The main characters are presented, including the three sons: Mike aged 18, Robbie aged 14, Chip aged 7, and Tramp the dog. The basic relationships within the family are established, that Steven Douglas is of Scottish descent, and has been a widower for six years.

A missile launch, sleeping in and daylight saving time make for an interesting Monday morning. The family seems to be unusually tired. The Douglas household is a chaotic affair of lost Indian arrowheads for Chip's turn in show and tell at school, Robbie's missing trumpet and some important lost plans of Steve's that Mike has nearly burned in the incinerator. In the end, they went through all that trouble for nothing. Apparently Bub accidentally set the clocks an hour ahead instead of turning them back one hour with the end of Daylight Savings Time. This episode features the voice talent of Paul Frees narrating the missile lunch for the entire episode.

A family argument starts when there is no food in the house for dinner. Mike was unable to drive Bub to the store because many unexpected things came up. Steve says "life is just an endless series of small adjustments". Steve's theory is put to the test in just one day's discovered doings. He needs to borrow Mike's car as Mike will take the station wagon to drive Bub around. Steve must meet with a top Air Force general to discuss plans for a rocket design. The men barely fit into Mike's car. Steve drops off the general and makes plans to have him over for dinner. On the way home, the car dies, and Steve has it towed. He then has to take the bus home. Steve falls asleep and misses his stop. He winds up calling Bub from a house that is having a party. Meanwhile, Mike is waiting at the bus stop for Steve. What follows are more transportation inconveniences and missed connections. It turns out the general had to cancel the dinner plans. Kate Murtagh as Hedwig.

Bub tells this story while waiting at the bus station. Bub complains to Steve that the boys don't pay attention to him. Steve invites his second cousin Selena Bailey (Mary Jackson) to come and visit. Selena arrives and everyone is happy to see her, she even fixes Mike's car. Selena starts doing things around the house and spending a lot of time with the boys. Bub gets the strange impression that he is being neglected and isn't really needed. He decides to take up the offer of managing a movie theater in Plainview. He tells Steve he'll be leaving that night, and nothing the boys say or do can make him change his mind. At the bus station, Selena suddenly sits next to Bub. Selena finds a subtle way to make Bub change his mind about leaving. George Dunn as Listener.

Steve is away in Seattle on a business trip. He would like to call home, but figures it's too early on a Saturday morning. Bub is woken up by a dynamite blast from where they're working on a new road. Then the boys are all making noise and he can't get back to sleep. Meanwhile, Ed (Ken Christy), one of the construction workers, finds a large stick of dynamite that has somewhere and somehow survived since the end of the Second World War. The Douglas household's version of man's best friend has been known to drag home anything he can get his jaws into. This time Tramp slinks in with the large stick of dynamite Ed found. Thinking it's just a wooden stick, Mike tries to get the dynamite away from Tramp, but can't. The dynamite winds up in various places in the house. Steve gets worried when for one reason and then another he can't get through to the house by phone. Steve finally reaches Bub, but then there's a loud explosion and he is cut off. The noise was actually a thunder clap as it started to rain by the Douglas house. Tramp leaves the dynamite outside in the rain. Steve gets a hold of Robbie and finds out the noise he heard was the thunder storm. Paul Trinka as Art, construction worker.

Mike mentions to Steve that an old friend of Steve's, a Josephine Kringles (Patricia McNulty), came by the house. Mike then drove her to a drugstore in town. Steve goes to the drugstore and starts to reminisce about Josephine and how much he liked her. Flashback to when he was 17 and sharing a dessert with Josephine in the drugstore. He is taking her to the Class of 1931 Senior Hop that he actually has to play at. In the present, the waiter mentions that Josephine was asking about Wilson Hall that used to host senior dances. Steve goes to that hall and there's some band equipment on the stage and he starts playing a saxophone. Flashback to Steve playing saxophone at the dance. Steve gets upset when Josephine is dancing with Larry Peckinpaugh. Steve stops playing and goes to dance with Josephine. In the present, a Janitor (Ludwig Stössel) there applauds Steve's playing. The Janitor says Josephine was there earlier. Steve goes walking through a park. Flashback to Steve and Josephine having a picnic in a park and he gives her a kiss. Later, Josephine tells Steve that her father found a job in California and she'll be moving away. She says that she'll never forget him. In the present, Steve goes home and is told Josephine is coming by soon. A boy drops off a letter from Josephine. It says that she's sorry she won't be coming by. She thanks Steve for the wonderful memories of their youth and signs the letter Josephine Kringles Peckinpaugh.

A composition titled "What My Mother Means to Me" has Chip baffled. Steve starts to describe Chip's mother, but then he says that Chip should ask the teacher if he could write about something else. Meanwhile, Robbie keeps getting phone calls from Bonnie. She can't get up the nerve to ask Robbie out, so she keeps asking about homework assignments. Chip asks Mike what Mom was like. Mike has a talk with Steve and says they're going to have a problem with Chip. Chip trades his lizard to Sudsy so that Chip can watch what Sudsy's mother does. Mrs. Pfeiffer finds out what Chip did and invites him to dinner. Chip comes home from Sudsy's house and says he wishes he had a mother. Steve has a talk with him. After interviewing other mothers in the neighborhood, Chip makes a courageous effort to improvise by writing about his own Grandfather, whom he feels is the most maternal person he knows. Chip's teacher, Mrs. Bergen (Natalie Masters), asks the family to come to the PTA meeting. There the family is surprised when Chip is asked to read his composition and they realize the story is about Bub. John Gallaudet as Mr. Pfeiffer.

