Received this sad news today from Jessi Trudeau, BHS '69. Please keep Don's family and friends in your prayers...
Dear Cathy,
I was very sad to see the news tonight that my brother Bill's friend, Don Agrati (Grady) had passed after a four-year struggle with cancer. Don and I had remained in touch over the years off and on after Bill's death. We had kept in much closer touch through Facebook and he had not once mentioned his illness. He was a cheerleader for me when our family was traumatized four years ago by a murder/suicide. When we were kids and some of Bill's friends took to teasing, Don was always a gentleman. I appreciated that. It was nice not having to defend myself all the time, know what I mean? He was always kind. I, for one will miss him. So, sadly, there's one more for the memorial page.
I hope this finds you well and happy.
Regards,
Jessi
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Alan Landros provided this obituary...
Don Louis Agrati
June 8, 1944 - June 27, 2012
Don Grady, of "My Three Sons" T.V. fame, died Wednesday at his home in Thousand Oaks under hospice care, after a four year battle with cancer. He was 68. He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Ginny, two children, Joey and Tessa, his mother, Mary Agrati, and a sister, Marilou Reichel. He is predeceased by his father, Lou Agrati, and sister, actress Lani O'Grady (Agrati), (best known as "Mary Bradford" on T.V.'s "Eight is Enough"), who died in 2001 at age 46.
Don Louis Agrati was born on June 8, 1944 in San Diego. Later Don and his family lived in Lafayette, CA in the Bay Area. Because Don played seven musical instruments, including clarinet, trumpet, accordion, guitar, bass, and drums, he was hired when he was 13 as a Mouseketeer on T.V.'s "The Mickey Mouse Club" where he sang and danced for several years. Don's "stage name" became "Don Grady". Appearing on "The Mickey Mouse Club" began when Don was in junior high school and continued during the beginning of high school until he left the show in 1960 at age 16 to co-star in "My Three Sons" with Fred MacMurray. Don played "Robbie Douglas", first the middle son, later becoming the oldest son, on the show from 1960 until 1972 when the show went off the air after 380 episodes. Besides being an actor and musician, Don was also a composer and songwriter for television, theater, and films. During his years on "My Three Sons", Don also made guest appearances on other T.V. shows including "The Rifleman" and "Wagon Train", and shows into the 1970's and 1980's. He had a band in the late 1960's, "The Yellow Balloon", where he was the drummer, which had a hit by the same name in 1967. As a songwriter Don wrote the theme song to "The Phil Donahue Show", and his compositions included songs in the movie, "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", and the Herbie Hancock/Della Reese song, "Keep the Dream Alive". He also wrote music for the Blake Edward's film "Switch", and the Las Vegas show "EFX", which starred Michael Crawford of "Phamtom of the Opera" fame.
Don Agrati graduated from BHS in the class of 1962, during his years on "My Three Sons". His senior picture appears in the 1962 Ceralbus senior pictures.
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LA TIMES OBITUARY
Don Grady, ex-Mouseketeer and 'My Three Sons' star, dies at 68
Don Grady, left, played Fred MacMurray's son on the popular family sitcom "My Three Sons."
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Don Grady, who sang and danced as a Mouseketeer on "The Mickey Mouse Club," played son Robbie on the long-running family sitcom "My Three Sons," and later became a composer and songwriter, died Wednesday. He was 68.
Grady died at his home in Thousand Oaks after a four-year battle with cancer, said his wife, Ginny.
A native of San Diego, Grady was born Don Agrati on June 8, 1944. His father, Lou, was in the Navy and later became a sausage maker. His mother, Mary, was a talent agent.
PHOTOS: Notable deaths of 2012
The family moved to Lafayette in the Bay Area, where Grady developed a talent for music and dancing. He told the Contra Costa Times that he took clarinet and accordion lessons and later taught himself bass, guitar and the trumpet.
His musical talents landed him an audition with Walt Disney's "Mickey Mouse Club" when he was in middle school. He sang and danced on the show for several years but left for a part on "My Three Sons" when he was 16.
The show, which aired from 1960 to 1972, was one of the longest-running family sitcoms of all time. It featured Fred MacMurray as the thoughtful, pipe-smoking widower Steve Douglas, who raised his boys as a single parent.
"I think we did a good show," Grady said in a 2001 interview on CBS' "The Early Show." "It was a clean show. It was a fun show."
The show's wholesome portrayal of American life is what helped it resonate with families who tuned in weekly for the latest trials and tribulations in the Douglas household, according to film historian Leonard Maltin.
"America loved this family," Maltin said of the show. "It represented stability and continuity."
When the series began, Grady was 16 and played the 14-year-old Robbie. His older brother Mike was played by Tim Considine, and his younger brother Chip was played by Stanley Livingston. When Considine left the show in 1965, he was replaced by Barry Livingston, Stanley Livingston’s real brother. Barry Livingston played Ernie Thompson, an orphan adopted by Steve Douglas.
