He carves the roast at dinner and monitors Beaver's behavior. Paul Sullivan Wally Cleaver Richard Deacon Mr. Baxter Diane Brewster Miss Simms Joseph Kearns Mr. Fred Crowley (as Joe Kearns) Russell Thorson Man with Milk Bottles (as Russ Thorson) Leonard Bremen Milk Bar Proprietor (as Lennie Bremen) Harry Shearer Frankie Bennett Tommy Randall Frankie's Friend Tim Graham Doc Virginia Carroll Nurse Rory O'Connor In a play taken straight from Beaver's life, Mathers was shooting an episode where Beaver cares for a neighbor's cat. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. Beaumont was always professional and friendly on set, but he was severely depressed while working on it. When the war broke out in Vietnam, Jerry Mathers, who played Beaver, wanted to enlist in the Marines. When the show first began, Beaver was only in second grade, making him around 7 years old. This wasnt because cars lacked the technology for them, but rather because the glass of the windshield created a glare when filmed by the cameras. Brewster and Deacon would find roles in the series as Miss Canfield, Beaver's second grade teacher, and Fred Rutherford, Ward's co-worker and father of "Lumpy," Eddie Haskell's easily duped henchman/bully. Barbara's June wore formal attire along with pearls and heels during the show, but it wasn't all about style. Leave it to Beaver Trivia Thatll Change How You See the Show, COPYRIGHT 2020 By TheLifeandTimesofHollywood.com, Stories From The Life and Times of Hollywood. In the episode, the Cleavers reminisce over old photos in a scrapbook while flashback clips are played from previous episodes. But where are the cast members now? Both her pearls and her heels are one of the most cited examples of what it meant to be a housewife in the 1950s. Theres more to the tale of the toilet onLeave It To Beaver than simply being censored for wanting to show a toilet. Paul Sullivan, who initially portrayed Wally, was replaced by Tony Dow after going through a growth spurt following the filming of the pilot episode. In Still the Beaver and The New Leave It to Beaver, Wally is married to high school-sweetheart Mary Ellen and is an attorney engaged in private practice. The series lasted one season on the Disney Channel before being picked up by TBS in 1986 and renamed The New Leave It to Beaver. I was offended. Beaver was relegated to the background. Surprisingly, the show ran for a total of four seasons, and included many of the original cast members real children as actors on the show. Tony Dow appeared in the series proper as Wally for all the episodes. The only actor who didnt return was Hugh Beaumont, who had died several years prior. The original pilot never aired with the mainLeave it to Beaverseries. Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts. Unfortunately for Paul, he grew too much in the six month break before the show went to series. Because of that scene, the show was almost banned from the airwaves entirely. The pilot (originally proposed as Wally and The Beaver) was first televised April 23, 1957, on the syndicated anthology series, Studio 57, without a laugh track nor the series' well known theme song, "The Toy Parade". The Cleaver family from the television program "Leave it to Beaver." In his later years, he became a stockbroker, after finding it hard to break allusions that he really was Lumpy. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. Our condolences. It didnt stop because of poor ratings, though. Instead, Mathers decided to join the United Air Force Reserve. Current "New Leave It to Beaver" cast member Janice Kent, who is also in the audience, discusses becoming a part of the family in the new series. At the beginning episodes of the show, Barbara Billingsley wore flat shoes. In another episode, however, Beaver mentions being only 30 miles from the beach. Eddie might have been quite the rascal on the set ofLeave It To Beaver, but Osmonds future profession showed just how different he was from his character. Jerry Mathers didnt have a normal audition. Many associate June Cleavers classic pearls as the quintessential look for a 1950s housewife, but the truth is, that wasnt necessarily every mothers uniform. When the show first debuted in 1957, its ratings were only so so, which caused executives at CBS to rethink their commitment to the program. Not all passports are created equally. Instead they retitled itIts a Small World. The show was canceled after the first season. One of the shows writers, Joe Connelly, based Wally and Beaver off of his own children, whose antics he would scribble down in a notebook on the regular. In the original Leave it to Beaver pilot, Wally was played by actor Paul Sullivan. What happened to take him out of the spotlight? This wasnt because cars lacked the technology for them, but rather because the glass of the windshield created a glare when filmed by the cameras. Mathers recalled that it took nearly 5 days to find the frightened kitty. Mathers genuinely had a cub scout meeting to go to after his audition, which he was anxious to get too. The series ends with Wally a high-school graduate preparing for State college and Beaver looking forward to entering Mayfield High. In a first-season episode, Mary Ellen cultivates Beaver's friendship in order to get to Wally, then maneuvers Wally into going to a dance against his will. Following that, she starred in the 1997 "Leave it to Beaver Film. The wise father of two boys would often advise Beaver and Wally in hopes that something might stick. Jerry Mathers was a huge star during his time, and the network wanted to make extra money, so they had him record a music single, titled Dont Cha Cry. Let's take a look at 15 "Leave It to Beaver" facts that fans might not know. His usual routine was to drive with his wife, son, and mother-in-law from Minnesota, but didnt have the time. Wally serves as a bridge between Ward, June and Beaver. Some of that stems from the fact that Tony Dow himself was an accomplished athlete, even