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 Leave it to Beaver was created by writers Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher, who found inspiration among their own children for plot lines and dialogue. This just proves that Beaumont was a man of many talents. 'The Vampire Diaries' Cast: Where Are the Actors of the Iconic Show Now? ", Kami Cotler AKA Elizabeth from 'The Waltons' Is Now a Mom of Two 41 Years after the Show Inside Her Life, Tim Allen Left Ex-wife of 15 Years In the Back Seat When He Found Fame Despite Her Support in His Career, Jon Provost, Who Played Little Timmy in 'Lassie', Was 'Lucky' to Escape the Child Star Curse He Is 71 Now, Jenna Bush Hager Proposed to Her Future Husband a Few Months after the Worst First Date - He Said No', Roseanne Barr Blamed Sara Gilbert for Destroying Her Her Family-Oriented Life After the Scandal. Frank Bank (April 12, 1942 - April 13, 2013) was an American actor, particularly known for his role as Clarence "Lumpy" Rutherford on the 1957-1963 situation comedy television series Leave It to Beaver.. Bank was cast in fifty episodes of Leave It to Beaver between January 24, 1958, until the series finale on May 30, 1963. 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. Wally and Beaver may have been the center of the show, but the story certainly wouldnt have been the same without having Eddie Haskell in the mix. They were never seen in the series - another smart move. Some consider Mayfield to be in Wisconsin, because the town of Madison, as well as the Green Bay Packers, were mentioned. During an interview with MeTV, Jerry Mathers, revealed the reason directors decided to find a new Wally. Later on, they reunited again to film the sequel series "The New Leave It to Beaver. Other cast members include Russ Thorson as Man with Milk Bottles, Leonard Bremen as Milk Bar Operator, Tim Graham as Doc, and Virginia Carroll as Nurse. Mathers recalled that it took nearly 5 days to find the frightened kitty. Many audience members reminisce about how June Cleaver was always pristine, even while engaging in all sorts of housework. In the original Leave it to Beaver pilot, Wally was played by actor Paul Sullivan. He also included their friends in the friends of both Beaver and Wally. 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. Instead, his son drove the family, but ended up in an accident on the way, which Hughs mother-in-law didnt survive. He's kind of goofy-looking but he wasn't as bad as I would have guess after I first saw him. Unfortunately for Paul, he grew too much in the six month break before the show went to series. The only actor who didnt return was Hugh Beaumont, who had died several years prior. Like any other show,Leave it to Beaverhad to stop running. Movies. The producers werent able to figure out a way for the show to go on without him, so they decided it would be best forLeave It To Beaver to go off the air. Actor Paul Sullivan played Wally Cleaver in the show's pilot. Unfortunately, Billingsley was typecast for her sweet demeanor as June, however, she managed a role in "Airplane." Diane Brewster appears as Miss Simms, a secretary, with Richard Deacon as Mr. Baxter, Miss Simms' boss. The network cancelled the show, butBeavers cancellation was short lived, as it was quickly picked up again by ABC. June Cleaver: Ward, can you see any possible use for Franklin Milk bottle caps? Actor: The Natural. Menu. 10. Dow explained,[I]f any line got too much of a laugh, theyd take it out. Mathers didnt end up pursuing a music career in the end. Though show may have been more internally consistent than most TV programs in history, but the fictional Mayfields general location seemed to be in flux. Production was shifted to a different backlot, and other than their air time changing, the show otherwise remained the same. Explore, taste, and write about the world. Instead they retitled itIts a Small World. 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. The pilot had no "canned" laughter in the background. For the main series, producers cast Tony Dow to take Paul Sullivans place as Wally. The pearls would hide the scar from viewers, which made Billingsley more confident about her appearance. His friends, Clarence "Lumpy" Rutherford and Eddie Haskell, have a knack for getting into trouble and taking Wally along for the ride. Tony Dow almost didnt make it into the acting business, but rather decided to tag along with a friend of his who was a lifeguard at one of the pools he swam in. Its characters were relatable, the show had a good balance of humor, and it felt like a real American family. Due to particular relationships around the world, some Accio Potterheads! Mathers didnt end up pursuing a music career in the end. Many associate June Cleavers classic pearls as the quintessential look for a 1950s housewife, but the truth is, that wasnt necessarily every mothers uniform. 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. Because of that scene, the show was almost banned from the airwaves entirely. In 1983, the cast got together again for the filming of the TV movie "Still the Beaver." Yet another episode made it seem like Mayfield was in Ohio, because Wally supposedly went to a school near Shaker Heights. In another episode, Wally takes cha-cha lessons to enter a dance contest with Mary Ellen. Trending. "), such punishments never occur. Oh, who are we kidding, we don't need to summon you guys! Many episodes have a very brief "after school" scene in the kitchen between June and Wally. Jerry Mathers, the main star, resigned to focus on his high school education. Jerry got a cut of the revenue from all those products, becoming the first child during the time to have had such an opportunity. Wally Was Re-Cast, Too. 