMurray and Stanley Livingston were the only cast members that remained with the series throughout it's entire 12-year run and 380 episodes. William Frawley(aka Fred Mertz of "I Love Lucy" fame)who played the maternal grandfather Bub O'Casey was with the black and white episodes for the first five seasons of the show appearing in 165 episodes from September 29,1960 until his final appearance on January 7,1965. William Demarest who played the boys-live in maternal guardian Charley O'Casey(who was Bub's older brother)join the series midway through it's fifth season appearing in 215 episodes. Demarest remained with the series when the show was canceled by ABC and stayed with the show when it went to CBS. Demarest appeared in 26 of the black and white episodes of Season 5 for ABC from January 17,1965 until May 20,1965 and also in the 189 color episodes for CBS from September 16,1965 until April 13,1972(Seasons 6 thru 12). Tim Considine(Mike Douglas)appeared in 185 episodes of the series(which also included the opening color telecast of the series for CBS which was Tim Considine's final association with the series); Don Grady(Robert "Robbie" Douglas)appeared in 357 episodes for the series from 1960-1971; Barry Livingston,brother of Stanley Livingston(Ernie Thompson-Douglas)appeared in 206 episodes of the series from 1963-1972; Tina Cole(Katie Miller Douglas)appeared in 134 episodes from 1964-1972; Meredith MacRae(Sally Anne-Morrison Douglas)appeared in 14 episodes of the series which also appeared in the first color telecast of the series for CBS; Beverly Garland(Barbara Harper- Douglas)appeared in 74 episodes of the series from 1969-1972; Dawn Lyn(Dodie Harper-Douglas)appeared in 73 episodes of the series from 1969-1972; actress Ronne Troup(Polly Williams-Douglas)appeared in 36 episodes of the series from 1970-1972. Tramp was the family dog in all 380 episodes."My Three Sons" survived numerous changes during the twelve seasons it was on the air. During the first five seasons and especially the 153 black and white episodes for ABC, the show was centered around widower and aeronautical engineer Steven Douglas(Fred MacMurray)and his three sons Mike(Tim Considine),middle-child Robbie(Don Grady),and the youngest one Richard "Chip" Douglas(Stanley Livingston)and their maternal grandfather and housekeeper Bub O'Casey(William Frawley)and their suburban household in fictional Bryant Park. When the show went to CBS in the fall of 1965 several changes were made and the series was in color with the opening episode of the marriage of Mike and Sally(which would be Tim Considine's final association with the series); the family's adoption of Ernie Thompson(Barry Livingston),and the family's moving in the eighth season from Bryant Park to North Hollywood; and midway audiences saw the marriage of Robbie marrying his college sweetheart Katie,and in the show's tenth season saw the marriage of widower Steven Douglas to Barbara Harper. Even Chip Douglas in the show's final season married his high school sweetheart Polly Williams."My Three Sons" enjoy the first five seasons in black and white as one of ABC's powerhouse Thursday night line-up of shows from 1960-1965,and when the series went to color on CBS in the fall of 1965 remained on the Thursday night schedule for the next two seasons(Seasons 6-7 from 1965- 1967). In the show's eighth season on CBS,the series was moved to a new time slot from Thursday nights(in favor of "Cimarron Strip") to Saturday nights preceding "The Jackie Gleason Show" where it remained from 1967 until 1971(Seasons 8 thru 11). Then CBS moved the series again in it's 12th and final season for 1971-1972 where the series was moved from Saturday nights to an later time slot on Monday nights at the 10:00pm Eastern/9:00pm Central Time Slot where the show was placed opposite ABC's Monday Night Football which in turn decimated it in the Nielsen ratings. When the show went into syndication only the 227 color episodes were given as part of it's deal with network after it's association on CBS. The series that replaced the long-running "My Three Sons" in the fall of 1972 was CBS' decision to move Doris Day's sitcom to "My Three Sons" old time slot on Monday nights preceding "The Bill Cosby Comedy Hour" for the remainder of the 1972-1973 season. When "My Three Sons" ended it's astounding 12 year-run, it was the last of the great situation family shows of it's era where the landscape of prime- time television during the 1970's saw numerous changes in it's programming with gritter cop shows and urban dramas.

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 remember watching this show waiting and waiting for that occasional flash of brilliance. On some episodes you were rewarded and on some you weren't. The characters were all likable sorts if a little too laid back to be entirely believable. I admit being a little confused as a child by all the changes in the show over time. It was hard to follow who was where during reruns as you saw episodes out of sequence and the cast was constantly changing. I know many people missed Mike when he left the show (I was one) and it always seemed to be trying too hard after that point even if the color was a distinct improvement for the viewers. They'd give you these teasers about Mike for years afterwards but never did we see him again. I felt Ernie was a sympathetic character initially but he became an irritant to me in later episodes. The only saving grace was "Uncle Charley" who was more than an able replacement for William Frawley. The new William (Demarest) put his talents to great use throughout the rest of the series despite the sleep or at least boredom inducing antics of the rest of the cast. It became a show when he was on screen and something less when he wasn't. And finally, there was good old Steve. You had to like him. It was the Nutty Professor right there every week showing you what a good dad is supposed to be and think and feel. Brainwashing? Sure it was. Good civics lessons? Sure it was. No wonder I fell asleep ...

"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.