Even though he doesn't know the answers to the boys questions, Bub is upset that they don't ask him. Bub decides to go to adult night school. There he meets Margaret Cunningham (Harriet E. MacGibbon). He passes himself off as a former show business producer. Bub learns that Margaret lives in a fancy neighborhood and is a widower. During the following classes, Bub keeps making out to be a show business big shot. After one class, Bub walks Margaret to her car and it's a large limousine. Bub thinks she's a high society dame, when in fact she's really a maid. He later tells Mike that he realizes he's told too many lies. Mike makes Bub feel better and tells him to call Margaret. An awkward moment occurs when Bub calls Margaret and she has to pretend he called a wrong number. At the next class, Margaret cancels a date her and Bub had. One night, Bub decides to tell Margaret that he's a big phony. He goes to what he thinks is her house and sees her in her maid uniform. They both understand they were just trying to impress each other and they go out for the evening. Jerry Ziesmer as Young Man.

Steve takes a week's vacation from the family to stay at a wilderness fishing lodge called Silver Pines. Steve just hopes for some peace and quiet. He meets Ed Wallace (Ed Begley), an elderly gentleman who is in the next room. Ed immediately invites Steve on a picnic with Ed's wife, Rusty (Irene Ryan), and a woman named Fran Borden (Jan Clayton). Steve tries to get out of it, but Ed won't take no for an answer. Steve meets Rusty and Fran. Fran is quite unsociable towards Steve. They all head out for the picnic and some fishing and it's obvious that Ed and Rusty are playing matchmaker. When they get to where they were going to fish, the creek is dried up. And because Ed thought they'd catch enough fish, Rusty didn't bring any sandwiches. Fran tells Steve that she was hoping for peace and quiet and was forced by the Wallace's to go on this picnic because of him. Steve points out that he only came along on the trip to appease the Wallace's. Fran now understands and is friendlier to Steve. Ed has already made plans for the next day. When the plans are cancelled because Ed isn't feeling well, Steve and Fran spend a peaceful morning together. They talk about their children and then they kiss each other. But then Ed and Rusty show up. The next day, Ed and Rusty are getting ready to head home. Something Ed says makes Steve and Fran realize why he was so pushy. Steve and Fran feel bad for the way they acted towards the Wallace's. Steve and Fran decide to return home early to see their families. Dal McKennon as Mac Ivers.

It's Robbie's first day at High School and he meets the school's star athlete, Chug Williams (Ryan O'Neal). Later at home, Robbie excitedly tells Mike that his locker is next to Chug's. Mike is not that impressed and calls Chug a show off. The next day at school, Robbie introduces Chug to Gloria Davenport, who Robbie went to grade school with. Chug tells Robbie that he took a few of Robbie's things, but Robbie says that it's OK. Robbie is developing a serious case of hero worship. Meanwhile, Chip is upset because Sudsy is inviting girls to his birthday party. Later, Robbie asks Gloria out and she says she already has a date with Chug. Mike and Robbie get into an argument because Mike says Chug is just being friendly to Robbie because there's something in it for him. Chug is running for president of the Student Body. Robbie learns that Mike is right when Chug asks Robbie to rig the election in his favor. Chip finds a way to get the girls to leave Sudsy's party early. Robbie and the rest of the Student council have finished counting the votes for president. Robbie goes over to Chug's house and meets Mr. Williams (Del Moore). Turns out that Mr. Williams was also quite the athlete when he was younger. He tells Robbie that he was also president of the Student Body when he was in High School. Robbie tells Mr. Williams and Chug that it was close, but Chug didn't win the election. Mr. Williams says that it's OK the Chug didn't win. After his father leaves the room, Chug thanks Robbie for not rigging the election.

Bub meets Abbie Pearson. She'll be watching her son's house, which is next door to the Douglas house, while he's on a trip. Bub lends her some candles as the power in the Pearson house hasn't been turned back on yet. Meanwhile, Chip and Sudsy try on their costumes for Halloween that night. The boys tell Sudsys mother that they're not afraid of ghosts. Back at the Douglas house, Chip and Sudsy are surprised when they see the door close at the Pearson house, because it's supposed to be empty. It's evening and Bub leaves for a lodge meeting. Chip and Sudsy go out trick-or-treating. While walking through an alley, they are frightened by someone trying to get into their house in the dark. Chip and Sudsy then see someone - or something - carrying a candle in the window of the Pearson house. The boys tell Steve there's a ghost in the house next door. Steve tells them that the house is vacant and they just imagined it. Sudsy spends the night with Chip and has a bad dream. The next morning, Abbie tells Bub she saw Steve and her power will be turned on today. Because the door is open, Chip, Sudsy and Tramp go into the Pearson house. They see Abbie sweeping and run out of the house because they think she's a witch. Chip falls down and Abbie brings him in the house. Sudsy tells Bub, Mike and Robbie that the witch took Chip. They go to the Pearson house and have a nice time with Abbie.

There's going to be a Sadie Hawkins dance at Robbie's school and a lot of girls are calling Robbie. Robbie doesn't know which girl's invitation he will accept. Meanwhile, Chip is practicing knot tying for Cub Scouts. Mike suggests using a system he learned in his psychology class using indirect questioning to find the right girl for Robbie. He would test each girl without them knowing they are being tested. Mike will be helping Robbie and he could use the subject for his psychology term paper. Robbie will have to avoid running into any of the girls while at school. The first girl Mike talks to asks more questions then he does. Robbie over hears Janie (Pamela Austin) and Sally talking about him. It turns out several of the girls who called him were actually calling to get other boys phone numbers. Robbie is upset because all the girls are getting dates while he was waiting for Mike to finish the test. He'll probably wind up with no one. Mike finishes analyzing his data and says that Robbie should go with Audrey Kent (Linda Marshall). Robbie not happy with the selection as Audrey is kind of plain looking. It's the night of the dance and when Robbie picks up Audrey, she is beautiful. Robbie and Audrey have a wonderful time together. Mike goes out with Judy (Charlotte Stewart), one of the girls that he tested because she seemed right for him. He has a miserable time on the date. Apparently Mike's system isn't fool proof. During Cub Scouts, Sudsy ties up Chip and Steve can't get the knot untied. Templeton Fox as Mrs. Curtis.

