My Three Sons: The 100% Complete, Uncut and Unedited Series Request - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

stevearino · 03-09-2025, 05:41 PM

Hello Out There From TV Land,

I'm on a mission to get for myself the Complete Series Library of the hit 1960-1972 sitcom "My Three Sons," all 380 half-hour episodes of the '50s sitcom classic 100% Complete, 100% Uncut AND 100% Unedited, each one as originally aired on the ABC Television Network.

True, the first 2 seasons are available on retail DVD, with Seasons 3-5 on MOD DVD, but unfortunately for myself, and I can verify this as owner of the first 18 episodes of Season 1 on retail DVD, the original background music in the show is replaced by modern generic music that was never used in the show to begin with--hence why if anyone here is lucky enough to have any episodes of "My Three Sons" 100% Complete, 100% Uncut, AND 100% Unedited, both B&W and Color Episodes, including Original Background Music, PLEASE let me know. I'd REALLY Appreciate it.

In case anyone here is unfamiliar with this sitcom classic--doubtful, but I'm sure there's a select few--here's the Inside Info from an avid viewer who's been binge-watching the show regularly via FeTV since it started airing there.

Created by Don Fedderson, "My Three Sons" enjoyed a successful 12-year run on the ABC Television Network from September 29, 1960 - April 13, 1972 for 380 half-hour episodes; the show was conceived and created in 1959, with the Pilot episode filmed that year, as a sitcom vehicle for Fred MacMurray (born on August 30, 1908 in Kankakee, Illinois and raised in Madison, Wisconsin and later Beaver Dam, Wisconsin), known at the time for starring in a number of films for Walt Disney such as "The Shaggy Dog" and future Disney films "The Absent-Minded Professor" and its sequel, "Son of Flubber," among several other films Fred made for Walt before and after "My Three Sons."

Fred's character was Steve Douglas, a widower of 6 years who, at the start of the show, was a single father of three sons who had his father-in-law, Michael Francis O'Casey (Bill Frawley, born on February 27, 1887 in Burlington, Iowa, known for his portrayal of Fred Mertz earlier in the '50s on "I Love Lucy"), known to his sons as "Uncle Bub," help him raise his boys--which included his eldest, 18-year-old Mike (Tim Considine, born on December 31, 1940 in Los Angeles, California, who previously worked with Fred in Disney's "The Shaggy Dog"), 14-year-old Robbie (former Disney Mouseketeer Don Grady, born on June 8, 1944 in San Diego, California and raised in nearby Lafayette, California), and 7-year-old Richard (Stan Livingston, born on November 24, 1950 in Los Angeles, California), known by his nickname "Chip."

As the years went by, Mike, after the first season, graduated high school and entered college in the second season; Robbie also graduated high school and eventually entered college as well; Chip entered high school and in 1963 befriended an orphan, Ernie Thompson (Barry Livingston, Stan's real-life kid brother, born on December 17, 1953 in Los Angeles, California), whom Steve later adopted after Mike left the family nest and married Sally Ann Morrison (Meredith MacRae, futurely of TV's "Petticoat Junction") in Season 6.

In 1965, after Season 5, ABC cancelled the series due to combined low ratings and its reluctance to produce the series in color; simultaneously, Tim Considine, who played eldest son Mike, left the show, with Mike getting married to Sally Ann Morrison and thus leaving the family nest. Earlier that season, Bill Frawley was deemed too ill to continue as Uncle Bub and was eventually written out mid-season as having gone on a trip to Ireland to visit his aunt Kate for her 104th Birthday, and was replaced by Bill Demarest (born on February 27, 1892 in Saint Paul, Minnesota) as Bub's brother, Uncle Charley O'Casey, who moved in to help Steve raise Robbie, Chip, and Ernie, whom Steve adopted midway through Season 6 as the new Douglas "son" after "My Three Sons" switched to filming in Color and was picked up for Season 6 by the CBS Television Network, which aired the series for the next 7 seasons.

In 1967, Steve was transferred to North Hollywood for his job as an aeronautical engineer, thus moving the Douglas family out of the fictional midwestern town of Bryant Park; simultaneously, after Desilu Studios in Los Angeles, California (where the show was filmed for the prior 7 years) was sold to Paramount Studios, filming for "My Three Sons" was moved to nearby CBS Studio Center in Los Angeles for the rest of its run for the next 5 years.

More changes came in 1969, when Beverly Garland joined the cast as Barbara Harper, a recent widow with a little girl, Dodie (Dawn Lyn); originally Ernie's teacher, Steve married Barbara midway through Season 10, and she and Dodie became part of the Douglas family--as did Polly Williams, whom Chip married midway through Season 11 in 1971.

