Don Grady said his My Three Sons fan mail was a work of ''modern art''

Don Grady, who played Robbie Douglas and was one of the three sons on My Three Sons, wasn’t just a TV star. He was a bona fide teen heartthrob of the 1960s.

All the young men wanted to be him, and all the young women wanted to be with him. Thanks to his role on the series, he attracted a lot of attention. His character was likable, easygoing, a little goofy — and definitely dreamy.

In case he didn’t realize what a big star he was, he had enough women writing to him to prove it.

"Just look at female teenage fan mail," Grady said in a 1966 interview with The Wichita Beacon. "Those girls don’t just write letters. They turn out real works of modern art."

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Grady received hundreds of fan letters each month — many of the letters were filled with hand-drawn hearts, flowers, and declarations of love. It all started with My Three Sons, but really took off when he began performing with his band, the Greefs.

During production hiatuses, the Greefs played in nightclubs around Hollywood, where they were met with screaming, loyal fans.

"The girls started writing us letters, but not just ordinary letters," Grady said. "They used everything from nail polish to crayons, in as many as 10 colors. They did sketches of us and of themselves, decorative designs, symbolic drawings, hearts and flowers."

Everyone wanted to stand out and get his attention. Sometimes a little nail polish could do just that. Grady said he enjoyed reading the letters — and who wouldn’t? It was a confidence boost and solid proof that My Three Sons was a hit — and so was his music.

"Sometimes the girls made us feel guilty about them spending time on our mail rather than their homework," Grady said. "They would do an especially fancy letter and write, 'Study hour is over soon, so I have to go.'"

Girls may have been missing study time, but the way they wrote to Grady deserves to be studied itself. Just like the fan mail he received, their dedication was a true work of art. And it helped My Three Sons remain a TV favorite for 12 seasons.