Chip is going to a dance and Bub reminisces about teaching Chip to dance when he was younger. He then recalls when everyone was trying to find a missing stamp that was worth a lot of money. Then there's the time Chip went to the grand opening of a new store to get a free lollipop. The Store Owner (Jess Kirkpatrick) tells Chip he's all out of lollipops. Chip goes outside and finds a bunch of coins on some newspapers that people put there to pay for them. Chip brings them back into the store. Not knowing where Chip got them from, a lady customer tells him he can keep the money. Chip tells Sudsy about it and when they go back to the store, there's more money. Chip buys a baseball with the money, but later finds out the money was to pay for the newspapers. He leaves the baseball on the papers. Meanwhile, the stamp was found but then gets lost again. Chip is afraid he'll get into a lot of trouble for taking the money. A Policeman (Dick Winslow), who is there to buy the stamp from Bub, comes to the door. Chip thinks he's there to arrest him. Chip tells Mike what he did and the two go and explain things to the Store Owner. The Owner understands and Mike pays him back. Thanks to Chip, the stamp is found. Burt Mustin as Elderly Man. Owen Bush as Policeman.

Chip asks Bub if it's OK for his new friend Ernie Thompson to spend the night. Ernie claims to have a map of where a bank robber buried stolen money. The two boys go off on an adventure to find the treasure chest. Meanwhile, Bub is to be made Sergeant at Arms of his lodge and Steve is going out with model Valerie Hobbs (Patricia Blair). Chip and Ernie get lost in the woods. When the two are late for dinner, Bub sends Robbie out to look for them. Ernie decides to find his own way home using his map and Chip hopes Tramp will find the way back. While at dinner with Valerie, Steve gets a call from home telling him that Chip and Ernie aren't home yet. Bub also goes to look for the boys. Chip and Ernie run into each other. Steve and Valerie leave dinner to look for the boys. Tramp finds the way home and the boys go up to Chip's room without Mike and Sally noticing. Two policemen find Steve and Valerie and then Robbie and take them away. Alan and Myrtle Thompson come to the Douglas house for news on the boys. Steve, Valerie and Robbie arrive. Robbie finds the boys asleep upstairs. Peter Leeds as Policeman. George Sawaya as Policeman. John Wesley as Policeman.

At school, Robbie is trying to get the attention of Amber Anderson (Linda Foster), but is having no luck. Robbie is running for a position on the student council. He only gets two votes and loses. Wanting to impress Amber, he decides to run for class president. Meanwhile, Joe Walters tells Steve that in order to get the contract he wants, he should spend some time golfing with the client. Steve believes that his design will win the client over. Robbie decides to change his personality to become more popular. He tells Steve to change his personality to win his client. Steve still thinks doing a good job is the best and thinks that's what Robbie should do. Everyone at school, including Amber, seems to like the new Robbie. But he only gets one vote and loses. Steve tells Robbie he won the client's contract because of his better design. Steve says Robbie should just be himself. Robbie calls Amber and she agrees to go out with him. Kim Hamilton as Librarian.

Mike and Sally are watching a love story on TV and Mike tries to get around to proposing to her. Bub then interrupts them. Mike asks Steve how he proposed. Flashback to Young Steve (Tom Skerritt) and Louise sitting on a couch and Steve uses a casual approach. Meanwhile, Robbie mentions to Steve he has a date with both Ann Talmaster and Georgia Fleck (Janet Landgard) for the prom. Mike tries a casual proposal, but he doesn't get far with that. Robbie tries to get Georgia uninterested in him, but winds up with the date to the prom and them going steady. Bub tells Mike the romantic way he asked his wife to marry him. Mike tries the romantic touch with Sally, but she just laughs at him and they have a fight. Robbie tries to annoy Ann with a lot of corny romantic talk, but it backfires and he's also going steady with her. Mike tells Steve that Sally's going to have to ask him to get married. Steve tells Sally that her and Mike should make up, but Sally says Mike has to make the first move. Mike runs into Sally sitting on a park bench. Mike comes right out and pops the question in a traditional, straightforward manner. Sally accepts immediately and admits she should have done so the other times he tried to ask. Ann and Georgia find out that they are each going steady with Robbie and both break up with him.

Steve gets a phone call and has to fly to Washington D.C. right away. Meanwhile Chip and Ernie are talking to their friend Richard (Billy Booth). Richard brags about how important his father is because he makes shoes. At the Pentagon, Steve speaks with Col. Ed Fisher (Byron Morrow), Mr. Henning (William Bryant) and others. Steve is asked to work on a top-secret, high-security project. He will work from home, but he's told the family will be under surveillance. Steve comes home and there are already men watching the house. The family wonders what Steve is working on in his locked room. The men follow the boys when they leave the house and they listen in on phone calls. Steve is away from his room and Chip goes in and sees some of the papers he's working on. Steve makes Chip promise to not tell anyone what he saw. Bub asks Steve what he's working on. Steve makes up a fanciful project and tells Bub to keep it a secret. Chip learns that Mr. Fowler (Bert Remsen) is following him. Chip tells Ernie and Richard he knows important stuff and the FBI is following him. Fowler and Morley (Robert Karnes) are listening. Bub is talking to Doris Randall (Patsy Garrett) and Mrs. Fletcher (Sandra Gould) in the grocery store. He tells them about the fanciful project Steve is working on and Fowler is listening. Steve tells Morley that he got that story from a comic book. Steve finishes the project.

