Actor and motorsports historian Tim Considine passed away at his home in Los Angeles March 3 at 81.
He was best-known to the general public as an actor, with major roles in My Three Sons and Disney TV serials Spin and Marty and The Hardy Boys. He also appeared in many films over the decades. One of his most memorable roles was as the soldier who gets slapped by George C. Scott in Patton and he also appeared in The Shaggy Dog in 1959. In addition to his acting, Considine wrote episodes of My Three Sons, Combat and Tarzan.
He was named a Disney Legend in 2006.
Considine was an automotive enthusiast from a young age, but really loved motor racing and followed it passionately, eventually turning his attention to photography and writing about motorsport. And he wrote about it well, historical accuracy his mission, telling stories that had never been told.
He contributed to many publications, including The New York Times Magazine, Autoweek, Sports Car International and Vintage Motorsport, just to name a few. Among his published photography was the image photo for Joni Mitchell’s album, “Blue.”
Considine’s books included 1979’s The Photographic Dictionary of Soccer, 1983’s The Language of Sport, 1997’s American Grand Prix Racing: A Century of Drivers & Cars and 2018’s Twice Around the Clock: The Yanks at Le Mans.
I first met Tim when I took over as Editor-in-Chief of Sports Car International and Vintage Motorsport in early 1997, he already a regular contributor to both publications. We hit it off immediately and I always looked forward to his phone calls and what he was up to.
When he began Twice Around the Clock, he phoned to tell me (always calling me “Drandy”) that the article he was writing at the time for Vintage Motorsport’s July/August 2013 issue on race driver Bob Said, would probably be his last magazine story, because the three-volume work on Yanks at Le Mans would be taking all of his working time.
The effort was more than well worth it, the award-winning multiple-volume work one of the best efforts ever on racing history.
He is survived by his wife Willie, son Chris, sister Erin and grandchildren Ethan and Tyler.
Tim’s countless friends in the automotive world will miss his humor and passion for motorsport and admire the way he went through a most interesting life, his way. He was a treasure to know and call a friend and I was honored to work with him.—D. Randy Riggs
