R.I.P. Tim Considine, eldest son Mike Douglas on My Three Sons

He got his start acting for Disney, on both The Mickey Mouse Club and in The Shaggy Dog.

The Everett Collection

While the two projects were never officially tied together, the sitcom My Three Sons found a lot of its inspiration in the Disney film The Shaggy Dog. The movie hit theaters in 1959, and Disney showcased its knack for casting young talent. For the role of Buzz, the adversary in The Shaggy Dog, the House of Mouse cast Tim Considine, who had been born into a showbiz family.

Considine's grandfather worked Vaudeville, his dad was an Oscar-nominated producer, and his older brother, John, appeared on TV for decades. Tim got his start with Disney, acting in serials that aired as segments during The Mickey Mouse Club. He was Spin Evans in the Spin and Marty shorts, about two young ranch hands. More notably, he was Frank Hardy, the elder crime-solving sibling in Hardy Boys.

My Three Sons clearly wanted to recapture the chemistry of The Shaggy Dog, snagging the leads Fred MacMurray and Considine. Don Grady, one of the Mouseketeers from The Mickey Mouse Club, was nabbed to play his younger brother. Rounding out the "Three Sons" was the youngest, Chip, played by Stanley Livingston.

Earlier today, Livingston went to Facebook to post news that his television brother had passed away. Livingston wrote:

"Just want to say how sad I am to learn that my life-long friend and surrogate older brother, TIM CONSIDINE, passed away yesterday. On screen, Tim played my older brother MIKE on MY THREE SONS. Tim and I have been friends for more than 60 years. Our hearts go out to his wife, Willie and his son Christopher - and the entire Considine family. Tim went through life HIS WAY! He will be missed by all those who knew him. I love you Bro... RIP!"

While on My Three Sons, Considine briefly dated co-star Meredith MacRae. The Los Angeles native became somewhat typecast as "the big brother." He was FDR's eldest son in the 1960 film Sunrise at Campobello. Later in life, he shifted gears and became a writer focused on the world of sports, particularly motorsports. 

He was 81 years old.  

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76 Comments

forthekids 15 months ago
Tim also performed with Red Skelton in"The Clown".
jojott 22 months ago
Dear Tim......you were greatly loved......from Spin & Marty, to the Hardy Boys to My 3 Sons.....then meeting you at an autograph show and having a great conversation....am so sad for your family......RIP Dear Soul.
eireigo 24 months ago
Rest in Peace Tim, I used to watch you all the time.
Runeshaper 25 months ago
R.I.P. Tim Considine. Another cool dude made his way upstairs.
jacko3 25 months ago
Tim Considine, May Our Risen LORD Bless your life & soul - Amen!
Kenner 25 months ago
R.I.P. Tim. So sad! He was also in the movie Patton…the soldier slapped around by Patton (GC Scott).
WilliamJorns Kenner 24 months ago
Yes, he was. I remember reading his name in the film's credits, and recognized him from his years at Disney.
sherry 25 months ago
So well I remember looking forward to the adventures of Spin and Marty. Such a special part of the Mickey Mouse Club.
RNFAL60 25 months ago
Thank You Tim for sharing your talents with us. You will be missed. My prayers and condolences go out to the Considine family and the remaining cast members of My Three Sons. 🕯🕯
Moody 25 months ago
So sad to hear this. Two of the original sons on My Three Sons are gone now. MTS was one of my favorite shows especially the b&w years with Tim Considine. Those episodes were far better than the later years imo. Our prayers to his family for their loss. RIP.
TheDavBow3 Moody 25 months ago
No comparison! For many, many years I thought the show started when it was in color. When Mike got married. I was so thrilled when MeTV aired the earlier ones.
JustGeri TheDavBow3 25 months ago
Me, too, as I had only seen after he left.
TheDavBow3 JustGeri 24 months ago
Oh yeah. Every so often, a b/w flashback would be shown, usually about Chip, during the seasons in color. Chip would be blonde and very young looking. I would be thinking how did they make that scene? For years and years I never knew the show had 5 earlier seasons. Thanks to MeTV for showing those seasons. Mike and Bub are waaaaay better than Ernie and Charley. I stop watching M3S after the 1st episode of the 6th season.
teire 25 months ago
This makes me sad, it feels a little more personal. He was my first crush many times over, from Spin and Marty to the Hardy Boys to My Three Sons and the Disney movies in-between. Grateful for his career. Condolences to those close to him.
sierra127 25 months ago
Who can forget Tim He was DIsney watch him On Mickey Mouse club with Spin and Marty Sad to see him leave my three sons .. remember he left to join the Air Force on his last Episode on the show
Watching the Real episode not a repeat
JustGeri 25 months ago
My heart breaks…

One of my home care ladies and I watch MTS that I DVR each weekday (airs way too early). We both love “Mike.” I watched TC in many of early of his early projects when growing up. I always thought he was adorable and recently saw an older picture. He was still quite handsome. Condolences to his family, co stars and life long friends.
JeannaGallo 25 months ago
One of my favorites from childhood. I'm old enough to remember Spin & Marty and I saw The Shaggy Dog in a movie theater when there was still an occasional black and white film. So hard to imagine him at 81. Have been waking up early (thanks to my cat) and catching the b/w episodes of My 3 Sons. Happy to know that he and little brother "Chip" remained friends all these yrs.
Blondie7 25 months ago
He was one of my favorites hated when he left. Always hoped he and Sally would show up in Ca. to visit the family wasn't until recently that I realized Don Fedderson was to blame for Mike's exit. The Douglas family was such a strong family unit; it survived many changes over the years and remained a family you cared about still watch reruns on Me tv the characters are ones that seem real and that you know. RIP Mike, Rob, Steve, Bub and Sally.
GOOSEYGOOSE9 25 months ago
Tim Considine,RIP.Your With Fred MacMurray And William Frawley As Well As Don Grady,Bob Considine,George C.Scott And The Rest.I Seen Him In Spin And Marty On The Mickey Mouse Club And In The Hardy Boys On The Show.
Michael 25 months ago
When I watched the Mickey Mouse Club show, I thought it was current. 1963 or so it's hazy but I assume some of the earliest tv I watched.

It was only later that I realized they were reruns, from almost a decade earlier
WilliamJorns Michael 24 months ago
Yeah, me too. I was very little when I first watched that show - early 60's, before I was even 5 years old. It wasn't until some years later that I learned they were all reruns.
PDCougar 25 months ago
Tim died less than 6 months after his "Hardy Boys" brother, Tommy Kirk. And, I'm also trying to wrap my head around the concept of Tim Considine being 81 years old. Man, the passage of time....
denny PDCougar 25 months ago
I posted a video below from a couple of years ago when he was in late 70s.
WF 25 months ago
I was a huge fan of him in the Hardy Boys on Disney (on "The Mickey Mouse Club") specifically "The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure", and also of "Spin and Marty". I remember bits and pieces of each when I was quite small, like about 4, and then enjoyed them again when they were rebroadcast in the early 1960s. I recall Tim Considine later being quoted, probably from an interview, where he said he originally was considered for Marty in "Spin and Marty", but decided he wanted the part of Spin since Spin was a much cooler character (and I agree with that, as TC was definitely the image of youthful coolness!). There was at least one more "season" of "Spin and Marty" ("The Further Adventures of ...") where they're a bit older and this one also has Annette Funicello and (I think) Darlene Gillispie (who I always liked better!).
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