Mike and Sally are having a cook out and their friends Wally and Barbara are invited. Wally and Barbara are married and Wally tells Mike that they have anniversaries for just about every first they've had. Wally and Barbara are having some fun chasing each other around when Barbara becomes dizzy. Bub says that she's pregnant. Later, Mike is a little nervous when Sally volunteers to watch a friend's 3 month old baby. Mike asks Steve if he thinks newlyweds are every ready to have children. Old friend Howard Sears (Beau Bridges) tells Mike that his wife, Francie (Indus Arthur), is going to have a baby at any time. Because he work's nights, Howard was wondering if Mike could make himself available to take Francie to the hospital should the baby come at night. A nervous Mike does wind up taking Francie to the hospital. Mike is in the waiting room with other husbands when he's told Francie had a baby girl. Howard shows up and Mike says he's never going through that again. Mike tells Steve he's breaking off the engagement because he's not ready for the stress. After Steve tells Mike about his experience when Mike was born, Mike decides he's still getting married. Janice Carroll as Night Nurse. Maxine Jennings as Second Nurse. Elsie Baker as Woman.

Gloria Ruth is thrilled to be on a date with Robbie, but she suggests some changes in his appearance. Steve is with his friends Raymond (Benson Fong) and Mary Wong (Beulah Quo). Jimmy Soo (George Takei), a hip, young restaurateur, comes by and meets Steve. Jimmy is actually there to meet Chu Yin Tai, but Ray doesn't think the time is right. Ray explains to Steve that Yin Tai was groomed to marry a much older man in China, but he passed away. She is staying with Ray and Mary for now. Steve meets Yin Tai and she is very quiet and demure. Ray asks Steve to have Robbie help her adjust to America before meeting Jimmy. Meanwhile, Chip and Ernie try to change a girl they know, Ethel Mae, into a tom-boy. Robbie meets Yin Tai and asks her what she used to do for fun. She says she learned things to make her a better wife. Robbie gives her the nickname Sunny and starts to teach her the ways of young Americans. Robbie and Sunny get along very well and she learns much from him. Ray is going to have a party and will invite Jimmy. Sunny is a little anxious about meeting Jimmy. It's the night of the party and Sunny comes out acting all hip and obnoxious. She tells Ray she did it because she didn't want Jimmy to like her because he's much older than her. The party goes on and things work out. It's another day and Sunny and Robbie are at the malt shop. She suggests some changes in his appearance.

Fred Gordon (Addison Richards) shows the family a film about Hawaii. Steve says the reason they saw the film is that he has a chance to do some work for Fred's company in Hawaii. The whole family can come along and they'll leave as soon as they sell the house. Mike doesn't want to go and leave Sally, but he couldn't say anything to Steve. Robbie's girlfriend Ina isn't happy either. Steve asks Bub if everyone is on board with the move and Bub says they are, but they really aren't. Steve flashes back to a talk about life he had with a young Chip. He then flashes back to an outdoor barbecue where Bub burned the meat and even Tramp wouldn't eat it. Steve then recalls when the family tried to put out a fire on the kitchen stove. The next day, Ina brings over a homemade surfboard for Robbie. She talks to Ernie about not wanting Robbie to leave. Mr. Gavin (Woodrow Parfrey) comes by and tells them he'll probably buy the house. Ernie makes up a bunch of things that are wrong with the house. Mr. Gavin changes his mind about the house. Next, Helen Taylor (Shelby Grant) really likes the house. But then her husband Harold comes in and says they're leaving. This time it was Ina that made up bad things about the house. It's been a week and the house hasn't sold. Real Estate agent Celia Evans tells Steve that she has another couple coming the next day. Ralph Proctor (Fredd Wayne) and his wife Florence (Jan Shutan) come by to look at the house. For some reason things are falling apart in the house and Steve tries to hide them. The Proctor's leave. Ina confesses to sabotaging the house and Steve learns that the family doesn't want to move.

Steve and the boys are going fishing. Mike says that, despite not knowing how to fish, Sally wants to go along. Mike knocks on Sally's door and wakes her up. By the time they get to the lake, all the good spots are taken. Steve tries to show Sally what to do, but things don't go smoothly. Sally gets frustrated. Steve catches a big fish and when Sally tries to net it, she lets the fish get away. It's the end of the day and Sally feels bad that things didn't go well. Sally tells her mother, Helen Morrison, that Mike expects her to go fishing with them every time and she's not looking forward to it. Helen suggests that every time Mike takes her fishing, she should make him do something that he wouldn't enjoy. Even though they know nothing about it, Helen suggests bird watching. Mike tells Steve that Sally expects him to go bird watching with her mother and sisters. Mike is not having a good time with Sally and the family. But then he reads something in a bird book and figures out that the women know nothing about bird watching and were just tricking him. Mike then pretends to be enjoying himself and leads the women all around the forest. Mike reveals that he knows they were tricking him and the women are not happy. Sally hasn't been answering Mikes calls. Steve tells Mike that Sally probably hates fishing and couples need to communicate more. Patricia Morrow as Nancy.

Steve finds a key and it's bothering him that he doesn't know what it's to. Mrs. Adams (Adrienne Marden) and Mrs. Hackett come by and ask Bub to sign a petition. Without knowing what it's for, Bub says no. Meanwhile, Robbie is seeing Juliet Johnson (Cheryl Holdridge). Her father has a tree at the end of his driveway that he wants the village to cut it down. The family learns that the petition that the women wanted Bub to sign was to save the tree. And Mrs. Elsie Martindale (Mary Adams) is one of the women. Because Bub likes Elsie, he is now interested in helping and goes to the Women's Betterment League. There he sits next to Elsie and makes an excellent suggestion to help their cause. The ladies and Bub picket in front the tree. Robbie is afraid about what Mr. Johnson will think when he finds out Bub is his grandfather. The next day, Bub stops Mr. Johnson from turning a hose on the ladies. Mr. Johnson does find out about Bub and Robbie and Juliet have to sneak around to see each other. Bub finds a way to have sentimental Mr. Johnson keep the tree. Mike finds a locked box in the attic and Steve's key opens it. Inside is another key. Templeton Fox as Genevieve.