before he made it onto the show. It took producers a significant amount of negotiation in order to show even that much, but eventually the executives on the Production Code Association, who were responsible for policing film and television decided to relent, so long as the scene wasnt too crude. He is an intelligent, polite teenager, who is trusted by his parents, popular with his peers, and liked by his teachers. The boys were often shown in the bathroom. Ken Osmond at The Paley Center for Media on June 21, 2010 in Beverly Hills, California | Photo: Getty Images. At other times, he clues the parents in on Beaver's activities, plans and feelings. After he was cast as Ward Cleaver, he had to get himself to California pronto, which meant flying. Hugh Beaumonts character, Ward Cleaver, was the character who was always setting good moral examples for his kids to follow. Wally is the "all-American" boy. Oops? Jerry Mathers wanted to take a break from acting in order to focus on going to high school. During one 2014 interview, Mathers appeared onFox News to discuss his favorite recollections from the show. During an interview with MeTV, Jerry Mathers, revealed the reason directors decided to find a new Wally. One high-school friend who made five "romantic" appearances was Julie Foster. When the purebred show cat was put in the tree for the scene, however, it was spooked by its surroundings and ran away. It wasnt uncommon for stars of the 1950s to cross over into other artistic genres, not unlike many stars today. Osmond's part as the two-faced teenage scoundrel, Haskell, was only supposed to be a one-off guest appearance. Even though Mary Ellen was Wally's principal romantic interest, Wally dated several other girls during his high school years. Ward takes pity on the boys and buys them a bicycle. Good thing, too. If you thought Eddie Haskell was a huge brat, dont worry, youre not alone. Eddie was played by the actor Ken Osmond, but due to a little mix up in an interview, many viewers believed Eddie Haskell grew up to become Alice Cooper, the rock musician. Many audience members reminisce about how June Cleaver was always pristine, even while engaging in all sorts of housework. Billingsley followed up her run with a role in the sequel, "The New Leave it to Beaver," which aired in the '80s. The series pilot episode was originally filmed and casted by Max Showalter, and he played Ward Cleaver. In celebration of the TV shows 60th anniversary, many of the cast members began doing interviews on many TV networks in order to discuss their time on the show. In the 1980s, Osmond was shot three times while he was on duty during a chase with a criminal. Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver ( Jerry Mathers) is the younger son of Ward and June and the brother of Wally. Wally is a good student, who, unlike his brother Beaver, rarely gives his parents or teachers cause for concern. Ward Cleaver: Yeah. When the purebred show cat was put in the tree for the scene, however, it was spooked by its surroundings and ran away. James F. Hawkins is an American former actor, producer and writer. In 1980, Ken Osmond was shot three times during a foot chase while working for the LAPD. After the series was picked up by CBS, Hugh Beaumont replaced Casey Adams as Ward Cleaver while the role of Wally went to Tony Dow after Sullivan experienced a growth spurt before the series' production. Fearing bad publicity should a well-loved child star be killed in action, he was told he wouldnt be deployed. When the war broke out in Vietnam, Jerry Mathers, who played Beaver, wanted to enlist in the Marines. Unlike Tony Dow's character, this kid (Paul Sullivan) wasn't as nice as Dow, calling Beaver "stupid" right off the bat and not having the wholesome appealing personality of Dow, although he did treat the Beaver better as the episode went on. Despite the fact that Beavers friend Lumpy was seen as the ultimate nerd throughout the show, when the actor, Frank Bank wrote his autobiography as a result, he claimed that he was rather gifted when it came to his romantic relationships. So instead of letting the jokes roll, they cut any line that garnered too many laughs. After rediscovery, it was aired as the third-season premiere for the 1980s TBS revival series The New Leave It to Beaver on October 4, 1987, exactly 30 years after the original series officially premiered on CBS. The episode cost a whopping $50,000 to film at the time. The show producers finally came to a compromise with the FCC by showing only the toilet tank, and not the bowl. This was the pilot episode of this television series. Unlike most TV shows today, the pilot that was shot forLeave It To Beaver featured several different actors than the ones who would later become famous for the show. Some consider Mayfield to be in Wisconsin, because the town of Madison, as well as the Green Bay Packers, were mentioned. Dow explained,[I]f any line got too much of a laugh, theyd take it out. Osmond passed away in May 2020. In one episode, were shown footage of a town. Gerald Patrick Mathers (born June 2, 1948) is an American actor best known for his role in the television sitcom Leave It to Beaver, originally broadcast from 1957 to 1963. The only actor who didnt return was Hugh Beaumont, who had died several years prior. Did you grow up watching the show? Matthers returned to television for a reunion, "Still the Beaver" in 1983, and appeared in a few episodes of the famous series, "Lassie." Somehow, a myth was begun and perpetuated that Mathers had in fact been killed in Vietnam, which is ironic because the military wouldnt let him serve for that reason. They were never seen in the series - another smart move. Low-key humor was the show's priority and the jokes were intended not to get big laughs. The pilot had no "canned" laughter in the background. Bullies have always seemed to be around, and Frank Bank was the perfectly horrible bully on the show named "Lumpy." He often showed off his personal flare by