Eventually, at the end of the Fall 1971 TV season, "My Three Sons" bowed out gracefully of Network TV on April 13, 1972 after 12 seasons and 380 half-hour episodes, making it network TV's 2nd longest-running live-action sitcom after "Ozzie & Harriet." In the years since, reruns continue to air in syndication: besides FeTV, reruns of "My Three Sons" currently air on Catchy Comedy (sister network to MeTV) and in years past have aired on MeTV, Nickelodeon (as part of its Nick at Nite lineup) and Nick at Nite's TV Land.

stevea · 03-09-2025, 10:51 PM

It's doubtful anyone has all 12 seasons as originally aired. The best possibility might, oddly, lie in Australia and/or Canada. Evidence points to some later episodes (beyond syndication here in the US) being shown in Australia, and some earlier uncut seasons having aired in Canada. There are other people, myself included) besides the OP who are on this mission too! For unknown reasons, Paramount remastered the first half of season 11 in beautiful quality, and those were available on Amazon Prime last year.

On local TV here in Indianapolis WHMB (and in South Bend, also on its sister station WHME) seasons 6 thru the first half of 11 aired unedited (with a few exceptions in seasons 6 and 7) in syndication for several years (later reduced to seasons 6 thru 10, for reasons only Paramount would know).

Due to its relationship with then-syndicator Viacom, Nickelodeon (then a well-run network) ran the non-syndicated seasons 1-5 and 11.5-12 mostly unedited (but in relatively poor quality) back in the 1980s.

Hazel Anyday · 03-10-2025, 08:02 PM

Now from what I hear tell of the FETV channel starting in February started showing most all their shows uncut. This includes My 3 Sons. They have just completed Season 1 and are now in Season 2. I have not been watching as I have these on DVD. BUT the question of the year is, when they finally get to Season 6 (the beginning of the color years) will they show all the color episodes uncut?? If so this will be a momentous occasion. Anyone hear anything about this?

stevea · 03-11-2025, 06:41 AM

I'm told the Croaker episode from season 1 was complete on FETV with all the music, including Bub singing a full song, but a weekend thing FETV did have other edited episodes. I'm going to find out what they do with the season 3 episode where Bub sings Carolina in the Morning.

CJ · 03-19-2025, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

I'm told the Croaker episode from season 1 was complete on FETV with all the music, including Bub singing a full song, but a weekend thing FETV did have other edited episodes. I'm going to find out what they do with the season 3 episode where Bub sings Carolina in the Morning.

Yes, that was puzzling about "The Croaker" being intact on FETV, yet edited and silenced on the retail version. That gave me hope that maybe FETV actually did have uncut episodes. However, when FETV aired that block of a few S3, S4, S5 episodes, they were exactly the same versions as the retail episodes.

You won't have to wait as long as to get near the end of S3 to "Evening With a Star" to find out if they truly have uncut episodes like the Nick-at-Nite episodes. Next week FETV starts with S3. If "Daughter for a Day" with Suzanne Cupito (Morgan Brittany) has the entire missing scene of her and Steve in the kitchen actually making the flour and water cookies, we will know for sure.

Unfortunately, after the FETV block and the Amazon episodes (retail versions S3-S5), I have my doubts that FETV will have all uncut episodes.

