In 1997, the feature film Leave It to Beaver was released with young Erik von Detten as Wally. Release Calendar Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie . Some of that stems from the fact that Tony Dow himself was an accomplished athlete, even before he made it onto the show. Family matriarch June Cleaver was played by the gorgeous Barbara Billingsley. 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. Jerry Mathers wanted to take a break from acting in order to focus on going to high school. 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 (19851989). Instead, it became the house that was used for a number of other shows as well. While many people seek side jobs in order to support their acting dreams, Beaumont got into acting for the paycheck. During one 2014 interview, Mathers appeared onFox News to discuss his favorite recollections from the show. Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher wrote the teleplay with Jerry Hopper directing the episode. Sullivan would have been a household name for years to come. He slips into slang occasionally, which upsets his mother. After his run as Haskell, Ken Osmond disappeared seemingly for a while, and rumors abounded. Yet another episode made it seem like Mayfield was in Ohio, because Wally supposedly went to a school near Shaker Heights. But the typical chores of a teen boy (mowing the lawn, carrying out the trash, washing windows), apparently are not his. The Cleaver house that was shown on screen for most of the series is still standing in the Universal backlot. Yes, after filming the pilot, Sullivan was growing and, well, grew out of the role. Mathers genuinely had a cub scout meeting to go to after his audition, which he was anxious to get too. Jerry Mathers didnt have a normal audition. | Source: Wikimedia Commons. In a play taken straight from Beavers life, Mathers was shooting an episode where Beaver cares for a neighbors cat. It aired as an installment of "Heinz Studio 57," an anthology series. The movie was developed into a new series titledThe New Leave It To Beaver. Instead, Mathers decided to join the United Air Force Reserve. The only actor who didnt return was Hugh Beaumont, who had died several years prior. The original Wally Mathers is referring to is Paul Sullivan. Beaver - still Jerry Mathers - was a tiny bit smaller than what we saw on the first season, but basically the same kid and character. From Quiz: 'Leave It To Beaver'- The Pilot Episode! 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. 9 of 9 found this interesting | Share this Apparently it was so bad, that nobody listened to it. I quote, "A child's world is his own sacred domain and his privacy must at all times be respected.". Tony Dow wasnt an actor and had no prior acting experience when he started onLeave it to Beaver. Beaver may not have been reliant on pop culture for its storylines, but it certainly made mention of the Sputnik launch during several episodes. One high-school friend who made five "romantic" appearances was Julie Foster. TV Shows. At 69, Jerry Mathers hasnt been acting much lately, but he did surprisingly end up the focus of a tragic rumor during his mid-life years. The romance ends when Beaver sends Penny a toad in a nicely wrapped box. "Leave It to Beaver" might be a hit series of its time, but initially it was canceled by CBS after the first season ended in 1958. He left behind wife Kathryn Adam and their three children, Mark, Kristy, and Hunter. In the originalLeave it to Beaverpilot, Wally was played by actorPaul Sullivan. 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. 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. It was a good title at face value, but the producers were afraid people might think the show was a nature program. In his later years, he became a stockbroker, after finding it hard to break allusions that he really was Lumpy. Two of Wally's friends are pictured, and they are greasy-looking punks. Barbara's June wore formal attire along with pearls and heels during the show, but it wasn't all about style. He didnt even audition forLeave it to Beaveroriginally, but a different show that was cancelled. 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. Paul Sullivan is an actor, known for Over the Top (1987) and Bigger Stronger Faster* (2008). Before acting onLeave it to Beaver,Hugh Beaumont was a Methodist minister. Of course, the show would not have become what it is without the beloved cast members who made up the "All-American Family." Back home, his son, Hunter, drove his mom and grandmother to work one day and lost control of the car. They make Eddie Haskell appear likable. Its characters were relatable, the show had a good balance of humor, and it felt like a real American family. Trending. The Cleaver house that was shown on screen for most of the series is still standing in the Universal backlot. There was a very specific reason producers found the young Jerry Mathers endearing when he showed up to audition for Beaver. He's kind of goofy-looking but he wasn't as bad as I would have guess after I first saw him. Wally, on the other hand was in 8th grade, meaning there was a six year gap