My sitcom obsession continued at the Hollywood Show on January 12, 2013. My Three Sons is a biggie, despite the fact that it was never one of my favorites and that I rarely watched it…and that I haven’t seen it in years. This makes no difference, as there are plenty of other sitcoms that I typically bypassed in favor of some of my favorite – but now watch regularly and love. I have no doubt that when I start watching My Three Sons on DVD – and the day most assuredly will come – I’m going to love it like most of the others.
As you’re probably aware, I’ve already covered all of the “sons” of My Three Sons. I’ve actually only met three of the four, and sadly will not meet the fourth, Don Grady, since he passed away in 2012. But you can see his autograph, as well as my encounters with his TV brothers, Stanley and Barry Livingston, here, and the eldest of the Douglas brothers portrayed by Tim Considine here. But so far I’ve never covered any of the daughters of My Three Sons. Yes, despite the title of the show, there were daughters.
Ok, so they were steps or in-laws, but daughters nonetheless. The first one I’ll mention is the first one I met at the aforementioned show: Dawn Lyn. She portrayed Dodie Harper Douglas in the last two season of the series, arriving in 1969 when Steve Douglas married Dodie’s mother Barbara. She was a cute impish six-year old at the time.
During her My Three Sons career, she had financially supported her mother and older brother Leif – who could go on to international fame as teen idol Leif Garrett. I mentioned to her that I had recently seen Leif, which prompted her to hand me one of his records and tell me that it was mine if I wanted it. Apparently a fan had given it to her and she had no interest in lugging it around. Actually neither did I, so I slipped it under a tablecloth the first chance I got.
Garrett’s fame later eclipsed hers and her height stalled at under five feet. So now she is no longer supporting her family, just herself – which might explain the hefty price of $25 for her autograph and the attempted $10 for the photo op, which I somehow managed to talk her out of.
Sitting next to her was actress Tina Cole. She came to the series a couple of years before Dodie. Whearas Dodie the step-daughter was a young child, Cole’s character Katie was a full-grown daughter-in-law. She played the love interest, and later wife, of Robbie Douglas. She showed up during the show’s eighth season in 1967, having played different roles in two earlier episodes in 1964 and 1966.
She was a nice lady and I had her sign a nice photo of her with Don Grady, along with the triplets they would have in the series. I also brought along one of my friend Dean’s cast photos to have her sign. Her autographs were $20 each, and she posed for a free picture.
I’m rather anxious to get back into watching My Three Sons, although it will most certainly be years before I’ll get to the laster episodes that include these ‘daughters’. Here’s hoping that that they at least get an official DVD release.
Celebrities of the Winter 2013 Hollywood Show will continue…
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