[Rustifer]

So...in temporarily moving off my exhausting subject of 77 Sunset Strip for this thread, I've been caught up in the first season of My Three Sons, which hasn't been shown in years. Not exactly a Noirish LA subject other than the series was filmed entirely on the back lot of Desilu studios. The family was originally cast as living in the fictional town of Bryant Park in the Midwest, but eventually moved to LA.
I only bring this up because in the 1st season, "Bub" O'Casey is played by William Frawley--or Fred Mertz from I Love Lucy Days. And the oldest son, Mike Douglas, was portrayed by Tim Considine, who was my hero as Frank Hardy in the long-past Hardy Boys serials that ran in rotation on the old Mickey Mouse Club.

The show began to jump the shark when Mike gets married and moves away, so they bring in little Ernie to become the third son. Also, the show moved to CBS from ABC so as to be filmed in color, which took away all the nostalgic atmosphere that black & white tv affords.
Too bad, because the earlier shows had a certain poignancy about them and were actually funny. And could there ever be a better actor in the befuddled but caring father role than Fred MacMurray?