Leave It To Beaver - General Discussion

[Maverick]

 Just because we don't see it snow doesn't mean they're in a perpetually warm climate.  Hazel was equally vague about it's setting (the town didn't even have a name) but it was clearly on the east coast, most likely somewhere between New York and DC.  But we didn't see it snow, just Harold in a jacket sometimes. 

 I do agree Mayfield had to be on the Pacific coast. It reads as a Midwest small town but there are several references to surfing later in the show.  The have to be somewhere well north of LA though because they remarked about the distance when they call Don Drysdale all the way in LA. 

[peacheslatour]

3 hours ago, Maverick said:

 Just because we don't see it snow doesn't mean they're in a perpetually warm climate.  Hazel was equally vague about it's setting (the town didn't even have a name) but it was clearly on the east coast, most likely somewhere between New York and DC.  But we didn't see it snow, just Harold in a jacket sometimes. 

 I do agree Mayfield had to be on the Pacific coast. It reads as a Midwest small town but there are several references to surfing later in the show.  The have to be somewhere well north of LA though because they remarked about the distance when they call Don Drysdale all the way in LA. 

They're sure as hell not in SF. Maybe they're somewhere in Oregon.

[mmecorday]

This morning June was flipping out over Wally's greaser hairdo. She was worried that such a look would reflect badly on her and Ward. Get a grip, lady. She acted like he had joined a motorcycle gang.

[peacheslatour]

3 hours ago, icemiser69 said:

Given the way June acted, it is hard to believe she ever had sex.

There were times when she couldn't function at all.   Just about every time the kids did something stupid at school, the principal would call and want to talk to Ward. Not June, Ward.  I guess June was only good for house cleanin', cookin', and baby makin'.

June could have taken the initiative on her own to march down to the school and hash things out with the principal.  But no, most of the time she asked Ward to do it.

I think a lot of it was because they only had one car. Although with all of June's helplessness, I'm surprised she knew how to drive.

[GreekGeek]

6 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

I think a lot of it was because they only had one car. Although with all of June's helplessness, I'm surprised she knew how to drive.

Did she? I don't recall her ever being shown driving.

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, GreekGeek said:

Did she? I don't recall her ever being shown driving.

I remember her telling Ward she needed the car for something or other.

[chessiegal]

12 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

I remember her telling Ward she needed the car for something or other.

My memory is grocery shopping. The show is coming to fetv next week at 11 am ET. I've seen every show enough times I no longer feel the need to watch. For awhile it was a palate cleanser.

[peacheslatour]

Quote

They missed a golden opportunity of having June going through the process of getting her driver's license.  That would have been an interesting episode.

I read that the writers would refuse to make anyone on the show look buffoonish.

[chessiegal]

Plus, the show stood out because they are the first sitcom told from the kids view. Making an episode about June is not consistent with the show premise.

[peacheslatour]

Actor Tony Dow, 76, who played a role in “Leave it to Beaver”, has been hospitalized due to pneumonia. 

The actor, director, and sculptor is perhaps famously recognized for playing the older brother character, Walley Cleaver, in 234 episodes of the sitcom’s run from 1957 to 1963. That’s why numerous fans took note that he had been taken to the emergency room on Thursday. 

His wife, Lauren, has revealed that his illness is not linked to COVID-19. Also, he was tested numerous times for COVID-19, but every report came negative. Although, that doesn’t indicate that his illness isn’t being exacerbated by the COVID-19. 

Lauren disclosed that her husband, actor Tony Dow was in an emergency room bed for a full 24 hours before he was capable to get a general hospital bed and begin getting treated properly for his pneumonia.

- Bulletin Buzz

[TheLastKidPicked]

Thank you for letting us know about Tony Dow, @peacheslatour

 

When you watch interviews with him or the other cast members, it shows how normal and happy they seem to be as adults.  It's good to see.

 

[mmecorday]

Thank you, @peacheslatour for the update! I always thought Tony Dow was so cute. He and Jerry Mathers were so believable as brothers.

