Tom Corbett wasn't like the other sitcom dads. In 1969, while most TV fathers were busy dispensing wisdom in pleated slacks and avoiding anything resembling an actual emotion, Bill Bixby brought something messy to the screen. He played a widower. He played a man who was visibly, palpably trying to figure out how to be both a mother and a father to a seven-year-old boy.
It worked.
The Courtship of Eddie's Father wasn't just a show about a cute kid trying to get his dad remarried. Honestly, it was a masterclass in chemistry. People still talk about the bond between Bixby and Brandon Cruz, the kid who played Eddie. It didn't feel like acting. It felt like eavesdropping on a private conversation between two people who genuinely liked each other.
The show, which ran on ABC from 1969 to 1972, was based on a 1961 novel by Mark Toby and a subsequent 1963 film starring Glenn Ford. But the TV version? That's the one that stuck. It had this breezy, Southern California aesthetic, a killer theme song by Harry Nilsson, and a surprisingly progressive heart.
The Chemistry That Couldn't Be Faked
Most child actors of that era were polished to a terrifying sheen. They hit their marks, they said their lines, and they smiled like they were selling insurance. Brandon Cruz was different. He had this shaggy hair and a natural way of speaking that often drifted into improvisation.
Bill Bixby insisted on it.
💡 You might also like: Why Love Island Season 7 Episode 23 Still Feels Like a Fever Dream
Bixby wasn't just the lead actor; he directed many episodes and had a heavy hand in the show's tone. He treated Cruz like a peer on set. If Eddie stumbled over a word or drifted off-topic, Bixby stayed in character and rolled with it. That’s why the dialogue feels so erratic and human. You’ll see scenes where they’re just sitting on a pier or walking through a park, and the conversation meanders. It’s not "plot-driven" in the way modern TV is. It’s just... life.
Behind the scenes, the relationship was just as tight. Cruz has often spoken in interviews about how Bixby became a second father figure to him, especially since Cruz's own home life was somewhat turbulent. This wasn't a "Hollywood brat" situation. It was a mentorship.
Mrs. Livingston and the Breaking of Stereotypes
You can't talk about The Courtship of Eddie's Father without talking about Miyoshi Umeki. She played Mrs. Livingston, the housekeeper. In the late sixties, having a Japanese character in a lead role was a big deal, but the way she was written was even more significant.
She wasn't a punchline.
Mrs. Livingston was often the smartest person in the room. She was the emotional anchor for both Tom and Eddie. While the show occasionally leaned into "Eastern wisdom" tropes that might feel a bit dated now, Umeki played the role with such immense dignity and quiet power that she transcended the script. She won an Oscar for Sayonara years earlier, and she brought that same caliber of acting to a weekly sitcom.
📖 Related: When Was Kai Cenat Born? What You Didn't Know About His Early Life
Then there was James Komack. He was the producer and also played Norman Tinker, Tom’s eccentric photographer friend. Norman was the "fun uncle" archetype, but he also represented the changing culture of the early 70s—the sideburns, the wilder clothes, the rejection of the 1950s suit-and-tie office culture.
That Theme Song (You’re Humming It Now)
"People let me tell you 'bout my best friend..."
Harry Nilsson’s "Best Friend" is arguably one of the most recognizable theme songs in television history. It perfectly encapsulated the show’s thesis: the core relationship wasn't about authority; it was about companionship.
Interestingly, the show was quite expensive to produce for its time because it moved away from the traditional three-camera sitcom setup. They used a single-camera film style, which allowed for those beautiful location shots around Los Angeles and a more cinematic feel. It didn't have a laugh track in the way we usually think of them. It was quiet. It used silence as a tool.
Why It Ended and What It Left Behind
The show didn't get cancelled because people stopped watching. It got cancelled because of a rift between Bill Bixby and James Komack. Creative differences are a cliché in Hollywood, but in this case, it was a genuine clash of visions regarding where the characters should go. Bixby wanted more realism; Komack wanted to lean into the sitcom elements.
👉 See also: Anjelica Huston in The Addams Family: What You Didn't Know About Morticia
When the show ended in 1972, it left a void. There wouldn't be another "single dad" show that felt this grounded for a long time.
Looking back, The Courtship of Eddie's Father dealt with some heavy stuff for a "family" show. It touched on grief, the fear of a parent dating again, and the loneliness of being an only child. But it always came back to that central bond.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to revisit the series or share it with a new generation, here is the current state of play for the show:
- Streaming status: The show is notoriously difficult to find on major subscription platforms like Netflix or Hulu. However, it frequently pops up on "retro" networks like MeTV or Catchy Comedy.
- Physical Media: The complete series was released on DVD via the Warner Archive Collection. These are often manufactured-on-demand, so if you see a copy, grab it. The image quality is surprisingly good because it was shot on film.
- The Brandon Cruz Connection: For a trip down a rabbit hole, look up Brandon Cruz's later career. He didn't stay a child star; he became a punk rock singer for the band Dr. Know and even filled in for Jello Biafra in the Dead Kennedys. It’s the ultimate "where are they now" twist.
- The Bixby Legacy: If you only know Bill Bixby from The Incredible Hulk, watching this show is essential. You see the incredible range he had—the lightness, the comedic timing, and the vulnerability that made him one of the most bankable TV stars of the 20th century.
The show remains a time capsule of a very specific moment in American culture—the bridge between the rigid 1960s and the experimental 1970s. It’s a reminder that good storytelling doesn't need a gimmick. It just needs two people sitting on a beach, talking about the world.