Bub or Uncle Charley

[Adamantium]

Which house keeper do you prefer on the show?

I'll have to go with Bub.

[Commander Benson]

Charley had his moments and some very good ones, too; so it's not an indictment against him when I say that I prefer Bub, too.


Commander Benson

[tesiay]

Uncle Charley. I thought he acted like a big kid.

[mcgwirefan]

I don't think I ever saw the show without Uncle Charley. Since I don't remember seeing Bub, I can't compare.
Along these lines~ why do they say Robbie is the oldest on the late 1960s episodes? Didn't Tim Constidine (sp?) play an older son? What happened to Bub? Tim's character?

[Adamantium]

Originally posted by mcgwirefan
I don't think I ever saw the show without Uncle Charley. Since I don't remember seeing Bub, I can't compare.
Along these lines~ why do they say Robbie is the oldest on the late 1960s episodes? Didn't Tim Constidine (sp?) play an older son? What happened to Bub? Tim's character?

Tim Considine played the oldest son, Mike from it's debut in 1960 until 1965. His last episode was the very first color episode. In it, he married his girlfriend and moved away out of state. They only mention him, like one more time later that season. Tim left the series in interest of his character to move on. Or at least that's what I heard. Bub moved to Iceland mid season of the 1964-66 season. In real life, William Frawley was fired because they felt he didn't have much life left. Sadly, they were right. He died in 1966. Uncle Charley replaced Bub in 1965, for only a handful of episodes with Mike.

Stephen Douglas . . . . . . . . Fred MacMurray
Mike Douglas . . . . . . . . . . . Tim Considine
Robbie Douglas . . . . . . . . . Don Grady
Chip Douglas . . . . . . . . . . . Stanley Livingston
Bub O'Casey (1-mid 5) . . . . William Frawley
Uncle Charley (late 5-12) . . William Demerest
Ernie Douglas (4-12) . . . . . Barry Livinston (Became a Douglas after Mike left. He was Chip's friend before that.)

[Geoff]

Both characters had their special moments. Both were blustery and cantankerous when the need arose. Bub was more the old-vaudevillian with a sense of humor, while Charley was a no-nonsense ex-sea Cook, and ran the family like they were in the marines. But underneath it all they loved the family and both really had a heart of gold.

And just one small correction from the above post, which is incorrectly listed in many background analyses of the show. Bub went to IRELAND, not Iceland. This was the writer's fashioning of sending Bub on a visit back to his homeland to help celebrate his Aunt Kate's 104th birthday, and out of the series. Ironically the Aunt Kate character was seen early in the fifth season in a two-part episode when the whole family descended upon the Irish village of Farnsea in the story titled "Dublin's Fair City".

Geoff Brown,
Editor, "My Three Sons" database at TV Tome.
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet...et/showid-1349

[Adamantium]

Originally posted by Geoff
And just one small correction from the above post, which is incorrectly listed in many background analyses of the show. Bub went to IRELAND, not Iceland.[/url]

Sorry. I knew it started with an 'I'. It's been such a long time since I read up on the show, that I typed that post from memory. I used to be into this show back when it was on N@N. It was my favorite show. I have a TV book that mentioned what I posted and I haven't read it in a while. I guess Ireland would make more sense that Iceland, what with his name being O'Casey.

[TV Guy]

Originally posted by TVAdam

In real life, William Frawley was fired because they felt he didn't have much life left.

Well, that's sort of a harsh way to put it. By 1964, Bill Frawley could no longer pass the insurance physical, meaning that the company could no longer have the production insured in case something happened to him. This kind of insurance is standard for every actor, so that the production company can be reimbursed for a partially completed episode if an actor cannot complete it for some reason. The M3S producers took a chance and filmed the first part of the fifth season with Frawley, even though he was uninsured, while they looked for a replacement (this would be unheard of today -- most shows wouldn't take this kind of financial risk). In the biography "Meet the Mertzes", M3S producer John Stephens states that telling Bill Frawley that they had to let him go was the toughest thing he ever had to do.