[chessiegal]

Thank goodness after today I won't have to see the ads for the marathon. fetv acts like picking up Leave It To Beaver is the greatest thing since sliced bread. The show is already on MeTV every weekday morning. After them dropping my beloved The Wild Wild West, they can kiss my grits.

Edited September 12, 2021 by chessiegal

[chessiegal]

On 9/12/2021 at 7:05 PM, icemiser69 said:

It makes me sad every time I go to wiki to read about TWWW.   The series was canceled even though it had high ratings. 🐴

Yeah, it was the victim of "too violent tv" of 1970. Conrad said it was probably for the best since they were starting to get hurt on set. fetv actually did me a favor because I bought the whole series on DVD. The 2-4 seasons in color are sooo much better on DVD than the over the air. You can see the difference when you compare the episodes side by side. (I managed to record 81 of the 104 episodes before fetv dropped it.)

I've watched every episode of Leave It To Beaver at least 3 times. I'm giving it a rest.

[mmecorday]

Did anyone else find Gilbert even more irritating than Eddie?

[peacheslatour]

49 minutes ago, mmecorday said:

Did anyone else find Gilbert even more irritating than Eddie?

He was irritating as hell but he was funny. Eddie? Not so much.

[chessiegal]

Our driveway is the bus stop for the neighborhood kids. They are a good bunch, and some of the parents stay with the elementary kids until the bus picks them up. They usually put our newspapers on the door step, and pull in the trash cans on trash day. My husband says we have an Eddie Haskell in the group. He's seen him picking on one boy, and is absolutely obsequious when he speaks to my husband. 😄 

[TheLastKidPicked]

14 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

My husband says we have an Eddie Haskell in the group. He's seen him picking on one boy, and is absolutely obsequious when he speaks to my husband. 😄 

This shows exactly how deeply Leave it to Beaver is ingrained in our culture.

When you say,  "That kid is an Eddie Haskell"  most people know exactly what you mean.

 

[mmecorday]

Quote

When you say,  "That kid is an Eddie Haskell"  most people know exactly what you mean.

Except Suzanne Sugarbaker!

I watched the episode this morning where Wally and the Beaver are babysitting a little girl named Puddin'. She keeps saying "I wanna see Mary Jane!" which is what she says when she needs to use the bathroom. She ends up locking herself in the bathroom. This just gives you an idea of how long the "people who shouldn't be looking after a kid look after a kid" TV trope has been around.

Cute episode, though.

[Egg McMuffin]

On 11/29/2021 at 12:10 PM, mmecorday said:

Did anyone else find Gilbert even more irritating than Eddie?

There’s something about Gilbert’s intonations that always crack me up. Stephen Talbot, who played Gilbert, did an interview with Jerry Mathers in the last year or two. And I recognized him immediately, not by his appearance, but by the way he spoke.

[Fool to cry]

 

 

[S45apUSA]

How old were his married older brother and his older sister?

How did Lumpy going bully and obviously a lot older then even Wally to only two years older then Wally to being in Wally’s years having been kept back? Wally was a pretty good student and a good athlete in fact even lettered in three sports in Freshman year and also as Senior.

Edited February 7, 2022 by S45apUSA

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 8/25/2021 at 8:18 PM, peacheslatour said:

I remember her telling Ward she needed the car for something or other.

They actually showed her pulling into the driveway in the episode about Ward putting up the basketball hoop.  It seemed to me she came in kind of hot, so maybe she's doesn't drive all that often.  😀

Quote

There were times when she couldn't function at all.   Just about every time the kids did something stupid at school, the principal would call and want to talk to Ward. Not June, Ward.  I guess June was only good for house cleanin', cookin', and baby makin'.

I just watched the episode about Pancho the chihuahua.  Mrs. Rayburn calls Ward at the office.  When Ward got home, June admitted that Mrs. Rayburn had called the house first, but June thought Ward would be better able to handle it because Mr. Rayburn used to be one of her teachers and she still makes her nervous. 

