Grady of ‘My Three Sons’ dies

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Don Grady, who was one of television’s most beloved big brothers as Robbie Douglas on the long-running 1960s hit “My Three Sons,” died Wednesday. He was 68.

His “My Three Sons” co-star Barry Livingston, who played youngest brother Ernie, confirmed Grady’s death to the Associated Press. Livingston said Grady had been suffering from cancer and receiving hospice care at his home in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Born in San Diego as Don Louis Agrati, Grady had a brief stint singing and dancing on “The Mickey Mouse Club” starting at age 13.

But he was best known as one of Fred MacMurray’s “My Three Sons” on the series that ran on ABC and later CBS from 1960 to 1972.

Grady made a handful of guest appearances on TV series in the 1970s and 1980s, but he worked primarily as a musician and composer, writing the theme for “The Phil Donahue Show” and music for the Blake Edwards film “Switch” and the popular Las Vegas show “EFX,” a showcase for “Phantom of the Opera” star Michael Crawford.