My Three Sons 1977 TV Reunion Special - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Ronny G · 10-06-2017, 09:46 AM

I don't know if this has been discussed before, but it would be interesting to see the 1977 TV Special that reunited the cast of My Three Sons. I came across this picture, and it is strange to see Tim and Meredith in the same frame as Beverly, Tina, and Dodie because they never appeared together on the original series, but awesome that they all finally met at last.

stevea · 10-06-2017, 10:11 AM

It's an interesting show, but it was combined with the Partridge Family. There seemed to be more about that show than M3S.

Ronny G · 10-06-2017, 10:35 AM

What a strange combination: The Partridge Family meets My Three Sons (although, I guess it could be more bizarre--for example, McHale's Navy meets My Three Sons).
Did you watch it, stevea? If so, do you remember if the actors were in character, or were they more or less appearing as themselves reminiscing about their shows?

Doug-oh · 10-06-2017, 12:57 PM

I too saw that photo (just last night !!) while searching for photos of Tina Cole and Jamie Farr (MASH), who both appeared in the ep. where Robbie plays a guitar.

Farr was great as a "beatnick," while Tina Cole was good as the woman who encouraged Robbie to play guitar in public.

biffbronson · 10-06-2017, 02:21 PM

It's a wonderful photo from the Thanksgiving special. Thanks for posting it here. The tripets should have been present though, along with Ronne "Polly Williams Douglas" Troupe...!

So sad that we've now lost Don, as earlier we had Meredith, Fred, and Beverly all pass on (and of course Wm. Demarest & Bill Frawley).

TV Guy · 10-06-2017, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biffbronson

It's a wonderful photo from the Thanksgiving special. Thanks for posting it here. The tripets should have been present though, along with Ronne "Polly Williams Douglas" Troupe...!

.

Ronne Troup was in it, and she's in that photo, standing next to Stan Livingston (Chip). William Demarest also participated via a video clip, but he wasn't in studio with the rest of the cast.

You can watch the intro here

The show's logos over the stained glass is weird. I mean, who didn't want to see the Partridge egg and the My Three Sons sneakers immortalized in stained glass?

Ronny G · 10-06-2017, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TV Guy

Ronne Troup was in it, and she's in that photo, standing next to Stan Livingston (Chip). William Demarest also participated via a video clip, but he wasn't in studio with the rest of the cast.

You can watch the intro here

The show's logos over the stained glass is weird. I mean, who didn't want to see the Partridge egg and the My Three Sons sneakers immortalized in stained glass?

Wow! You're right! That's my fault. I mistook Ronne for Dodie. Must be the darker hair. So Dodie wasn't in it?

TV Guy · 10-07-2017, 09:50 PM

Apparently they didn't even ask Dawn Lyn, and I remember reading that she was hurt. Who could blame her?

paul.austin · 10-08-2017, 02:18 AM

It's interesting that someone would mistake thirty-two year-old Ronne for fourteen-year-old Dawn...?

paul.austin · 10-08-2017, 02:25 AM

and looking at that photo... looks like Steve Douglas has joined the Uncle Charley "dyes his hair" brigade.

biffbronson · 10-09-2017, 09:53 PM

There's been misinformation online, for years I think, that Stan Livingston did not see Ronne Troup for decades after 1972, when they last worked together on the series. This reunion disproves that.

That does look like Dawn in the photo. I should have realized it wasn't -- for one thing, it's all couples in the photo as linked on the series (excluding Ernie and Tramp!), and also I don't think Dawn ever grew quite that tall.

stevea · 10-09-2017, 10:54 PM

There were some musical performances (pretty mediocre and time-consuming), and a few clips, but not as many as I would have liked. I can't believe I didn't notice Dawn Lyn wasn't there--what were they thinking to not include her?

Beverly Garland looks good (really good) in that pic (the quality of the pic is a lot better than my copy of the special), as do all the women. Ronne Troup's hair looks a lot better than it did on M3S.

PracTz · 07-20-2018, 05:04 PM

I finally saw a bit of this odd hybrid and, while it was great seeing how terrific the younger generation had grown to look (and wishing that Sally, Katie and Polly had all gotten to meet on the M3S), I have to say that it was a rather odd and awkward show overall. I mean, the late Mr. MacMurray and Miss Shirley Jones recalling their respective shows as single parents to boisterous broods while sitting together seemed more like they were random guests of honor at a dinner party seated together who were doing their best to stay civil for each other and their hosts' sakes with small talk but truly had zilch in common (and what made it even more awkward was that it was quite obvious that their lines were scripted and they were supposed to be playing 'themselves' rather than their iconic sitcom characters). I wonder if Mr. MacMurray or Miss Jones had ever met before this show was put together (or would ever meet again before the former's passing).

I wonder if it might have worked better had it been a special in which Robbie FINALLY woke up and smelled the café con leche and amscrayed from Peru back to Californie and decided that he was THROUGH being an engineer and was going to embrace his musical love and he, Mike Chip and Ernie AND their wives (and kids) were on the road doing a family band and somehow ran into the Partridge Family? I think Steve and Barbara would have expressed misgivings but would have been ultimately supportive while Uncle Charley would remain unsold to the end and Dodie would be too interested in the disco scene at her age.

paul.austin · 07-20-2018, 05:51 PM

Disco Dodie driving Charley mad with the Bee Gees.