"It’s a cliche, but Don was the guy we looked up to because he was our big brother," Barry Livingston said Wednesday night. "The lines blur when you’re working with them and living with them so many hours a day. Don was the oldest, so we were emulating him."
Grady also appeared in other television shows of the era, including the "Rifleman" and "Wagon Train."
He later began a new career as a composer and songwriter for television, theater and films.
"His passion was music," his wife, Ginny, said. "And it was because he played seven different musical instruments that he got onto the Mouseketeers show. TV was a sideline to all he ever wanted to do, which was play music."
Besides his wife of 26 years and his mother, Grady is survived by two children, Joey and Tessa, and a sister, Marilou Reichel. Another sister, actress Lani O’Grady, died of a drug overdose in 2001.
We’ll have more later at latimes.com/obits.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-don-grady-dies-at-68-robbie-on-my-three-sons-20120627,0,6588842.story
Grady died at his home in Thousand Oaks after a four-year battle with cancer, said his wife, Ginny.
A native of San Diego, Grady was born Don Agrati on June 8, 1944. His father, Lou, was in the Navy and later became a sausage maker. His mother, Mary, was a talent agent.
PHOTOS: Notable deaths of 2012
The family moved to Lafayette in the Bay Area, where Grady developed a talent for music and dancing. He told the Contra Costa Times that he took clarinet and accordion lessons and later taught himself bass, guitar and the trumpet.
His musical talents landed him an audition with Walt Disney's "Mickey Mouse Club" when he was in middle school. He sang and danced on the show for several years but left for a part on "My Three Sons" when he was 16.
The show, which aired from 1960 to 1972, was one of the longest-running family sitcoms of all time. It featured Fred MacMurray as the thoughtful, pipe-smoking widower Steve Douglas, who raised his boys as a single parent.
"I think we did a good show," Grady said in a 2001 interview on CBS' "The Early Show." "It was a clean show. It was a fun show."
The show's wholesome portrayal of American life is what helped it resonate with families who tuned in weekly for the latest trials and tribulations in the Douglas household, according to film historian Leonard Maltin.
"America loved this family," Maltin said of the show. "It represented stability and continuity."
When the series began, Grady was 16 and played the 14-year-old Robbie. His older brother Mike was played by Tim Considine, and his younger brother Chip was played by Stanley Livingston. When Considine left the show in 1965, he was replaced by Barry Livingston, Stanley Livingston’s real brother. Barry Livingston played Ernie Thompson, an orphan adopted by Steve Douglas.
"It’s a cliche, but Don was the guy we looked up to because he was our big brother," Barry Livingston said Wednesday night. "The lines blur when you’re working with them and living with them so many hours a day. Don was the oldest, so we were emulating him."
Grady also appeared in other television shows of the era, including the "Rifleman" and "Wagon Train."
He later began a new career as a composer and songwriter for television, theater and films.
"His passion was music," his wife, Ginny, said. "And it was because he played seven different musical instruments that he got onto the Mouseketeers show. TV was a sideline to all he ever wanted to do, which was play music."
Besides his wife of 26 years and his mother, Grady is survived by two children, Joey and Tessa, and a sister, Marilou Reichel. Another sister, actress Lani O’Grady, died of a drug overdose in 2001.
We’ll have more later at latimes.com/obits.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-don-grady-dies-at-68-robbie-on-my-three-sons-20120627,0,6588842.story
________
HERE IS THE LATER OBITUARY
Don Grady dies at 68; Mouseketeer, 'My Three Sons' star
Don Grady appeared on 'The Mickey Mouse Club' before playing Robbie on the popular family sitcom 'My Three Sons.' He later became a composer and songwriter.
Don Grady, right, played Robbie on the long-running sitcom "My Three Sons," which also starred, from left, William Demarest, Barry Livingston, Stanley Livingston, Fred MacMurray and Tina Cole. In front is Tramp.
|
Don Grady, who sang and danced as a Mouseketeer on "The Mickey Mouse Club," played son Robbie on the long-running family sitcom "My Three Sons," and later became a composer and songwriter, died Wednesday. He was 68.
Grady died at his home in Thousand Oaks after a four-year battle with cancer, said his wife, Ginny.
As a child in the Bay Area town of Lafayette, Grady developed a fondness for music and dancing. He told the Contra Costa Times in 2005 that he took clarinet and accordion lessons and later taught himself bass, guitar and the trumpet.
His musical talents landed him an audition with "The Mickey Mouse Club" when he was in middle school. He performed on the Disney show for several years but left for a part on "My Three Sons" when he was 16.
That show, which aired from 1960 to 1972, was one of the longest-running family sitcoms of all time. It featured Fred MacMurray as the thoughtful, pipe-smoking widower Steve Douglas, who raised his boys as a single parent at 837 Mill St. in a middle-class Midwestern home.
"I think we did a good show," Grady said in a 2001 interview on CBS' "The Early Show." "It was a clean show. It was a fun show."
