When did Tim Considine consider leaving?

[someguy23475]

We all know he did leave after the fifth season, with a guest spot at the beginning of the sixth. I ask because he doesn’t seem to appear much after Uncle Charley enters. Granted, I don’t get to watch everyday, so maybe I’m missing something. I do know he directed an episode late in the season, and had a large role if memory serves.

[stevea]

My memory is sketchy, but IIRC he wanted to do more directing but they said no (maybe). Plus he wanted to get into racing but his contract with the show said no.

[biffbronson]

It may not be possible to put a date on when Tim had his falling-out with Don Fedderson, over the reasons listed by stevea.

There are some questions I have regarding having Mike marry as related to the replacement with Barry/Ernie. What I mean is that some have written that the producers decided to "marry him off" and "had to scramble" with a replacement -- both as steps for Tim's departure. I think the engagement to Sally may have been a storyline established well before Tim decided to leave. It was a pretty long engagement, I think most will agree...!! The scrambling description to establish Ernie as the new 3rd son is probably accurate for the most part.

Anyway, Tim once stated that he felt he had done all he could with the role of Mike, so that was a reason he gave for leaving the series. That may have been an important reason, or just ancillary. I will try to contact him for a little clarification.

One last note, Tim has returned for reunion activity for M3S right from the first one, so I think he's always regarded the work and coworkers as positive.

[TV Guy]

The way they shot the show made it difficult to have one-time directors. They shot everything in piecemeal, doing all of McMurray’s scenes across different episodes in groups, so that he wouldn’t have to work all the time. That’s why you saw Peter Tewksbury, James Kern, Fred DeCordova, and Earl Bellamy pretty much directing all the installments in a season. Also, McMurray was reportedly not thrilled with the idea that his young co-worker would be calling the shots as director.

It’s a shame that he never came back other than for the wedding episode. An annual guest appearance by Mike would have been fun.

[stevea]

Originally Posted by biffbronson

It may not be possible to put a date on when Tim had his falling-out with Don Fedderson, over the reasons listed by stevea.

There are some questions I have regarding having Mike marry as related to the replacement with Barry/Ernie. What I mean is that some have written that the producers decided to "marry him off" and "had to scramble" with a replacement -- both as steps for Tim's departure. I think the engagement to Sally may have been a storyline established well before Tim decided to leave. It was a pretty long engagement, I think most will agree...!! The scrambling description to establish Ernie as the new 3rd son is probably accurate for the most part.

Anyway, Tim once stated that he felt he had done all he could with the role of Mike, so that was a reason he gave for leaving the series. That may have been an important reason, or just ancillary. I will try to contact him for a little clarification.

One last note, Tim has returned for reunion activity for M3S right from the first one, so I think he's always regarded the work and coworkers as positive.

Right, Sally/Meredith came in early in season 4, long before any talk of Tim's leaving.

Coincidentally, season 4 marked the departure of Ricky Allen (Sudsy) and adding Barry Livingston as a new friend for Chip. I can't imagine the show would have elevated Allen to starring role, had he stayed for the entire ABC run--too whiny, and he shouted his lines. So, the stars aligned for the Mike marriage/Ernie adoption 3-part arc, brilliantly written by George Tibbles.

[OH Nuts!]

Originally Posted by stevea

Right, Sally/Meredith came in early in season 4, long before any talk of Tim's leaving.

Coincidentally, season 4 marked the departure of Ricky Allen (Sudsy) and adding Barry Livingston as a new friend for Chip. I can't imagine the show would have elevated Allen to starring role, had he stayed for the entire ABC run--too whiny, and he shouted his lines. So, the stars aligned for the Mike marriage/Ernie adoption 3-part arc, brilliantly written by George Tibbles.

Yes, this just aired on MeTV. I think Ernie’s adoption was Monday’s ep.

[PracTz]

According to his then-wife Charlotte Stewart's autobio, Mr. Considine had had the chance to direct one episode but tried insist on directing half Season Six's episodes but Mr. MacMurray more or less didn't like that idea . Hence, it wound up that Mr. Considine was out of a job with his last appearance being his wedding episode. Oh, and he refused his agent's and mother's pleas to get a haircut and grew it out quite long after he parted ways with M3S so I doubt Mr. MacMurray would have been so keen to have had him make annual appearances.

[biffbronson]

Originally Posted by PracTz

According to his then-wife Charlotte Stewart's autobio, Mr. Considine had had the chance to direct one episode but tried insist on directing half Season Six's episodes but Mr. MacMurray more or less didn't like that idea . Hence, it wound up that Mr. Considine was out of a job with his last appearance being his wedding episode. Oh, and he refused his agent's and mother's pleas to get a haircut and grew it out quite long after he parted ways with M3S so I doubt Mr. MacMurray would have been so keen to have had him make annual appearances.

By the time Tim appeared in a guest role on Gunsmoke in 1970, he had sort of a Buster Brown hairstyle, maybe longer than most depictions of that character. I don't think I've seen any of his 1966-69 work.

[Coffeecup]

I did read that Charlotte was Miss Beadle on the first season of so of Little House on the Praire. PracTZ, your post say Charlotte was then wife of Tim, have Tim and Charlotte parted ways and when was that. ??

[PracTz]

Originally Posted by Coffeecup

I did read that Charlotte was Miss Beadle on the first season of so of Little House on the Praire. PracTZ, your post say Charlotte was then wife of Tim, have Tim and Charlotte parted ways and when was that. ??

That's right. Charlotte Stewart (who DID play several girls on M3S including a lovestruck newsie wannabee who wound up ruining Mike's date at a formal dance) was married to him from 1965 and they parted in 1969 . However, in spite of her insisting on getting NO alimony and just keeping for herself what she had actually earned during that time, it would take them until 1972 for the marriage to be completely legally dissolved. The marriage ended badly after she fessed her boozing,drugging and cheating on him but, according to her, a few years later, they cleared the air of years of misunderstandings and would become friends again ( . She was invited to his wedding to his current wife and the three of them have stayed friends (even though she recommended an accountant who said who wound up totally ripping everyone off to supply his cocaine habit) and even through her own three subsequent marriages ( one divorce after several years, one 20 year marriage that ended in widowhood and her current marriage of the last few years). Mr. Considine was the one who photographed her for her 'contemporary' shot used on her autobio's cover!

[Coffeecup]

Pract TZ/- My goodness. Life in Hollywood is so wild. Cocaine, cheating several marriages, so different than their characters. After reading your story, I see the actors so differently. Life seemed goody goody in tv land.

[SarahBellum]

Originally Posted by biffbronson

By the time Tim appeared in a guest role on Gunsmoke in 1970, he had sort of a Buster Brown hairstyle, maybe longer than most depictions of that character. I don't think I've seen any of his 1966-69 work.

He appeared in an episode of The Fugitive in 1966.

[Doug-oh]

Originally Posted by SarahBellum

He appeared in an episode of The Fugitive in 1966.

Great, stunning photo.
Tim is a good actor.

[Doug-oh]

[Doug-oh]