Also, as for the location, in the episode where Wally goes on a date with the girl who sells tickets at the movie theater, she says her parents live in California.  June has misgivings about the girl, and Ward opines that it's because she's from California.  So I don't think Mayfield is in California.  Or she's a self-hating Californian.

BTW, I loved June's backbone in the episode where Beaver gave Ward's suits to the school's clothing drive.  At the dinner table, Ward is talking about who needs to go to school to straighten it out--he's too busy, Beaver would be embarrassed, and Wally's a nonstarter, "So I guess whole thing sort of falls on you, dear." 

June pushes back:  "I think we'll have a small recount here."  "Who put the suits where they were?"  Ward admits, "I did."  "Who forgot to tell anyone they were for the cleaners?"  Ward says, "Well, I guess I did...but I put a note in the pocket."   "And furthermore, who told Beaver to take the clothes that were in the hall?"  Ward:  "I guess I did."  June:  "Well then logically, who should get the suits back?"  Ward (sheepishly):  "Me."

It was shot brilliantly, showing Beaver's head going back and forth like at a  tennis match.  When they finish, Beaver says, "Boy, mom, that was neat."  And Wally says, "Yeah, just like Perry Mason."  And a satisfied June asks Ward, "Wouldn't care to poll the jury, would you?"

I like June, and I like Ward. 

Edited February 26, 2022 by StatisticalOutlier
punctuation

[mmecorday]

In the latter seasons it was much more evident that Tony Dow was a better actor than Jerry Mathers. His comic delivery was on point too. I was watching an episode from the last season this morning and Wally told his father not to lecture Beaver. "You've been lecturing him for 13 years and he's still pretty stupid," he said.

[peacheslatour]

2 hours ago, mmecorday said:

In the latter seasons it was much more evident that Tony Dow was a better actor than Jerry Mathers. His comic delivery was on point too. I was watching an episode from the last season this morning and Wally told his father not to lecture Beaver. "You've been lecturing him for 13 years and he's still pretty stupid," he said.

My favorite Wally moment was when Beaver developed a crush on a girl who was out of his league.

Wally: "You really like this girl, huh?"

Beaver: "No, I hate her."

Wally: "Oh, it's one of those deals."

[GreekGeek]

Some sad news for us Leave it to Beaver fans: Tony Dow has cancer.

[AZChristian]

Tony Dow has passed away.

RIP.

[BetterButter]

Reports: Tony Dow, ‘Leave It to Beaver’ Star, in Hospice Despite Representatives Announcing Death

[GreekGeek]

17 hours ago, BetterButter said:

Reports: Tony Dow, ‘Leave It to Beaver’ Star, in Hospice Despite Representatives Announcing Death

Yes, the reports were a bit premature, but when you hear about hospice care, it means the end is near. 😪

[Egg McMuffin]

Yep. And they’re now reporting his death again.

[mmecorday]

I watched most of the "Leave It To Beaver" episodes on MeTV Sunday. I never understood what was so wrong with Wally's suit in "Wally's New Suit." Ward says he thinks it's a little loud. Maybe if the episode had been in color I would have agreed. But this was at a time when everyone was supposed to pretty much look the same.

[JAYJAY1979]

June became more decisive in the 80s revival with being on the city council, dating, and being the word of wisdom.  

I read somewhere once where the actress playing June said her kids wish she was like Mrs Cleaver..and it's funny because she was a career woman and not a Mrs Cleaver in real life.  Always thought that was ironic.

[chessiegal]

Watched an episode this morning where June was whisking what I presumed to be eggs with a fish spatula. WTF? Didn't they have whisks back then? My mom didn't have a whisk, but she whisked eggs with a fork.

[peacheslatour]

19 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

Watched an episode this morning where June was whisking what I presumed to be eggs with a fish spatula. WTF? Didn't they have whisks back then? My mom didn't have a whisk, but she whisked eggs with a fork.

I own two excellent whisks but when I make scrambled eggs, I stir and fold them in the pan with this but only because I don't want to use a metal whisk in my non stick pan.