[tdr]

The only episodes that I have seen with "Bub" were a few that TVLand showed just before they let the show go completely. It's probably because I always liked Uncle Charley's flippance, but I still go with Charley for that reason. I think it's easy to see he was meant to be a continuation of the character, 'Bub,' and since he's not the same person he had even more of the characterstics of the blustery exterior hiding a lot of caring and generosity underneath.

[Commander Benson]

Originally posted by Geoff

And just one small correction from the above post, which is incorrectly listed in many background analyses of the show. Bub went to IRELAND, not Iceland. This was the writer's fashioning of sending Bub on a visit back to his homeland to help celebrate his Aunt Kate's 104th birthday, and out of the series. Ironically the Aunt Kate character was seen early in the fifth season in a two-part episode when the whole family descended upon the Irish village of Farnsea in the story titled "Dublin's Fair City".

Mr. Brown,

Thank you for inserting that correxion. I would have, if you hadn't beaten me to it.

I can tell you how the "Iceland" error got started, though. It first appeared in the entry on My Three Sons in the first edition (c. 1985) of The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows, 1946-Present by Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh.

Undoubtedly, it was a typo, since their book is very accurate (and I can see how someone typing from long-hand notes might misread "Ic eland" for "Ir eland"), and it has since been corrected in subsequent editions.

However, knowing how erroneous information propagates the way it does, undoubtedly, the writers of other works on My Three Sons took some or all of their information from Brooks's and Marsh's first edition, and took the "Iceland" remark at face value.

It was particularly significant that you pointed out that error, because Bub's trip to Ireland to be part of the celebration of Aunt Kate's 104th birthday was one of the many occasions in which My Three Sons maintained a consistent history.

While it occasionally lapsed, like all long-running programmes will, My Three Sons , by and large, did an excellent job at maintaining continuity. Take the case of the oldest son, Mike, for example. TVAdam was incorrect when he implied that Mike was only mentioned once after his wedding. In that sixth season, which was launched with Mike and Sally's wedding, Steve's oldest son was mentioned fairly often: it was mention a couple of times that Robbie now occupied Mike's room and once a mention was made of Mike's diplomas and Air Force Reserve certificates on the wall. But perhaps the most memorable post-wedding mention of Mike came in the 21 Oct 65 episode "There's a What in the Attic?". While this is one of the most hilarious episodes of the show, it also has one of the most poignant moments. Newly adopted Ernie is suffering bouts of anxiety, feeling he is not being accepted as a full member of the family. Steve gently corrects him by pointing out that for the longest time, in the holder over the bathroom sink, there had been four toothbrushes--his, Mike's, Robbie's, and Chip's--but Mike, of course, had taken his with him, when he married Sally and moved away. Seeing only three toothbrushes in the holder, Steve explained, had given him a feeling of emptiness, that his family wasn't complete; and now, that there were four toothbrushes in the holder again, he felt all was right with his family, again.

But TVAdam wasn't far wrong about Mike's "evapouration" from the series, either. After that sixth season, Mike was never mentioned, again. This was never handled right in my opinion, because there were significant moments later in the series where Mike--or at least some mention of him--would have been appropriate, such as in the case of the first Los Angeles episode, when Steve recalls moments (courtesy of old footage) with his sons when they were back in Bryant Park. And then, the weddings of both Robbie and Steve. (I can understand that Tim Considine might not have been pursuaded to reprise his rôle for either of those episodes, but one would think that the writers would have thought to include a "telegram from Mike".)

Bub's departure from the series in the previous season was handled the same way. In that season, as the family (and the viewers) became accustomed to Uncle Charlie, he often mentioned his brother, but after that fifth season, he was never mentioned, again. Again, this was a unconscionable lapse. In the sixth-season opener, when Mike is thanking his father for all he had taught him (Mike), he also mentions the lessons he had learnt from Uncle Charlie, but made no mention of Bub (which seemed peculiar because within the fictional procession of the series, Charlie had only been with the family for a year, while Bub had been there for many years previous).

