Yours, Mine and Ours

"And speaking of children."
"We weren't speaking of children."
"We weren't?  Oh thank goodness."

Naval CWO Frank Bearsley (Fonda) is a widower with 10 children.  He has decided to take shore duty to be home for her children.  Helen North (Ball) is a Navy widow with 8 children.  She has moved her family to California and is working as a nurse at the Naval Air Station Alamed.  Frank and Helen meet when he brings his daughter into the dispensary.  The go on a date and hit it off, until they discuss children.

They agree to be friends, but their friend CWO Darrell Harrison (Johnson) thinks they belong together and sets them up.  They can't deny the attraction, and despite their children's objections, they get married.  As a family of 20, they move into a larger home.  Frank institutes a system for bedrooms and bathrooms.  Can everyone stop fighting long enough to become a family?


In 1965 Helen Beardsley wrote the autobiographical book "Who Gets the Drumstick?" about her second marriage.  This film is based on the book, but they did make a few changes.  Frank and Helen wrote to each other before meeting on a blind date.  After they married they had 2 more children.

Before the book was released, Lucille Ball's production company Desilu Productions bought the film rights.  Ball planned to star as Helen North Beardsley, but it took some time to find the right man to play Frank.  Ball was in her 50s when the film was made and Fonda was in his 60s, Frank and Helen were in their 30s when they married.

It is an entertaining family film.  The characters are interesting keep your attention throughout.  The filmmakers chose to have different characters narrate throughout the film, with Fonda starting it out.  The kids even get a chance to narrate.  With such a large family and cast, it is difficult to give all of them fully personalities and characteristics.  You can, mostly, tell the difference between the kids, and you can name most of them, but only a few have individual stories / character traits.  The oldest two children, played by Tim Matheson and Jennifer Leak, get the biggest roles to play.  Eric Shea's Phillip is also memorable and gets a larger role.  Van Johnson gets a few laughs, and a chance to narrate, as Frank's friend and co-worker Darrell (a role created for the film).  It is funny and sweet; I grew up loving this movie and still enjoy it as an adult.

In 2005, the film was remade with Dennis Quaid and Rene Russo.  This version is a further departure from the original novel.  It is funny, but I prefer the original.

Yours, Mine and Ours (1968) 111 minutes
Director: Melville Shavelson
Starring: Lucille Ball as Helen North
Henry Fonda as CWO Frank Beardsley
Van Johnson as CWO Darrell Harrison
Tom Bosley as Family Doctor
Tim Matheson as Mike Beardsley
Jennifer Leak as Colleen North
Gil Rogers as Rusty Beardsley
Kevin Burchett as Nick North
Gary Goetzman as Greg Beardsley
Kimberly Beck as Janette North
Nancy Roth as Rosemary Beardsley
Mitch Vogel as Tommy North
Morgan Brittany as Louise Beardsley
Margot Jane as Jean North
Holly O'Brien as Susan Beardsley
Eric Shea as Philip North
Michele Tobin as Veronica Beardsley
Greg Atkins as Gerald North
Maralee Foster as Mary Beardsley
Lynnell Atkins as Teresa North
Tracy Nelson as Germaine Beardsley
Stephanie Oliver as Joan Beardsley