Edited November 15, 2022 by peacheslatour

[chessiegal]

June was whisking something in a bowl. There was a bag of flour on the counter, so I guess they were going for her making a cake. It just seemed to me the director didn't know how to whisk something, although you'd think Barbara would know. 🤷‍♀️

[chessiegal]

fetv is back to Season 1. I've noticed that Ward is usually dressed casually at home, casual shirt with the top button undone. In later seasons they seem to often have him in a suit and tie at home.

I think it was the third episode where at the end, they tell the boys they will be "eating alone tonight" as June and Ward were going out to dinner. I'm thinking WTF? They're leaving six- and nine-year-olds alone? I don't know what the writers were thinking.

Edited January 11, 2023 by chessiegal

[Bethany]

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

I'm thinking WTF? They're leaving six- and nine-year-olds alone? I don't know what the writers were thinking.

So funny, I was just reading a kids book written in the '50s where one of the characters is chastising a set of 5 yr old twins as being too old to need a babysitter!  I am hoping the author wasn't actually thinking this was realistic!

[chessiegal]

I stand corrected on how old Beaver and Wally are in Season 1. On the episode where Wally joins the Boy Scouts, Beaver says he is 7 and Wally is 12.

[HyeChaps]

I always thought they were four years apart. 
At the end, Wally is graduating high school and Beaver is graduating eighth grade. 

[Maverick]

Wally started high school in season 2but didn't graduate until season 6 so there's definitely some wonkiness there. 

[chessiegal]

Evidently the writers hadn't settled on their ages in the beginning of series. Wasn't Beaver in the 2nd grade in the first season? The series lasted 6 years, so that does put Beaver in 8th grade the last season. And yes, Wally was graduating from high school that year. 

 

[Maverick]

 Beaver would have been in the 7th grade in season 6 if he was in the 2nd grade at the start of the series so it's like Wally lost a year and Beaver gained one. 

[chessiegal]

Quote

When the show opens, Beaver is seven years old ("almost eight") and in second grade at Grant Avenue Grammar School.

Quote

During season one, Wally was in 8th grade and Beaver was in 2nd - six years apart. By the end season six Beaver was finishing 8th grade and Wally was graduating high school - 4 years apart.

So yeah, time frames were changed.

[J-Man]

So Lumpy wasn't the only one who was "held back."

[One4Sorrow2TooBad]

When you have friends like Eddie Haskell and Tutti,  no wonder the others didn't get held back more.

[GreekGeek]

On 1/18/2023 at 9:40 PM, One4Sorrow2TooBad said:

When you have friends like Eddie Haskell and Tutti,  no wonder the others didn't get held back more.

I know Eddie, of course, but I don’t remember Tutti. I am guessing you meant Tooey, though I’m not sure that’s how to spell his name either. I don’t remember him doing anything particularly bad or stupid. He was the “nerdy” one of Wally’s friends. (Played by “Tiger” Fafara, brother of Stanley “Whitey” Fafara).

[peacheslatour]

8 hours ago, GreekGeek said:

I know Eddie, of course, but I don’t remember Tutti. I am guessing you meant Tooey, though I’m not sure that’s how to spell his name either. I don’t remember him doing anything particularly bad or stupid. He was the “nerdy” one of Wally’s friends. (Played by “Tiger” Fafara, brother of Stanley “Whitey” Fafara).

Out of all the friends the boys had, Gilbert was my favorite. He was hilarious.

And you spelled Tooey correctly.

[HyeChaps]

My money would be on Lumpy for Most Likely to be Left Back.

[peacheslatour]

42 minutes ago, HyeChaps said:

My money would be on Lumpy for Most Likely to be Left Back.

He was at some point wasn't he?

[chessiegal]

17 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

He was at some point wasn't he?

I thought so too but haven't found verification. In the wonky ages of the characters in Season 1, Lumpy was 16 and Wally was 12. Seems Lumpy lost years in later seasons the way Wally did, or it could be he was held back. 🤷‍♂️