03-09-2025, 05:41 PM	#1
stevearino Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 15, 2017 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 249	My Three Sons: The 100% Complete, Uncut and Unedited Series Request Hello Out There From TV Land, I'm on a mission to get for myself the Complete Series Library of the hit 1960-1972 sitcom "My Three Sons," all 380 half-hour episodes of the '50s sitcom classic 100% Complete, 100% Uncut AND 100% Unedited, each one as originally aired on the ABC Television Network. True, the first 2 seasons are available on retail DVD, with Seasons 3-5 on MOD DVD, but unfortunately for myself, and I can verify this as owner of the first 18 episodes of Season 1 on retail DVD, the original background music in the show is replaced by modern generic music that was never used in the show to begin with--hence why if anyone here is lucky enough to have any episodes of "My Three Sons" 100% Complete, 100% Uncut, AND 100% Unedited, both B&W and Color Episodes, including Original Background Music, PLEASE let me know. I'd REALLY Appreciate it. In case anyone here is unfamiliar with this sitcom classic--doubtful, but I'm sure there's a select few--here's the Inside Info from an avid viewer who's been binge-watching the show regularly via FeTV since it started airing there. Created by Don Fedderson, "My Three Sons" enjoyed a successful 12-year run on the ABC Television Network from September 29, 1960 - April 13, 1972 for 380 half-hour episodes; the show was conceived and created in 1959, with the Pilot episode filmed that year, as a sitcom vehicle for Fred MacMurray (born on August 30, 1908 in Kankakee, Illinois and raised in Madison, Wisconsin and later Beaver Dam, Wisconsin), known at the time for starring in a number of films for Walt Disney such as "The Shaggy Dog" and future Disney films "The Absent-Minded Professor" and its sequel, "Son of Flubber," among several other films Fred made for Walt before and after "My Three Sons." Fred's character was Steve Douglas, a widower of 6 years who, at the start of the show, was a single father of three sons who had his father-in-law, Michael Francis O'Casey (Bill Frawley, born on February 27, 1887 in Burlington, Iowa, known for his portrayal of Fred Mertz earlier in the '50s on "I Love Lucy"), known to his sons as "Uncle Bub," help him raise his boys--which included his eldest, 18-year-old Mike (Tim Considine, born on December 31, 1940 in Los Angeles, California, who previously worked with Fred in Disney's "The Shaggy Dog"), 14-year-old Robbie (former Disney Mouseketeer Don Grady, born on June 8, 1944 in San Diego, California and raised in nearby Lafayette, California), and 7-year-old Richard (Stan Livingston, born on November 24, 1950 in Los Angeles, California), known by his nickname "Chip." As the years went by, Mike, after the first season, graduated high school and entered college in the second season; Robbie also graduated high school and eventually entered college as well; Chip entered high school and in 1963 befriended an orphan, Ernie Thompson (Barry Livingston, Stan's real-life kid brother, born on December 17, 1953 in Los Angeles, California), whom Steve later adopted after Mike left the family nest and married Sally Ann Morrison (Meredith MacRae, futurely of TV's "Petticoat Junction") in Season 6. In 1965, after Season 5, ABC cancelled the series due to combined low ratings and its reluctance to produce the series in color; simultaneously, Tim Considine, who played eldest son Mike, left the show, with Mike getting married to Sally Ann Morrison and thus leaving the family nest. Earlier that season, Bill Frawley was deemed too ill to continue as Uncle Bub and was eventually written out mid-season as having gone on a trip to Ireland to visit his aunt Kate for her 104th Birthday, and was replaced by Bill Demarest (born on February 27, 1892 in Saint Paul, Minnesota) as Bub's brother, Uncle Charley O'Casey, who moved in to help Steve raise Robbie, Chip, and Ernie, whom Steve adopted midway through Season 6 as the new Douglas "son" after "My Three Sons" switched to filming in Color and was picked up for Season 6 by the CBS Television Network, which aired the series for the next 7 seasons. In 1967, Steve was transferred to North Hollywood for his job as an aeronautical engineer, thus moving the Douglas family out of the fictional midwestern town of Bryant Park; simultaneously, after Desilu Studios in Los Angeles, California (where the show was filmed for the prior 7 years) was sold to Paramount Studios, filming for "My Three Sons" was moved to nearby CBS Studio Center in Los Angeles for the rest of its run for the next 5 years. More changes came in 1969, when Beverly Garland joined the cast as Barbara Harper, a recent widow with a little girl, Dodie (Dawn Lyn); originally Ernie's teacher, Steve married Barbara midway through Season 10, and she and Dodie became part of the Douglas family--as did Polly Williams, whom Chip married midway through Season 11 in 1971. Eventually, at the end of the Fall 1971 TV season, "My Three Sons" bowed out gracefully of Network TV on April 13, 1972 after 12 seasons and 380 half-hour episodes, making it network TV's 2nd longest-running live-action sitcom after "Ozzie & Harriet." In the years since, reruns continue to air in syndication: besides FeTV, reruns of "My Three Sons" currently air on Catchy Comedy (sister network to MeTV) and in years past have aired on MeTV, Nickelodeon (as part of its Nick at Nite lineup) and Nick at Nite's TV Land.

03-10-2025, 08:02 PM	#3
Hazel Anyday Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 12, 2002 Posts: 2,131	FETV To The Rescue? Now from what I hear tell of the FETV channel starting in February started showing most all their shows uncut. This includes My 3 Sons. They have just completed Season 1 and are now in Season 2. I have not been watching as I have these on DVD. BUT the question of the year is, when they finally get to Season 6 (the beginning of the color years) will they show all the color episodes uncut?? If so this will be a momentous occasion. Anyone hear anything about this?
	__________________ Haaazeelll!!

03-11-2025, 06:41 AM	#4
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,164	I'm told the Croaker episode from season 1 was complete on FETV with all the music, including Bub singing a full song, but a weekend thing FETV did have other edited episodes. I'm going to find out what they do with the season 3 episode where Bub sings Carolina in the Morning.
	Last edited by stevea; 03-11-2025 at 10:24 AM.

03-09-2025, 10:51 PM	#2
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,164	It's doubtful anyone has all 12 seasons as originally aired. The best possibility might, oddly, lie in Australia and/or Canada. Evidence points to some later episodes (beyond syndication here in the US) being shown in Australia, and some earlier uncut seasons having aired in Canada. There are other people, myself included) besides the OP who are on this mission too! For unknown reasons, Paramount remastered the first half of season 11 in beautiful quality, and those were available on Amazon Prime last year. On local TV here in Indianapolis WHMB (and in South Bend, also on its sister station WHME) seasons 6 thru the first half of 11 aired unedited (with a few exceptions in seasons 6 and 7) in syndication for several years (later reduced to seasons 6 thru 10, for reasons only Paramount would know). Due to its relationship with then-syndicator Viacom, Nickelodeon (then a well-run network) ran the non-syndicated seasons 1-5 and 11.5-12 mostly unedited (but in relatively poor quality) back in the 1980s.