Tina Cole and Don Grady made a beautiful couple in “My Three Sons.”
“It was a very wonderful love for many years,” Tina Cole said of them 60 years later.
She revealed what happened when they last saw each other.
The famous 1960s sitcom “My Three Sons” amassed fans worldwide. Two of the show’s frontrunners, Tina Cole and Don Grady, became fan favorites because of their onscreen romance.
The show lasted twelve seasons, and fans saw Cole and Grady’s characters evolve through challenges and triumphs throughout their relationship. Recently, Cole has spoken out about her last meeting with Grady.
Cole played the beloved character of Katie Miller on “My Three Sons,” while Grady played the character of Robbie Douglas, one of the sons on the show. The TV series is one of the longest-running in history.
When recalling what it was like to meet the cast the first time, Cole said they were all welcoming and friendly toward her, and she only found out many years later that Grady hadn’t wanted her to be cast.
However, two years into Cole being part of the cast, her relationship with Grady began to change for the better. Cole mentioned that when she divorced her husband, she and Grady spent more time together.
The actress recalled they had been doing telethons together, which helped solidify their bond. About three years into Cole’s tenure on the show, she and Grady began a relationship. Cole recalled how she and Grady were doing a scene where they were singing and dancing, and they felt a spark upon sharing a kiss. She reminisced:
“We were just crazy about each other.”
Cole mentioned it was after they fell in love that Grady confessed he hadn’t wanted her to be cast initially. Grady wasn’t against her personally but felt that her round face and overall physique didn’t fit her on-screen character. The “Reawakened” alum and Grady had an on-and-off relationship for eight years, but it did not negate their love for one another.
What Kept the Pair from Tying the Knot?
Both Cole and Grady intended to marry at different points in time, but it never worked out for them. In an exclusive interview, Cole fondly remembered her time with her on-screen/off-screen love interest and explained the reasons why they couldn’t make it to the altar.
Cole explained that Grady left the show in its final year and moved away. When he offered her to come with him, she declined, pointing out that doing so would have meant sacrificing her career, home, and family—something she couldn’t afford to do.
Although deeply in love, she hesitated to abandon her sense of security. Cole confessed that Grady wanted to marry her, but she wasn’t ready. She admitted: “I loved him madly, but I had a son, and I just wasn’t sure.”
Despite their efforts and undying love for each other, their relationship couldn’t withstand the challenges. Grady eventually expressed the need to find someone who could share his journey, leading to his eventual marriage.
After not speaking for at least a year, Cole and Grady found themselves reunited on-screen for a “My Three Sons” and “The Partridge Family” joint reunion. Cole was requested to perform a song written by Grady, which happened to be about their relationship. The song, titled “Story,” encapsulated their experiences. Cole recalled the heart-touching lyrics:
“I’ll tell you a story they made of our lives. They brought us together like husbands and wives. The roles we played, the babies we made, we almost believed. And now that it’s over, they tore down our names. They’ve stripped off the makeup, but something remains. The place that you feel lives in me still; it always was there.”
Afterward, Grady approached Cole, admitting his mistake and promising to reach out once he was single. True to his word, he called her months later when he was divorced. By then, Cole was emotionally prepared and ready to be with him. The pair got back together soon after.
Grady, harboring ambitions of Broadway stardom in New York, invited Cole to join him. She expressed her willingness but on the condition of being his wife. To her dismay, he only wanted her to accompany him as a friend. Cole confessed she was left devastated by his decision.
Cole did not accompany Grady to New York, and the pair never tied the knot. Although the two were deeply in love and intended to marry, the odds were stacked against them. Still, Cole never regretted their relationship. She mused:
“It was a very wonderful love for many years.”
Cole Reveals Last Love Conversation with Grady Three Weeks Before He Died
In 2008, Cole and Grady reunited for a final time at a costar’s memorial service. Beverley Garland, who played the second wife to Fred MacMurray in “My Three Sons,” had passed away at 82, and both Grady and Cole attended her memorial service.
Cole said that although their meeting was awkward, they embraced one another happily. She said:
“The last time I saw him was at Beverly’s funeral, her memorial… He looked wonderful”.
However, there was something sinister under the bright exterior that Cole saw. Cole later found out through her sister and Grady’s writing partner that Grady had been diagnosed with cancer. The actress said she didn’t know if Grady knew about his cancer at the memorial service.
Cole was unsure whether or not she should say something to him because she had not found out about his diagnosis from him, yet she decided to write to him anyway. When he wrote back, he told her there was nothing he could say that would be good for either of them and that he would always love her.
Getting choked up talking about Grady and the love they shared for almost a decade, Cole spoke about Grady’s personality and gushed:
“He was a wonderful man.”
She went on to say how talented he was and that he was a wonderful father and husband to his wife and children. Cole said he loved his wife very much but told her that she had set the bar high, which Cole found sweet. Three weeks later, Grady passed away.
Cole and Grady Started Families Despite Their Undying Love
Although Cole and Grady were madly in love, they could never make their relationship work for very long. In fact, they each moved on to build their own families, and Cole has become a grandmother.
Cole has never had a permanent partner and joked it was because she hadn’t met a man who would make her want to stop reading a good book. Grady, however, built a family with his wife and children.
Cole had four children, two sons and two daughters, who have built their own families and given her grandchildren. She often posts about her family on her Facebook page on special occasions.
Grady married and had two children: a son, Joey, and a daughter, Tessa. Joey followed in his father’s showbusiness footsteps and became a musician. He often shares his love for music on social media.
Tessa also entered showbusiness and starred in famous titles like “The King of Queens” and “Comedy Whacked!” The young woman also often shows her family off on social media, once sharing a photo of herself, her mother, and her brother.