between the boys. Menu. Stevens' acting work mostly stuck to the era surrounding "Leave It to Beaver." He appeared in guest . However, Tony Dow wasnt always a member of the fictional family. Gwyneth Paltrow & Chris Martin Are Uncoupling Goals as She Calls Him Sweetest Father in Birthday Post, Gulliver Lewis Had an Old-fashioned Upbringing - Facts about Damian Lewis' Son, Mary Beth Evans Lives 'Suburban Life' in Small House with Husband of 37 Years - They Are 'Coolest Grandparents' of 4, Jerry Mathers Wife Left Him for Another Man While a Doctor Warned He Could Have 3 to 5 Years Left to Live, Michelle Obama Felt Lost & Alone as She Could Not Conceive at 35 - She Described Having a Baby as Magical', The Life of Twins Lindsay & Sidney Greenbush 40 Years after Playing Carrie in 'Little House on the Prairie'. Mathers didnt end up pursuing a music career in the end. Theres more to the tale of the toilet onLeave It To Beaver than simply being censored for wanting to show a toilet. Their bedroom is a principal setting on the show. When the show first began, Beaver was only in second grade, making him around 7 years old. 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. Tony Dow, Barbara Billingsley and Jerry Mathers in a scene from "Leave it to Beaver." That day, the world could have lost a great actor. June Cleaver: I think I'm going to ask them why they're collecting those things. | Source: Wikimedia Commons. Wally Was Re-Cast, Too. Billingsley followed up her run with a role in the sequel, "The New Leave it to Beaver," which aired in the '80s. In one episode, were shown footage of a town. A follow-up series called "The New Leave It To Beaver" followed in 1983 which featured the original characters as the older generation. "Leave It to Beaver" never made it to Nielsen's list of the top 30 shows of the time since there were a plethora of classic shows running at the time. Paul Sullivan is known for The Book of Life (2014), Megamind (2010) and The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019). After the show, Ken Osmond left the acting business in order to become a police officer for the Los Angeles Police Department. Wally Cleaver (Paul Sullivan) is the older son of Ward and June and the brother of Beaver. When the sequel series begins in 1984, Wally and Mary Ellen are the parents of a 10-year-old daughter, Kelly (Kaleena Kiff). Paul Sullivan, Actor: Over the Top. "), such punishments never occur. Simon closes the seminar, expressing his hope that this is one of many cast reunions to . By the end of the show, however, Beaver was set to begin high school, while Wally was graduating, meaning the gap had reduced to only a four year difference. Wally arrives home and finds his mother preparing dinner; he regales her with teenspeak banter about the day's events at school. 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. [4][pageneeded], Last edited on 11 December 2022, at 20:53, "Leave it to DVDs to give us the best of the Beav", "Museums; Weekend Chat; A TV Tribute With No Middle", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=It%27s_a_Small_World_(Leave_It_to_Beaver)&oldid=1126896586, This page was last edited on 11 December 2022, at 20:53. Ward Cleaver: It's nothing to be alarmed about. Ward was originally portrayed by Max Showalter in the pilot episode, while Wally was played by Paul Sullivan. Answer: Alice When Miss Landers (Sue Randall) decided to get married, the newspaper carried a story about it wherein her name, Alice, was given. At the time, no show had ever shown a bathroom, and the censorship authorities wanted to do more than just remove the scene from the show. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! What Cooper had meant was that he behaved a lot like the character of Haskell as a child, not that he portrayed him. TV Shows. Leave It To Beaver had a curious effect on fashion trends of the era. 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. Wally is rarely seen doing regular chores around the house. After school time is spent practicing sports, and, once home, Wally spends most of his time doing schoolwork in his bedroom. Hugh Beaumonts character, Ward Cleaver, was the character who was always setting good moral examples for his kids to follow. In fact, there was someone else who played little Beaver before Dow. He was otherwise an ordained minister with a degree in theology from University of Southern California. When the show first began, Beaver was only in second grade, making him around 7 years old. He was 77. Under their guidance, Jerry recorded two singles, Dontcha Cry and Wind Up Top. Many of the scenarios that Beaver and Wally found themselves in throughout the show often seemed to hit very close to the concerns of other children and teenagers their age. June Cleaver, portrayed by Billingsley, notably wore pearl necklaces in every single episode. Though Wally sometimes warns Beaver he will suffer some sort of physical punishment from Ward ("Dad's gonna clobber you! 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). 