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. Many audience members reminisce about how June Cleaver was always pristine, even while engaging in all sorts of housework. Dow explained,[I]f any line got too much of a laugh, theyd take it out. Its clear from his profession as a minister, as well as the fact that he had gotten a Masters degree, he was interested in more serious pursuits. If you thought Eddie Haskell was a huge brat, dont worry, youre not alone. Beaver was relegated to the background. The series ends with Wally a high-school graduate preparing for State college and Beaver looking forward to entering Mayfield High. Despite the rumors, Mathers became the star ofBeaverspin off movies and TV shows in the 1980s, which was originally titled,Still The Beaver. He slips into slang occasionally, which upsets his mother. After he was cast as Ward Cleaver, he had to get himself to California pronto, which meant flying. It was Tonys luck, however, that whenLeave It To Beaver realized they needed to recast Wally, they remembered him and gave him a call. The episode cost a whopping $50,000 to film at the time. When the war broke out in Vietnam, Jerry Mathers, who played Beaver, wanted to enlist in the Marines. The house was constructed when the show moved its filming operations over to Universal, and the studio decided not to knock it down. The Cleaver house that was shown on screen for most of the series is still standing in the Universal backlot. 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. To that end, executives attempted to make a pop star out of Jerry Mathers in addition to being a TV star. Wally's age permitted the writers to place him in dating situations with his school friends. Ward Cleaver: It's nothing to be alarmed about. Unfortunately, Sullivan wouldnt be able to reprise Wallys role in other episodes due to an inevitable growth spurt. Movies. That day, the world could have lost a great actor. Yes, after filming the pilot, Sullivan was growing and, well, grew out of the role. 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. Instead, it became the house that was used for a number of other shows as well. Beaumonts mother-in-law was killed in the crash. UnlikeBeaver,Happy Days was filmed during the 1970s, even though it took place in the 1950s. I was offended. He carves the roast at dinner and monitors Beaver's behavior. He would wear his Cub Scouts uniform to the several rounds of audition and tell everyone that he was anxious to get to his den. 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. Today, many of the show's cast members including Hugh Beaumont (Ward Cleaver), Barbara Billingsley (June Cleaver), and Frank Dank (Lumpy Rutherford), are no longer alive, but the memories of them are still fresh. In one episode, Wally runs for class president but loses the election. 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. Americans have been in love with the idealistic Cleaver family for generations since. It was the first series to have a true finale. After the show, Ken Osmond left the acting business in order to become a police officer for the Los Angeles Police Department. The last episode was a retrospective one called "Family Scrapbook" and has claimed its place in TV history as the first prime time sitcom episode specifically written as a series finale. 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. Stevens' acting work mostly stuck to the era surrounding "Leave It to Beaver." He appeared in guest . ", Actress Barbara Billingsley attends the opening of "Radio City Christmas Spectaculor" on December 11, 1998 at the Universal Ampitheater in Universal City, California | Photo: Getty Images. A growth spurt. The toilet was shown in an episode when Wally and Beaver tried to keep a baby alligator in the toilet tank. She also did her best to keep her boys out of trouble. The episode was ranked #42 on TV Guides 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time! The day the series began running was October 4, 1957, which was the same day that the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the very first satellite into space. Ken Osmond at The Paley Center for Media on June 21, 2010 in Beverly Hills, California | Photo: Getty Images. The Gold Coast in Australia, situated 62 miles southeast of Brisbane, has traditionally gotten a Pens & Patron is a travel site dedicated to wandering spirits. Leave It to Beaver was actor Tony Dow's first dramatic experience. Wally is based on Connelly's son, Jay. Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wally_Cleaver&oldid=1129258944, Articles that may contain original research from April 2022, All articles that may contain original research, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, student; various after school jobs including newspaper carrier, drug store soda jerk, and ice cream vendor, This page was last edited on 24 December 2022, at 10:31. The actress wore pearls to conceal the hollow in her neck. Its just stock footage they paid to use. Ward was originally portrayed by Max Showalter in the pilot episode, while Wally was played by Paul Sullivan. Beaver says, "I filled the bathtub so it'd be ready for our alligator." Wally answers, "Beaver, if we keep him in there, we won't be able to take a bath." Beaver finishes the joke with, "Yeah, it's real good having an alligator." Despite the absurdity of this episode, it was the first to show a toilet on television. But its not the main point of my life. Beaver became the first program to show a toilet on screen, but were only allowed to show the tank and handle. If you were to go on a tour of the Universal lot, theres still a chance you too could visit the Cleaver house. The character Wally was portrayed by Paul Sullivan in the pilot episode. Paul Sullivan is known for Leave It to Beaver (1957), Official Detective (1957) and Studio 57 (1954). Tony Dow, the wholesome actor who portrayed "the perfect big brother" Wally Cleaver on the everlasting TV comedy Leave It to Beaver and its 1980s sequel, has died. Unfortunately, Sullivan wouldn't be able to reprise Wally's role in other episodes due to an inevitable growth spurt. He was otherwise an ordained minister with a degree in theology from University of Southern California. Both her pearls and her heels are one of the most cited examples of what it meant to be a housewife in the 1950s. One day after "Leave It to Beaver" star Tony Dow was pronounced dead by mistake, his son issued a confirmation Wednesday saying his father died after a long health battle in hospice care. June Cleaver: The boys have got a whole dishpan of them upstairs. At the beginning episodes of the show, Barbara Billingsley wore flat shoes. 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. Beaumont didn't remain the show business after "Leave It to Beaver." Dow portrays an adult Wally Cleaver in both the reunion telemovie, Still the Beaver (1983), and in the sequel series The New Leave It to Beaver (1985-1989). Barbara Billingsley chose pearls as part of her regular costume because she had a small scar on her neck that she deemed unsightly for the cameras. Talk about an impressive case of problem-solving! Fans got this idea when a college newspaper editor asked Cooper what kind of kid he was, to which he answered, I was obnoxious, disgusting, a real Eddie Haskell. However, the reporter misquoted him and reported that Cooper was the real Haskell. 9 of 9 found this interesting | Share this Wally is the thirteen-year-old son of archetypal 1950s suburban parents, Ward and June Cleaver and the older brother of the seven-year-old ("almost eight") title character, Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver. After the directors decided to give the role to Dow, he would go on to be a permanent fixture on the show until its end. Wally's first girlfriend on the show is Penny Jamison, a New York girl he meets during ballroom lessons at Miss Spencer's School of the Dance. Toilet scenes were not shown on television back then, but "Leave It to Beaver" became the first although it was just the tank. Hugh Beaumonts character, Ward Cleaver, was the character who was always setting good moral examples for his kids to follow. There was a very specific reason producers found the young Jerry Mathers endearing when he showed up to audition for Beaver. 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 1985, a sequel to the original series was produced called Still the Beaver, again starring Jerry Mathers and other original cast members. Hugh Beaumont wasnt content to simply act on the show. So many people, in fact, that TV Guide ranked Eddie Haskell as #2 in their list of TVs 10 Biggest Brats on its March 27, 2005 issue. The Soviet Union announced that it had launched "Sputnik I" into space on October 4, 1963, the same day the show debuted. He has played the same character (Wally Cleaver) on three different series: Leave It to Beaver (1957), The Love Boat (1977) and The New Leave It to Beaver (1983). 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. Still, that didn't happen. 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. Son of actor Lyle Talbot Stephen was born on February 28 1949 in California. However, Tony Dow wasnt always a member of the fictional family. Jerry Mathers as Beaver Cleaver from the television program "Leave It to Beaver." Production was shifted to a different backlot, and other than their air time changing, the show otherwise remained the same. Sneaky Frankie Bennett tells Beaver that he can win a new bicycle by entering a popular television show's Franklin Milk bottle-cap contest, but Beaver and big brother Wally cause quite a com Sneaky Frankie Bennett tells Beaver that he can win a new bicycle by entering a popular television show's Franklin Milk bottle-cap contest, but Beaver and big brother Wally cause quite a commotion at the milk company's office when no one there seems to know anything about a conte Sneaky Frankie Bennett tells Beaver that he can win a new bicycle by entering a popular television show's Franklin Milk bottle-cap contest, but Beaver and big brother Wally cause quite a commotion at the milk company's office when no one there seems to know anything about a contest after the boys show up to claim their prize, pulling a wagon loaded with a thousand bot See production, box office & company info. Dow never intended to get into acting, so it's no surprise that after the show ended, he moved behind the scenes and became a director. Actress Barbara Billingsley was insecure about a dent in her neck, so she wore a pearl necklace to disguise it. Originally, the pilot for the show was titled "It's a Small World." June Cleaver: All right, but we respected it last summer and they set fire to the attic! So instead of letting the jokes roll, they cut any line that garnered too many laughs. What is the broadcast (satellite or terrestrial TV) release date of It's a Small World (1957) in Australia? Leave It to Beaver is an iconic [1] American television situation comedy about an American family of the 1950s and early 1960s. Before acting onLeave it to Beaver,Hugh Beaumont was a Methodist minister. In order to be able to see the boys sitting in the back seat of the car, the glass was therefore removed, which solved the problem of glare. After the show, Ken Osmond went on to become a Los Angeles Police Officer. Thank goodness they made some major changes before the actual first season began because there were some actors who needed to be replaced. The original Wally Mathers is referring to is Paul Sullivan. The name "Leave It to Beaver" went from being a '50s classic to a household phrase and one of the most popular references in sitcom history. Its clear from his profession as a minister, as well as the fact that he had gotten a Masters degree, he was interested in more serious pursuits. 