I was watching the episode leading to Robbie and Katie's wedding and one thing I noticed that Katie's side of the family resembled Robbie's. Whereas Robbie came from an all male family, Katie's was all female. She had a widowed mother, Grandma Collins, who was similar to Uncle Charley and two sisters. Anyone notice that?

Just to clarify, Grandma Collins was Katie's grandmother (played by Kathryn Givney) -- Uncle Charley was not a grandfather, of course.

Katie's maiden name was Miller and her mother was Lorraine Miller (played by Joan Tompkins). I always thought a romance between she and Steve should have been pursued, at least for a while.

Just to clarify, Grandma Collins was Katie's grandmother (played by Kathryn Givney) -- Uncle Charley was not a grandfather, of course.

Katie's maiden name was Miller and her mother was Lorraine Miller (played by Joan Tompkins). I always thought a romance between she and Steve should have been pursued, at least for a while.

Yep. And keep in mind, the original setup of M3S was a widowed father, the grandfather, and the three boys. So Katie's family mirrored that.

There were TWO crucial differences. One is that Katie appeared to have been an only child [rather than one of three].

Secondly, there was an episode in which an interfering spinster aunt nearly permanently disrupted things but was 'put in her place' by the episode's end. I don't recall either Steve or the late 1st Mrs. Douglas having had siblings and it seemed this was Katie's mother's sister. However; in spite of the fact that this aunt was clearly established as a spinster , she had a different surname than Collins or Miller. This would mean that Grandma Collins had either her alone by a union previous to that of Mr. Collins OR both her daughters were by this union. However; it seems by the existence of this spinster aunt, Grandma Collins HAD been wed [and almost certainly widowed] twice whereas Bub had had only ONE late Mrs. O'Casey.

BTW, there was a funny 'Twilight Zone' kinda ep in which Steve happened upon an EXACT female mirror image family like his- right down to the stodgy, widowed working mother's hardboiled [but heart-of-gold] mother-in-law being called 'MUB' by her family. :lol:

I always thought a romance between she and Steve should have been pursued, at least for a while.

I think the creators preferred to give Steve younger looking love interests. Katie's mother seemed a bit more elderly than Steve.

I think the creators preferred to give Steve younger looking love interests. Katie's mother seemed a bit more elderly than Steve.

I think that's a great point, and Steve did tend to date significantly younger women. Susan Oliver (b. 1932) is a good example. But I will note that Fred (Steve) was born in 1908 while Joan (Lorraine) was born in 1915...

So with the help of a hairpiece and some dye at the temples, Fred may have looked younger -- but did have more than a few years over her.

(I'd love to have been in Fred's position to star opposite Carole Lombard, Barbara Stanwyck, and so many other lovely ladies in his career! Not to mention that briefly he was Hollywood's highest-paid actor!)

I think that's a great point, and Steve did tend to date significantly younger women. Susan Oliver (b. 1932) is a good example. But I will note that Fred (Steve) was born in 1908 while Joan (Lorraine) was born in 1915...

So with the help of a hairpiece and some dye at the temples, Fred may have looked younger -- but did have more than a few years over her.


When I used the word "elderly," I wasn't thinking about the characters' or actors' ages. I was thinking more of their spirits. I rewatched "Inspection of the Groom" last night and I think a better word to describe Katie's mother would be "prim." In that episode, Lorraine kept her hand over her heart almost the entire time she first entered the Douglas' house. She was too straight-laced and proper to handle Steve, Uncle Charley, the boys and Tramp. She would have had to check into the hospital when the triplets arrived! Later in the same episode, Lorraine wears her hair in a bun and wears a dress that looks similiar to the one Katie's grandmother is wearing. So maybe, Lorraine isn't chronologically old, but she has an older spirit that I don't think an active man like Steve would be attracted to.