TV Guy · 07-20-2018, 08:57 PM

I would have had the reunion take place at Dodie’s funeral. The family learns that her last wish was to have the Partridge Family - now broken up - play “I Think I Love You” at an Irish-wake style party. Steve and the family travel to talk the various Partridges and convince them to reunite for the gig.

10-06-2017, 09:46 AM	#1
Ronny G Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 14, 2001 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 540	My Three Sons 1977 TV Reunion Special I don't know if this has been discussed before, but it would be interesting to see the 1977 TV Special that reunited the cast of My Three Sons. I came across this picture, and it is strange to see Tim and Meredith in the same frame as Beverly, Tina, and Dodie because they never appeared together on the original series, but awesome that they all finally met at last. Attached Images

10-06-2017, 10:11 AM	#2
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,673	It's an interesting show, but it was combined with the Partridge Family. There seemed to be more about that show than M3S.

10-06-2017, 10:35 AM	#3
Ronny G Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 14, 2001 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 540	What a strange combination: The Partridge Family meets My Three Sons (although, I guess it could be more bizarre--for example, McHale's Navy meets My Three Sons). Did you watch it, stevea? If so, do you remember if the actors were in character, or were they more or less appearing as themselves reminiscing about their shows?

10-06-2017, 12:57 PM	#4
Doug-oh Doug-oh Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 22, 2015 Location: US Posts: 163	I too saw that photo (just last night !!) while searching for photos of Tina Cole and Jamie Farr (MASH), who both appeared in the ep. where Robbie plays a guitar. Farr was great as a "beatnick," while Tina Cole was good as the woman who encouraged Robbie to play guitar in public.

10-06-2017, 02:21 PM	#5
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,493	It's a wonderful photo from the Thanksgiving special. Thanks for posting it here. The tripets should have been present though, along with Ronne "Polly Williams Douglas" Troupe...! So sad that we've now lost Don, as earlier we had Meredith, Fred, and Beverly all pass on (and of course Wm. Demarest & Bill Frawley).

10-07-2017, 09:50 PM	#8
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	Apparently they didn't even ask Dawn Lyn, and I remember reading that she was hurt. Who could blame her?

10-08-2017, 02:18 AM	#9
paul.austin Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 22, 2012 Posts: 673	It's interesting that someone would mistake thirty-two year-old Ronne for fourteen-year-old Dawn...?

10-08-2017, 02:25 AM	#10
paul.austin Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 22, 2012 Posts: 673	and looking at that photo... looks like Steve Douglas has joined the Uncle Charley "dyes his hair" brigade.

10-09-2017, 09:53 PM	#11
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,493	There's been misinformation online, for years I think, that Stan Livingston did not see Ronne Troup for decades after 1972, when they last worked together on the series. This reunion disproves that. That does look like Dawn in the photo. I should have realized it wasn't -- for one thing, it's all couples in the photo as linked on the series (excluding Ernie and Tramp!), and also I don't think Dawn ever grew quite that tall.

10-09-2017, 10:54 PM	#12
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,673	There were some musical performances (pretty mediocre and time-consuming), and a few clips, but not as many as I would have liked. I can't believe I didn't notice Dawn Lyn wasn't there--what were they thinking to not include her? Beverly Garland looks good (really good) in that pic (the quality of the pic is a lot better than my copy of the special), as do all the women. Ronne Troup's hair looks a lot better than it did on M3S.

07-20-2018, 05:04 PM	#13
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	I finally saw a bit of this odd hybrid and, while it was great seeing how terrific the younger generation had grown to look (and wishing that Sally, Katie and Polly had all gotten to meet on the M3S), I have to say that it was a rather odd and awkward show overall. I mean, the late Mr. MacMurray and Miss Shirley Jones recalling their respective shows as single parents to boisterous broods while sitting together seemed more like they were random guests of honor at a dinner party seated together who were doing their best to stay civil for each other and their hosts' sakes with small talk but truly had zilch in common (and what made it even more awkward was that it was quite obvious that their lines were scripted and they were supposed to be playing 'themselves' rather than their iconic sitcom characters). I wonder if Mr. MacMurray or Miss Jones had ever met before this show was put together (or would ever meet again before the former's passing). I wonder if it might have worked better had it been a special in which Robbie FINALLY woke up and smelled the café con leche and amscrayed from Peru back to Californie and decided that he was THROUGH being an engineer and was going to embrace his musical love and he, Mike Chip and Ernie AND their wives (and kids) were on the road doing a family band and somehow ran into the Partridge Family? I think Steve and Barbara would have expressed misgivings but would have been ultimately supportive while Uncle Charley would remain unsold to the end and Dodie would be too interested in the disco scene at her age.

07-20-2018, 05:51 PM	#14
paul.austin Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 22, 2012 Posts: 673	Disco Dodie driving Charley mad with the Bee Gees.

07-20-2018, 08:57 PM	#15
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	I would have had the reunion take place at Dodie’s funeral. The family learns that her last wish was to have the Partridge Family - now broken up - play “I Think I Love You” at an Irish-wake style party. Steve and the family travel to talk the various Partridges and convince them to reunite for the gig.