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. Wally and Beaver may have been the center of the show, but the story certainly wouldnt have been the same without having Eddie Haskell in the mix. | Source: Wikimedia Commons. In the episode, the Cleavers reminisce over old photos in a scrapbook while flashback clips are played from previous episodes. | Source: Wikimedia Commons. He sometimes clears the dinner table for his mother (i.e., he carries a few dirty dishes to the kitchen), and in one episode is seen drying dishes. He didnt just act as Ward Cleaver, he also wrote a couple episodes. What happened to take him out of the spotlight? Heres 22 of them from The History Garage.com. He even directed a few episodes himself! He left behind wife Kathryn Adam and their three children, Mark, Kristy, and Hunter. 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. The boys collect the bottle caps, but, in attempting to redeem them, learn they've been duped. Child actor Paul Sullivan, however, portrays the character in the series pilot, "It's a Small World", which aired in April 1957. | Source: Wikimedia Commons. In one episode, however, Ward is out of town and Wally is asked to play the man of the house. By 1963, no TV show had ever had a proper series finale, butBeaver found itself in a bit of a pickle. He sometimes humorously regards his parents as clueless squares. The Cleaver family from the television program "Leave it to Beaver." The show ends with Beaver and Wally playing with a wind-up toy and laughing like children. Beaumont blamed himself and his work on the show for her death, because he wasnt there to drive the car instead of Hunter. Luckily for Osmond, he was wearing a bullet proof vest, which ultimately saved his life. It just so happened that playing Ward Cleaver was the best way to do so. However, its Everybody has a different definition of a perfect vacation. 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. More than 60 years after Leave It To Beaver first began airing in 1957, it still maintains its place in the pantheon of great television. | Source: Wikimedia Commons. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. 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. He was played by Tony Dow, who went from being an Olympics diving champion to one of the most unforgettable faces on tv. Itd be weird if a show didnt tie up all of its loose ends. 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. Mathers was dressed in his cub scout uniform, however, it wasnt just a costume choice. For his appearance, he pulled out the old interview uniform, explaining that during the shows run, he and Tony Dow would wear a Mayfield High School letterman sweater for their press appearances. As of September 2012 he was living and working in Topanga Canyon, CA, as a sculptor. In 1986, Mary Ellen gives birth to their second child, Kevin (who was age advanced to 4 years old in the fall of 1987 and played by Troy Davidson). After he was cast as Ward Cleaver, he had to get himself to California pronto, which meant flying. Were very good friends. This just proves that Beaumont was a man of many talents. Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher wrote the teleplay with Jerry Hopper directing the episode. It's been over five decades since the hit show "Leave It to Beaver" ended, but fans still remember the adventures of little Theodore who breathed life into the series. Based on the success of the show and the character of Wally, the decision appeared to be the correct one. Fearing bad publicity should a well-loved child star be killed in action, he was told he wouldnt be deployed. 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. Fans looked for clues in every episode, but soon found out from the writers and producers that the show was set in Mayfield, a fictional town meant to represent the American ideal. It never was.Jeanne Moreau (b. 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. The only actor who didnt return was Hugh Beaumont, who had died several years prior. Paul Sullivan, who initially portrayed Wally, was replaced by Tony Dow after going through a growth spurt following the filming of the pilot episode. So, expect to chuckle, but not too much. When considering the most iconic 1950s cool guy, most people think of Fonzy fromHappy Days before rememberingLeave It To Beaver. Penny has danced with college boys and thinks Wally dances just as smoothly as they do. In 1980, Ken Osmond was shot three times during a foot chase while working for the LAPD. He ended up managing several cast members investments. The movie was developed into a new series titledThe New Leave It To Beaver. Her hobbies included cake decorating and needlepoint. [1] The series made its CBS debut several months later on October 4, 1957, with the episode, "Beaver Gets 'Spelled". That episode was aired as the pilot episode almost 6 months before the main series debuted, but the main series was re-cast, and Showalter was replaced by Beaumont. This was because Paul Sullivan had grown too tall in between pilot and series. Most people think it was just part of the characters costume, but thats not why she wore them. Some of that stems from the fact that Tony Dow himself was an accomplished athlete, even before he made it onto the show. The Yucatan peninsula is a perennial favorite when it comes to travelers visiting Mexico. It stars Barbara Billingsley, Hugh Beaumont, Tony Dow and Jerry Mathers ("as The Beaver", as the opening credits put it).

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