coming up with constant nicknames for the other characters, most of which were improvised by Ken Osmondon the spot. Paul Sullivan is known for The Book of Life (2014), Megamind (2010) and The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019). Traveling with kids can seem like a daunting prospect if youve never done it before. In the first season of Leave It to Beaver, Wally is a thirteen-year-old in his final year (8th grade) at Grant Avenue Grammar School. It also helped him hide his sneaky ways. Before acting onLeave it to Beaver,Hugh Beaumont was a Methodist minister. The audition led to the producers forLeave it to Beaverdiscovering his talent and asking him to act as Wally Cleaver. It was a good title at face value, but the producers were afraid people might think the show was a nature program. And to celebrate our own enjoyment of the show, we're taking a look at the lives and careers of Hugh, Barbara, Tony and Jerry. One would have imagined that booking such a popular show likeLeave It To Beaver would have been an exciting event, however, for Hugh Beaumont, it led to tragedy. He occasionally makes blunt or inappropriate comments that are bewildering or embarrassing to adults. Hugh Beaumont turned to acting for very different reasons that most performers. To that end, Beaumont was able to play a part in writing for several episodes ofLeave It To Beaver, as well as to also direct some of the episodes. Frankie Bennett, a mischievous boy, tells them new bikes can be had at a local dairy in exchange for 1,000 bottle caps from the company's products. While many people seek side jobs in order to support their acting dreams, Beaumont got into acting for the paycheck. 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To that end, Beaumont was able to play a part in writing for several episodes ofLeave It To Beaver, as well as to also direct some of the episodes. Wally's age permitted the writers to place him in dating situations with his school friends. Release Calendar Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie . [2] Following its April 1957 telecast, the episode was subsequently misplaced and was feared lost until a copy was found in a film vault in Illinois. | Source: Wikimedia Commons. Some of that stems from the fact that Tony Dow himself was an accomplished athlete, even before he made it onto the show. By 1963, no TV show had ever had a proper series finale, butBeaver found itself in a bit of a pickle. After school time is spent practicing sports, and, once home, Wally spends most of his time doing schoolwork in his bedroom. Diane Brewster appears as Miss Simms, a secretary, with Richard Deacon as Mr. Baxter, Miss Simms' boss. Showcase yourself on IMDbPro Add to list More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Known for Leave It to Beaver 7.6 TV Series Wally Cleaver 1957 1 ep Official Detective 8.0 TV Series Tommy Harrison 1957 1 ep Studio 57 7.9 TV Series Wally Cleaver Sadly, he passed away in 1982 from a heart attack at just 79 years old. Later on, they reunited again to film the sequel series "The New Leave It to Beaver. She also did her best to keep her boys out of trouble. She only began wearing heels as the two boys began growing, so she could better appear to tower over them, especially when dealing with their many misdeeds. They've been collecting them all week. Despite the fact that Beavers friend Lumpy was seen as the ultimate nerd throughout the show, when the actor, Frank Bank wrote his autobiography as a result, he claimed that he was rather gifted when it came to his romantic relationships. We actually became much closer as adults, because in the 80s we toured together for 18 months in a play called So Long, Stanley and spent a lot more quality time together.. The pilot episode aired on April 23, 1957, but never aired as an episode within the series. Movies. Before the show, he worked as a Junior Olympics diver. Instead, his son drove the family, but ended up in an accident on the way, which Hughs mother-in-law didnt survive. Ward was originally portrayed by Max Showalter in the pilot episode, while Wally was played by Paul Sullivan. Unlike his brother Beaver (who thinks girls are "creepy"), Wally is popular with the girls and has many girlfriends during the course of the series' run. Wallace "Wally" Cleaver is a fictional character in the iconic American television sitcom Leave It to Beaver. For instance: Ward Cleaver is played by Casey Adams. Because of that scene, the show was almost banned from the airwaves entirely. When the production for the show moved from the Republic Studios to Universal, they built a new version of the original house. If you were to go on a tour of the Universal lot, theres still a chance you too could visit the Cleaver house. Actor: The Natural. The network cancelled the show, butBeavers cancellation was short lived, as it was quickly picked up again by ABC. He even directed a few episodes himself! The Yucatan peninsula is a perennial favorite when it comes to travelers visiting Mexico. Wally is portrayed in the series by Tony Dow. He was so worried about being late for the meeting, he informed the casting team that he had somewhere to be, which they absolutely loved. Wally arrives home and finds his mother preparing dinner; he regales her with teenspeak banter about the day's events at school. The pilot was misplaced but was found and aired as the third season premiere for the 1980s revival series "The New Leave It to Beaver" on October 4, 1987, 30 years after the original series premiered on CBS. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! Trending. He remained on good terms with his former television family until the end. Billingsley passed away due to Polymyalgia at age 94 in 2010. The series was so popular that a television movie "Still the Beaver" was made in 1983. For the main series, producers cast Tony Dow to take Paul Sullivans place as Wally. But he was in high school and I was in grade school, so we had separate teachers.