Still, the show did make many efforts which other shows did not, in things which, had it not done, would not have had that much of an impact, but because it did try to give some illusion that the Douglas' had a long history, made the show seem more realistic. For example, actor John Gallaudet, who had appeared in several different rôles in the first few seasons, ultimately emerged as Steve's boss. Once the family had moved to L.A., Gallaudet was once again part of Steve's company, as a vice president, and he occasionally referred to their working together in Bryant Park. And Benson Fong who had played a recurring part as Steve's co-worker, Ray Wong, in the Bryant Park years, occasionally showed up in the later L.A. episodes, as well.

And, of course, there was the "return" of Laird Fergus Douglas in the last season's arc, bringing him back after first appearing in the fourth-season episode "Scotch Broth", where the Douglases travel to Scotland. Laird Douglas was portrayed by Fred MacMurray on both occasions and, equally, he was voiced by actor Alan Caillou on both occasions.

Perhaps the most subtle instance of continuity on the show was the recurring mention that the town of Bryant Park was founded by Seth Bryant, an intinerant peddler of pots and pans. Seth Bryant was first mentioned in the third-season opener "Weekend in Tokyo" and his founding of Bryant Park continued to be mentioned occasionally throughout the run of the show, up to the 07 Feb 70 episode "You Can't Go Home", where Robbie takes Katie on a trip back to Bryant Park.



Commander Benson

[Adamantium]

Originally posted by TV Guy
Well, that's sort of a harsh way to put it.

I didn't mean it to sound harsh. That's one reason why I'm not an author. I've been trying to write a "NewsRadio" book, but I'm just not goof with words.

[Adamantium]

Originally posted by Commander Benson
I can tell you how the "Iceland" error got started, though. It first appeared in the entry on My Three Sons in the first edition (c. 1985) of The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows, 1946-Present by Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh.

That's exactly where that error came from. My dad owns that book. And I loved this show when I was a kid. So I read about it. I have the latest addition, but for some reason didn't remember the Ireland change.

As for Mike, only getting mention once after he left, I've only seen one episode where they mention him. I was mainly refering to the fact that they didn't mention Mike when Robbie, Chip or even Stephen got married. You'd think they'd at least say "Mike sends his love, but he's unable to attend the wedding."

I really am a fan of "My Three Sons". And I have that Mertz's book. That's where I read about William Frawley leaving the series.

[jon123]

Originally posted by Commander Benson
[



But TVAdam wasn't far wrong about Mike's "evapouration" from the series, either. After that sixth season, Mike was never mentioned, again. This was never handled right in my opinion, because there were significant moments later in the series where Mike--or at least some mention of him--would have been appropriate, such as in the case of the first Los Angeles episode, when Steve recalls moments (courtesy of old footage) with his sons when they were back in Bryant Park. And then, the weddings of both Robbie and Steve. (I can understand that Tim Considine might not have been pursuaded to reprise his rôle for either of those episodes, but one would think that the writers would have thought to include a "telegram from Mike".)




Commander Benson [/B]

Does anyone know if the producers even tried to get Tim Considine back for any guest appearances after he left the show? It wasn't like he was so busy doing other things at that time and Mike should have been there for the weddings of his father and brother.

[LucyFan]

Originally posted by TVAdam
Which house keeper do you prefer on the show?

With the tiny bit of what I've seen of the show, I prefer Bub O'Casey because he was played by William Frawley, the actor that I am most familiar with on My Three Sons.

[Joeytrom]

In the Meet the Mertzes book, it is stated that they could not get William Frawley and William Demerest in the same episode (so Bub could pass the mantle to Charley) because both actors hated each other. Does anyone know the reason they didn't like each other?