At dinner, Robbie mentions an essay he has to write for Mrs. Proctor's (Mabel Albertson) class. Mike remembers having her as a teacher. Robbie gets a phone call and is excited when he learns that Mrs. Proctor broke her leg and will be out for a while. The next day at school, attractive young Miss Martha Tinsley takes over as substitute teacher. The guys proceed to be very distracting in class and give her a hard time. This goes on for a couple weeks. While telling her friend, Mrs. Drake (Hope Summers), what the boys have been doing, Martha breaks down and cries. At home, Robbie tells the family what's been going on at school. Robbie gets an earful from both Steve and Mike after Mike recognizes Martha's name. The next day, Robbie tells the guys that he's going to leave Miss Tinsley alone. Robbie tells Steve that he went to Mrs. Proctor and asked her advice in helping Miss Tinsley. Now he feels funny about it, but Steve said he did the right thing. Mrs. Proctor goes to speak with Martha and teaches her how to handle the boys. Jimmy Boyd as Victor Peppitone. Danny Lockin as Jay Robinson. Bobby Diamond as Mickey. Linda Foster as Girl.

Robbie's school football team is losing game after game. Lissa Stratmeyer (Patricia Morrow), one of the cheerleaders and Robbie's girlfriend, tries to make him feel a little better. Apparently, the school is only letting boys with good grades play on the team and they are not always the best athletes. The team is very despondent and wants to forfeit the last game. Mike writes a song making fun of the team and Robbie likes it. The girlfriends of the team players decide to stage a boycott against the boys until they beat Freemont High at the last game. Even Lissa gives Robbie the ultimatum. The guys try other girls their age, but they want the team to win as well. The guys then decide to ask freshman girls to the victory rally the night before the game. Robbie asks Debbie Rogers. When he picks her up, Robbie meets Debbie's older sister Arlene and winds up taking her and Debbie to the rally. At the rally, Robbie is surprised when he learns Arlene and Lissa are old friends. Lissa talks Arlene into leaving with Debbie. The next day, the team tries hard but still loses. Steve finds a way to show Robbie the team won a moral victory. Tommy Ivo as Tom. Hank Jones as Don. Bobby Diamond as Mark. Heather Menzies as Mona.

Mike and Robbie have been writing songs and sending them to publishers in New York. But they all get sent back because the publishers don't look at unsolicited items. Bub tells them they need to go to New York and submit the songs in person. Bub thinks his show business friend Charlie Turner (J. Pat O'Malley) could introduce the boys to someone. Steve reluctantly says the boys can go. Once in New York the boys meet Charlie. He tells them he's set up an appointment with big-time publisher Buddy Albert. But when they get to Buddy's office, he won't be able to see them until next week. The boys Cabbie, Eddie Fowler (Joe Mantell), wants to help them. Eddie finds a way for the boys and Buddy to ride together in his cab. The boys sing their song for Buddy. Although Buddy doesn't want the song, he gives them some real-life solid advice. Mike and Robbie later find out that Charlie's not the big shot in show business that Bub claimed he still is. Back at home, the boys don't want to hurt Bub, so they talk up Charlie. Sidney Clute as Frank. Sandra Gould as Receptionist. Charles Lampkin as Herman. Maurice Manson as George the Clerk.

Bub decides to fly to Ireland to visit his 104-year-old aunt for her birthday. Steve says he'll be able to do the cooking and take care of the house. At dinner, Chip complains that Ruth Ellen McPhister, a girl a school, always ignores him. Mike tells Steve that there's more to running the house than Steve thinks. Steve thinks women make it seem harder than it really is. It's not long before Steve breaks the washing machine and the oven. Chip wants to join the school orchestra because Ruth Ellen is in it. Steve over bleached the bed sheets and now they all tear apart. Mike thinks they should hire someone to help. Chip invites Ruth Ellen over for dinner. Things are very chaotic in the kitchen as everyone tries to get the meal served. Ruth Ellen speaks very eloquently and has very serious manners. She does seem to be interested in Robbie. Steve burns the food and they have to order out. After Ruth Ellen goes home, Steve is afraid they ruined Chip's evening. Chip decides he no longer cares about Ruth Ellen. After Steve burns breakfast, the family decides to hire someone. Johnny Silver as Vendor.

Bub is still in Ireland and Steve is unable to take care of the house and work also. Steve hires Fedocia Barnett (Reta Shaw) to keep house. Fedocia complains about everything and the boys don't get along with her. Steve tells Mike that they'll have to try and make it work with Fedocia. Things finally come to a head and Steve is about to tell her to leave. Just then the doorbell rings and it's Bub's brother Charley O'Casey. Charley was in the Merchant Marines. He'll be leaving for San Francisco to get on a boat to the Caribbean in a few days. Steve asks him to stay with them till then. When Fedocia hears Charley's staying, she says she's leaving. Mike, Robbie and Steve are doing the cooking. When they leave the kitchen, Charley tells some stories to Chip, throws away the food and starts cooking himself. Charley let's the guys think that it was their food. Steve needs to leave for a couple days on business. Steve calls and Chip tells him his school's open house is that evening. Chip knows Charley is leaving that night. But Charley's a little disappointed that Chip didn't ask him to go to the open house. Charley learns from Robbie that Chip wanted to ask him. Chip is thrilled when Charley shows up at the school. Charley decides to stay and help the family. Joan Vohs as Teacher.

