Tim Considine, ‘My Three Sons,’ ‘Spin and Marty’ actor, dead at 81

Tim Considine, who starred in the 1960s television series “My Three Sons” and also acted in Disney’s “Spin and Marty” series, died Thursday in Los Angeles. He was 81.

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The Walt Disney Archives website announced his death. Stanley Livingston, who played Considine’s younger brother on “My Three Sons,” announced his co-star’s death in a Facebook post.

Considine debuted in movies when he was 12, playing the son of Red Skelton in the 1953 film, “The Clown,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. Years later, he played the shell-shocked character who was called a coward and slapped by George C. Scott in the 1970 movie, “Patton.”

Considine played Spin Evans in the 11-minute serial, “Spin and Marty,” which was part of “The Mickey Mouse Club” from 1955 to 1958, The New York Times reported. He returned for a cameo appearance in 2000 for a television movie reboot, “The New Adventures of Spin and Marty,” Variety reported.

Considine also played in “The Hardy Boys” serials in 1956 and 1957, starring alongside Tommy Kirk, the Times reported.

In 1959, Considine appeared alongside his future television father Fred MacMurray in the Disney film “The Shaggy Dog,” the entertainment outlet reported.

“I’ve always thought that was one of the worst performances I ever gave,” Disney quoted him as saying. “It was a very critical time as a teenager, and I was more interested in being a cool guy than being an actor.”

Considine reunited with MacMurray to star as Mike Douglas, the oldest son on ABC’s “My Three Sons,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. Don Grady and Stanley Livingston played his brothers, Robbie and Chip, respectively. The boys were being raised by their widowed father, Steve (MacMurray), who was an aeronautical engineer.

Considine, who wrote two episodes of the show and directed another, told producers of “My Three Sons” in 1964 that he was quitting, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“I gave them a year’s notice and told them I didn’t want to do it anymore,” Considine said in a 1997 interview. “I got along great with ‘em, I loved them all, I was just tired of doing that. I wanted to move on.”

Considine left the series in 1965, and his character married his girlfriend, played by Meredith MacRae, and moved away. To keep a third son in the series, the family on the show adopted a neighborhood boy, Ernie, played by Barry Livingston, the Times reported.

After leaving “My Three Sons,” Considine had guest roles on several television shows throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Variety reported. That included appearances on “The Fugitive,” “Bonanza,” “Gunsmoke,” “Ironside” and “Medical Center.”

Considine was born on Dec. 31, 1940, in Los Angeles. His father, John W. Considine Jr., was a producer whose films included “Broadway Melody of 1936,” “Boys Town” (1938) and “Young Tom Edison” (1940), according to the Times. His mother, Carmen Pantages Considine, was the daughter of Alexander Pantages, who founded the vaudeville and movie theater chain.

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