The show's wholesome portrayal of American life is what helped it resonate with families who tuned in weekly for the latest trials and tribulations in the Douglas household, according to film historian Leonard Maltin.
"America loved this family," Maltin said of the show. "It represented stability and continuity."
When the series began, Grady played the 14-year-old Robbie. His older brother Mike was played by Tim Considine, and his younger brother Chip was played by Stanley Livingston. When Considine left the show in 1965, he was replaced by Barry Livingston, Stanley Livingston's brother. Barry Livingston played Ernie Thompson, an orphan adopted by Steve Douglas.
"It's a cliche, but Don was the guy we looked up to because he was our big brother," Barry Livingston said Wednesday night. "The lines blur when you're working with them and living with them so many hours a day. Don was the oldest, so we were emulating him."
Grady also appeared in other television shows of the era, including "The Rifleman" and "Wagon Train."
A native of San Diego, Grady was born Don Agrati on June 8, 1944. His father, Lou, was in the Navy and later became a sausage maker. His mother, Mary, was a talent agent.
After "My Three Sons" ended, Grady continued with his enthusiasm for music and began a new career as a composer and songwriter for television, theater and films.
He wrote the theme song to Phil Donahue's talk show, and his compositions were featured in the children's TV series "The Kid-A-Littles" and the 1985 film "Girls Just Want to Have Fun."
Grady also co-wrote "Keep the Dream Alive," which was recorded by Herbie Hancock, Della Reese and others for the Jazz to End Hunger project.
"His passion was music," his wife said. "TV was a sideline to all he ever wanted to do, which was play music."
Besides his wife, Grady is survived by his mother; two children, Joey and Tessa; and a sister, Marilou Reichel. Another sister, actress Lani O'Grady, died of a drug overdose in 2001.
robert.lopez@latimes.com
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-don-grady-20120628,0,7035373.story
Grady died at his home in Thousand Oaks after a four-year battle with cancer, said his wife, Ginny.
As a child in the Bay Area town of Lafayette, Grady developed a fondness for music and dancing. He told the Contra Costa Times in 2005 that he took clarinet and accordion lessons and later taught himself bass, guitar and the trumpet.
His musical talents landed him an audition with "The Mickey Mouse Club" when he was in middle school. He performed on the Disney show for several years but left for a part on "My Three Sons" when he was 16.
That show, which aired from 1960 to 1972, was one of the longest-running family sitcoms of all time. It featured Fred MacMurray as the thoughtful, pipe-smoking widower Steve Douglas, who raised his boys as a single parent at 837 Mill St. in a middle-class Midwestern home.
"I think we did a good show," Grady said in a 2001 interview on CBS' "The Early Show." "It was a clean show. It was a fun show."
The show's wholesome portrayal of American life is what helped it resonate with families who tuned in weekly for the latest trials and tribulations in the Douglas household, according to film historian Leonard Maltin.
"America loved this family," Maltin said of the show. "It represented stability and continuity."
When the series began, Grady played the 14-year-old Robbie. His older brother Mike was played by Tim Considine, and his younger brother Chip was played by Stanley Livingston. When Considine left the show in 1965, he was replaced by Barry Livingston, Stanley Livingston's brother. Barry Livingston played Ernie Thompson, an orphan adopted by Steve Douglas.
"It's a cliche, but Don was the guy we looked up to because he was our big brother," Barry Livingston said Wednesday night. "The lines blur when you're working with them and living with them so many hours a day. Don was the oldest, so we were emulating him."
Grady also appeared in other television shows of the era, including "The Rifleman" and "Wagon Train."
A native of San Diego, Grady was born Don Agrati on June 8, 1944. His father, Lou, was in the Navy and later became a sausage maker. His mother, Mary, was a talent agent.
After "My Three Sons" ended, Grady continued with his enthusiasm for music and began a new career as a composer and songwriter for television, theater and films.
He wrote the theme song to Phil Donahue's talk show, and his compositions were featured in the children's TV series "The Kid-A-Littles" and the 1985 film "Girls Just Want to Have Fun."
Grady also co-wrote "Keep the Dream Alive," which was recorded by Herbie Hancock, Della Reese and others for the Jazz to End Hunger project.
"His passion was music," his wife said. "TV was a sideline to all he ever wanted to do, which was play music."
Besides his wife, Grady is survived by his mother; two children, Joey and Tessa; and a sister, Marilou Reichel. Another sister, actress Lani O'Grady, died of a drug overdose in 2001.
robert.lopez@latimes.com
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-don-grady-20120628,0,7035373.story
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PREVIOUS POST ON DON
http://bhsclass67.blogspot.com/2008/06/notable-bhs-alumni-don-grady-62.html
DON GRADY AS A MOUSEKATEER
http://www.originalmmc.com/dongrady.html
http://bhsclass67.blogspot.com/2008/06/notable-bhs-alumni-don-grady-62.html
DON GRADY AS A MOUSEKATEER
http://www.originalmmc.com/dongrady.html