An Indian named Paul Owlfeather (Paul Picerni) comes to the Douglas home. He tells Charlie that their house is sitting on what was once Owanani tribal burial grounds. Paul says that he is the last Chief of his tribe. He also says that every 24 years there has to be a ceremony on the grounds. Charley sends him on his way. Mayor Hall (Hugh Sanders) now comes by with Paul and convinces Charley to allow the ceremony. Paul brings by his family and introduces them to Charlie. Charlie and Paul's mother Running Deer (Renie Riano) do not get along. Paul's family set up a camp in the back yard. Steve is away and sees a picture of the camp and Charlie in the paper. Because of an old tradition, Charlie unknowingly gets himself engaged to Running Deer. Steve comes up with a way to get Charlie off the hook.

Chip and Ernie tell Charley that they got into a fight because someone called Ernie a "second hand kid". Charley asks Steve why they can't adopt Ernie. Steve reminds him that the county won't let them without a woman in the house. Robbie wonders if maybe Miss Coulter could find a loophole. Even Miss Miller doesn't think there's a way around the rules. But, later that evening, Miss Miller comes up with an idea that may work. Miss Miller, Miss Coulter, Steve and Charley talk to Judge Leland (John Gallaudet) and he believes there's a way for Ernie to be adopted. That evening, before a celebration dinner, Chip and Ernie have a fight over their dogs. When they get home, the dogs have made friends and so do Chip and Ernie.

Steve is preparing to fly to Kansas City for a business trip. He realizes he could drive and take time to stop at the town where he grew up. Steve decides to take the whole family on the trip with him. While visiting the house he grew up in, Steve runs into old friend Betty Reynolds (Ann McCrea), who lives there now. Chip and Ernie wander around town asking people if they remember Steve. Steve dines with his old girlfriend Ellen Kiefer (Virginia Grey), her surly husband Ed (Dave Willock) and their obnoxious children in their messy house. Charles Herbert as Eddie. Burt Mustin as Elderly Man. Percy Helton as Second Man. Irene Tedrow as Mrs. Travers. Pamelyn Ferdin as Roseann.

Steve gets transferred to California. They soon feel that the people in California, including their neighbors, are not very friendly. Steve reminisces about the early days at their old home. Robbie meets a very friendly Katie Miller (Tina Cole) at his new college. Steve finalley talks to Jan Dearing (Joan Vohs), his neighbor. It turns out that they had just moved in as well. The two families have a barbecue together and Robbie has a vision of Katie in a wedding dress. Kathleen Freeman as Lady Checker. Don Brodie as Male Driver.

Katie informs her sorority sisters that she is marrying Robbie in two weeks. The girls decide to do some research into him and come up with some mis-leading information. Katie's mother arrives from out of town. She arranges a get together with Robbie and some of Katie's family members. Steve explains that they will be looking him over to see if he is good enough for Katie. Katie's Grandma Collins gives Robbie her seal of approval.

Chip's class uses a computer to get dates with kids from another school for the upcoming "computer picnic". Meanwhile, Ernie takes Tramp to obedience school. Chip is excited to be matched up with a Marlene Hendrix. That all changes when he meets her and sees that she's a foot taller than he is. Steve says that Chip shouldn't hurt Marlene's feelings and still go to the picnic with her. Marlene can tell Chip is uncomfortable with the situation and suggests that they maybe trade dates. So Chip and his buddies get together and swap their dates. Chip ends up trading dates with his much taller friend, Marv. Chip gets along great with his new date, Angela Mason. Ernie uses his own money to get a little boy a dog. The boy's father comes by to thank Ernie. Kevin Brodie as Carl Murchinson. Paul O'Keefe as Norman. Billy Booth as Jack.

Katie and Robbie must choose a doctor to see them through her pregnancy. A lot of people recommend their doctor. Katie's mother makes an appointment for her to see their family doctor, Roy Osborne. Robbie is skeptical because he is a G.P. and not a specialist. He is also not happy that he basically works out of his house. Dr. Osborne says Katie is fine, but then diagnoses Robbie with a sudden chest infection. Katie likes Dr. Osborne. Robbie is called last minute to go to his new job. He asks Steve to sit in for him at baby class. Robbie does eventually come to like Dr. Osborne as he recovers from his illness. and recommends him to a friend who is also having a baby. Venerable character actor Leon Ames in his first of four appearances as Dr. Osborne. Lurene Tuttle as Natalie Corcoran. Robert L. Crawford Jr. as Tod Springer. Lillian Powell as Housekeeper.

Robbie is still away on Army maneuver training and he's unaware that Katie is expecting multiple births. Katie tells Steve that it's time to go to the hospital. At the hospital, Steve is a bundle of nerves. Charley is trying to get a hold of Robbie. Robbie is told by a Sergeant that he is being sent home because Katie is at the hospital. At the hospital, rules only allow two people in the waiting room per expectant mother. Charley, Chip and Ernie each try to get in claiming to be the father. Robbie finally arrives just as Katie is giving birth. Steve is about to tell everyone that Katie is having more than one baby. Nurse Rogers (Patience Cleveland) comes in and gets Robbie. In this touching episode, Katie surprises everyone by giving birth to identical triplet sons. Sarah Selby as Admissions Clerk.

Robbie is to appear on college TV to discuss the triplets. Steve's is surprised to learn former Bryant Park co-worker, Ray Wong (Benson Fong), has transferred to Los Angeles. Ray tells Steve that his daughter Gloria is married and going to have a baby. He also mentions that he can't stand his son-in-law Henry because he's a long-haired hippie. Henry is intelligent but has no direction in life. Robbie and Katie invite Gloria and Henry over. Henry visits where Steve and Ray work in case he would like to work there. An excited Ray calls Steve to tell him Gloria had twin boys. Now Ray doesn't mind Henry so much.