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. Production was shifted to a different backlot, and other than their air time changing, the show otherwise remained the same. As the best friend of Wally, Eddie Haskell was tasked with using his smooth-talking to help the Cleaver brothers out. Wally also acts as a foil to the shenanigans of Eddie and Lumpy, but sometimes reluctantly goes along with them. Ward was originally portrayed by Max Showalter in the pilot episode, while Wally was played by Paul Sullivan. By 1963, no TV show had ever had a proper series finale, butBeaver found itself in a bit of a pickle. It was the first series to have a true finale. However, the actor didn't quite follow through with his early career. 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. 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. The writers didnt want the show to be too comedic. Movies. Meanwhile, what a shock to see some of the show's regulars as other people on this episode. 1961-1962 Leave It to Beaver TV Series Bill Scott Scott. Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver (Jerry Mathers) is the younger son of Ward and June Cleaver and Wally's brother. 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. 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. His son announced the news, revealing that loved ones surrounded the actor as he went and adding, "he was loved and will be very missed." Hugh Beaumont was contentious about the role of Ward Cleaver, but fans would likely agree that he fit it perfectly. The actor starred in "Leave It to Beaver" from 1957 to 1963. 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 However, Barbara Billingsley didnt wear heels at the start of the show. 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. 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. In 1985, a sequel to the original series was produced called Still the Beaver, again starring Jerry Mathers and other original cast members. Wally, on the other hand was in 8th grade, meaning there was a six year gap between the boys. UnlikeBeaver,Happy Days was filmed during the 1970s, even though it took place in the 1950s. 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. 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. Thankfully, his bullet-proof vest saved his life. Mathers was dressed in his cub scout uniform, however, it wasnt just a costume choice. The series pilot episode was originally filmed and casted by Max Showalter, and he played Ward Cleaver. In the 1980s, Osmond was shot three times while he was on duty during a chase with a criminal. He has two children and a wife. It stars Barbara Billingsley, Hugh Beaumont, Tony Dow and Jerry Mathers ("as The Beaver", as the opening credits put it). By the time those pesky Alice Cooper rumors spread, Ken Osmond had been a police officer for over 18 years! What is the broadcast (satellite or terrestrial TV) release date of It's a Small World (1957) in Australia? The Yucatan peninsula is a perennial favorite when it comes to travelers visiting Mexico. I was offended. In another episode, however, Beaver mentions being only 30 miles from the beach. 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. Although it was his look of the innocent that got him the part, Matthers would go on to play the role of a troublesome boy quite well. Wally spends his time in the bedroom at a small desk doing school assignments, the boys entertain their friends in the bedroom, and the room is often the scene of Ward's disciplinary lectures. But for Pens & Patron is a travel site dedicated to wandering spirits. So, expect to chuckle, but not too much. Given the character he portrayed, its hard to image Lumpy as anything akin to suave. That was four years before "Leave It to Beaver" aired. His usual routine was to drive with his wife, son, and mother-in-law from Minnesota, but didnt have the time. Unfortunately for Paul, he grew too much in the six month break before the show went to series. 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). 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. 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. Her hobbies included cake decorating and needlepoint. He even directed a few episodes himself! 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. This is because the actors portraying as her sons hit their growth spurt, and in order to maintain the height gap between the characters, Barbara began wearing heels. The pearls would hide the scar from viewers, which made Billingsley more confident about her appearance. 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. 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. I'm happy to see it has survived television, child psychology and the inroads of progressive education. Osmond's part as the two-faced teenage scoundrel, Haskell, was only supposed to be a one-off guest appearance. But after a few episodes, the character began wearing heels in every episode. The show was canceled after the first season. The series premiered on a notable day in history, though it had nothing to do with the show that would become an icon in its own right later on. Jerry got a cut of the revenue from all those products, becoming the first child during the time to have had such an opportunity.