Ernie's writing ability lands him in an advanced special English class. The class is taught by a strict teacher named Miss Houk (Sylvia Sidney). Ernie is having a hard time with his first assignment and winds up getting a failing grade on it. Next he has to recite some Shakespeare with a girl named Bunny (Lisa Eilbacher). Ernie doesn't do well with that either. Ernie wants to do something to prove to Miss Houk that he's not a bad student. He writes a really good paper, but Miss Houk thinks he copied it from somewhere. Ernie gets upset and tears the paper up in front of her. Miss Houk comes by the Douglas house to apologize to Ernie.

Robbie has graduated from college. Robbie and Katie and their three sons move out of the Douglas home and into their own apartment not far away. Katie feels Steve needs a woman in his life. She would like him to meet a friend of her mother's, Millicent Sawyer (Elaine Devry). Ernie tells Steve that his substitute teacher, Barbara Harper, would like to have a talk with him. Steve goes to Katie's and Robbie's to meet Millicent. Millicent calls Katie to inform her that while Steve is nice, she isn't interested in him. Steve meets Barbara in a high-school corridor, and the two are quickly attracted to each other. She is also a widower and she has a daughter. The two spend the rest of the day together. Robbie and Katie come by to tell Steve about Millicent and they find out he's seeing Barbara.

Judge Markham (Jon Lormer) presides over Steve formally adopting Dodie. At school, Dodie is harassed by a mean-spirited girl named Victoria Lewis. One morning, Dodie pretends to be sick. Barbara finds a way to get her to go to school. Chip and Ernie figure out that Dodie is being picked on and speak to her. Chip and Ernie have a little talk with Victoria and say that they'd hate to see anyone picking on Dodie. Dodie now uses the big brother defense to make Victoria and the other girls afraid of her. Pauline Lewis (Patience Cleveland), Victoria's mother, comes to speak with Barbara. Pauline believes that Victoria is afraid of Dodie and it's causing her bad dreams. Steve and Barbara find out that Chip and Ernie had something to do with the problem. The boys find a way to make things right and Dodie and Victoria become friends.

Chip meets Polly Williams at college and introduces her to the family. Rob asks Steve and Barbara what they are going to do for their one year anniversary. Steve says their just going to have a quiet dinner together. Meanwhile, Polly's father, Tom, worries that she is spending too much time with Chip. Dodie decides she wants to give Steve and Barbara a surprise party. But she does not tell anyone where it is at, or what time. The morning of the anniversary, Dodie lets it slip to her parents that she is having a party. Everyone has other plans, but Steve tells them he doesn't want Dodie hurt and they have to show up. At the party, Dodie sees all the nice presents the family brought and runs off. She is sad because her present was homemade, but Steve and Barbara tell her they love it.

Chip and Polly are married and on their way to Mexico for their honeymoon. They encounter some car trouble. As a wedding present, the mechanic doesn't charge them too much. Back home, Steve reminisces to Barbara about the time Chip as a child had a girlfriend. Chip's car runs out of gas. A man named Paco (Natividad Vacío) comes by and tells them that gas is far away. Paco does help them get to their destination. Rob and Katie find out that Chip eloped. Chip and Polly will be staying at the same hotel Steve and Barbara stayed on their honeymoon a year earlier. When they try to get their room, they find out the hotel is now a singles hotel. They have to spend their first married night in separate rooms. The next day, Pepe the manager arranges for Chip and Polly to have a room together. Chip talks to a Harold Fletcher who says his 4 year marriage has not been great. Harold says he got married too young and Chip should "run for the hills". But something Chip says makes Harold decide to give his marriage a chance. Veronica Cartwright as Ruth Fletcher. Robert Broyles as Max. Bobby Diamond as Mike Wiggins.

Chip and Polly are expected home from their honeymoon soon. The familys are giving them a surprise welcome back party, but the couple are running late. Everyone is there except Tom. The couple finally arrive. The next day, Chip packs his things to move into the college dorm with Polly. Tom is still upset that Polly eloped. Chip and Polly have Steve and Barbara over for dinner. Polly is sad that her father hasn't spoken to her since they've been back. Chip goes to speak with Tom. Tom says that while he loves Polly, he's been hurt. Margaret is not happy with the way Tom acted. That night, Tom comes by the dorm. He claims that his car broke down not far away. Tom notices that Polly has a picture of him up. He admits that his car didn't break down and Polly and him hug.

Rob and Katie's anniversary is coming up and the triplets are wearing them down. As a present, Katie's mother, Lorraine, offers to take the triplets with her to St. Louis for a month. Despite Rob and Katie going out for several nights, Charley says within two weeks they'll want the kids back. Steve and Barbara spend several nights with Rob and Katie. Steve and Barbara can't keep up that pace and they miss the boys. Katie wonders how the boys are doing. Meanwhile, Lorraine has her hands full with the triplets. Steve has to take a business trip that will take him by St. Louis. Steve stops by Lorraine's house and they both agree it's time for the boys to come home. Lorraine brings the boys home and Rob and Katie are thrilled.

It's Dodie's first day in the upper-second grade. Dodie's class has a new teacher named Mike Turley (Peter Brown). All the girls think he's handsome and Dodie develops a real crush on him. Dodie tries making some cookies for Mr. Turley, but it doesn't go well. Steve talks with Dodie about Mr. Turley. At school, Dodie gets her head stuck between two fence bars. Mr. Turley comforts her while the janitor frees her. Barbara comes to the school and realizes that she used to teach Mike when he was younger. Barbara invites him over for dinner. Dodie is all excited and dressed up for Mr. Turley. When Mike arrives he introduces his fiancée Ann Carter (Linda Foster). At dinner, Mike mentions how he had a crush on Barbara when he first met her. Dodie's crush fades when Mike kisses Ann.

Dodie is taking piano lessons from Mrs. Pomeroy (Ann Doran). Meanwhile, Ernie's friend Neal (Jon Walmsley) speaks to Barbara about his shyness problem. Barbara thinks Neal is hiding behind his long hair. Dodie and her friends Susan and Margaret rehearse at the Douglas house, but their off-key playing drives everyone crazy. Dodie tells Steve and Barbara that her trio will be in a recital. At the recital rehearsal, Dodie's trio practices first. All the other children laugh at them, but Mrs. Pomeroy tells them to keep playing. Dodie tells Barbara that she won't play at the recital. Neal tells Dodie something that changes her mind. The night of the recital, Susan and Margaret get stage fright and can't perform. Steve and Barbara talk Dodie into playing anyway. Ernie and Neal show up to the recital. Because Dodie can overcome her fear, Neal has had his hair cut to overcome his shyness. Dodie performs with Steve and Charley.

Robbie is laid off at the plant. He tells Steve that he's been given another job in San Francisco. Charley is upset because the triplets are moving away. In San Francisco, Rob and Katie are having a hard time finding an apartment until they meet Cleo Mortensen (Pat Carroll). They meet their new neighbor Clark Sullivan (Mike Minor), who is in show business as a singer. Willis Mortenson (Richard X. Slattery), Cleo's husband, is not thrilled about the triplets. Every time he wants to bring it up to Rob, Rob shows him things that are wrong with the apartment. Katie is worried that her and the boys are putting an extra burden on Rob. Katie meets Ellie Kopsing (Sherry Alberoni), Tracy Lee, Wilma Chambers and Sherry Cross (Karen Carlson). Rob has a rough first day at work and Katie again gets worried. Something Sherry says makes Katie worry even more. Steve makes a surprise visit and Katie tells him how she feels. Steve makes Katie feel better.

Steve tells co-worker Tom that Robbie has taken a job in Peru. Katie and the triplets have moved in with the Douglas family. Steve's cousin Fergus McBain Douglas, who looks just like him, arrives from Scotland. Fergus asks a surprised Barbara where his room is. Charley meets Fergus and learns that Fergus will be rooming with him. Charley doesn't quite like Fergus and his condescending ways. Fergus stops by Steve's office and tells him he's concerned because he doesn't have an heir. He came to America in search of a wife to take back with him. Charley gets upset when Fergus asks his girlfriend Dorothy personal questions. Despite not liking him very much, Katie is surprised to see how well Fergus interacts with her triplets.

Katie auditions as a singer at a small coffee house called Osserpse. Later, she tells Steve that she misses Rob. Also, she wants to do more than just stay at home with the triplets. Katie tells Steve about the coffee house and she doesn't think she did well. Frankie Leslie (Anthony Caruso), the owner of the coffee house, comes by. Frankie tells Katie to come the next day to audition again. Steve and Charley don't much care for Frankie. Katie gets the job and the audiences like her. Charley and Steve still worry about Frankie and his possible motives. Charley and Steve go to see Katie perform. They meet Frankie's wife Leona and start to realize that they don't have to worry about Katie. It's not long though, before Katie quits, telling Frankie she needs to take care of her kids.

Barbara and Katie go shopping at the supermarket with the triplets. Jack Lorning (Bob Hastings), a talent scout, thinks the boys would be perfect for a product he wants to sell. He would like to use them in a commercial. Katie's not sure about it, but she takes the boys to the studio anyway. Jack introduces Katie to Perry Perigrine (Michael Dante), the director. Perry reprimands Katie for being late. The boys meet Blake Willerson (Jon Lormer), who is to be the boys grandfather in the commercial. While trying to film, the boys act out, wander off and break things. Perry grows increasingly irritated. Later, Jack comes by the house. He says that even though they didn't get any footage they could use, the boys looked good on film. Because the boys didn't really get along with Blake, Jack comes up with the idea to have Steve play the part. Even though things don't go smoothly, they do get a commercial they can use.

Katie has a chance to take a temporary secretarial job. She tells Steve and Barbara that she will put the boys in nursery school. Charley fumes when he hears about the boys. Everyone tells Charley it will be good for the boys. At work, Katie meets assistant office manager, John Wilkes (Anthony Eisley). Katie then befriends fellow secretary, June Mosfitt. Charley leaves for the afternoon, not telling anyone where he's going and comes home in a great mood. Barbara wonders what he's up to. At work, John and mail-boy Richard fawn all over Katie. Something Dodie says, makes Barbara think Charley is seeing a red head every day. It's Katie's last day at work and she gets off early to pick up the boys. She sees Charlie at the school and finds out he's been helping there every day. Shirley O'Hara as Elsa Zettsil.

Polly comes by hoping to talk to Steve, as she's having a problem with Chip. But Steve is away on business. Polly says that Chip's boyhood friend Brian Lipsker (Micky Dolenz of The Monkees) is visiting. Brian is now a big rock star going by the name John Simpson. Chip is thinking of giving up his studies and becoming a rock star, too. Charley invites John over for dinner. John talks about all the places he's been. He also mentions that he's married and expecting his second child. He brings the family with him when he tours. Chip believes that kind of life is for him. John mentions that he makes $2 million a year. Polly really wants Chip to pursue his chemical engineering degree. Even Steve thinks a music career might not be bad. Polly decides to back Chip's decision. But, after a talk with Steve, Chip decides to continue his studies. Johnny Silver as Plumber.