Wally - this was the weirdest and worst aspect of the pilot. "Tony was a beautiful soul kind, compassionate, funny and humble," they said. 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. A few episodes deal with Wally's teen taste in hairstyles and clothing. Answer: Alice When Miss Landers (Sue Randall) decided to get married, the newspaper carried a story about it wherein her name, Alice, was given. [1] It never aired as an episode within the series. Traveling with kids can seem like a daunting prospect if youve never done it before. Beaumont blamed himself and his work on the show for her death, because he wasnt there to drive the car instead of Hunter. 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. 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. Wally Was Re-Cast, Too. 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. When the sequel series begins in 1984, Wally and Mary Ellen are the parents of a 10-year-old daughter, Kelly (Kaleena Kiff). When the show aired its final episode,Leave It To Beaverbecame the first American program to have its own series finale! Theres a lot of facts you might know. Stevens' acting work mostly stuck to the era surrounding "Leave It to Beaver." He appeared in guest . Museum of Broadcasting Seminar Series, The: "Leave It to Beaver It didnt stop because of poor ratings, though. Jerry Mathers wanted to take a break from acting in order to focus on going to high school. They were never seen in the series - another smart move. | Source: Wikimedia Commons. 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. Barbara's June wore formal attire along with pearls and heels during the show, but it wasn't all about style. Let's take a look at 15 "Leave It to Beaver" facts that fans might not know. The series aired until 1989. Many audience members reminisce about how June Cleaver was always pristine, even while engaging in all sorts of housework. | Source: Wikimedia Commons. 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. Hugh Beaumont turned to acting for very different reasons that most performers. The original Wally was, like, 5 7 when we did the pilot, but he grew to about 65, and he was almost as big as Hugh, and thats when they went back and found Tony, Mathers said. 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. Thankfully, his bullet-proof vest saved his life. Ward Cleaver: Yeah. Child actor Paul Sullivan, however, portrays the character in the series pilot, "It's a Small World", which aired in April 1957. 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. From Quiz: Leave It To Beaver Leave it to Beaver: Jerry Mathers Said Show Had to Move On from Original Wally Cleaver for One Reason. 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 ended up managing several cast members investments. He even directed a few episodes himself! [3] It was televised again in October 2007 as part of TV Land's 50th anniversary celebration of Leave It to Beaver. However, Tony Dow wasnt always a member of the fictional family. 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 purebred show cat was put in the tree for the scene, however, it was spooked by its surroundings and ran away. Fans can enjoy a tour of the iconic place even today. Movies. 'Leave It to Beaver': A look back at the cast of the beloved TV show 01:23 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, his reps announced. 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. Even after the show ended, fans hadn't had enough of the Cleaver family. When asked about his relationship with Dow, Mathers fondly recalled their relationship on set. Billingsley passed away due to Polymyalgia at age 94 in 2010. In another episode, he falls for a tennis playing "older woman" who uses him to make her estranged boyfriend jealous. 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." Son of actor Lyle Talbot Stephen was born on February 28 1949 in California. Mathers genuinely had a cub scout meeting to go to after his audition, which he was anxious to get too. Our condolences. Its characters were relatable, the show had a good balance of humor, and it felt like a real American family. It was the beginning and end of Jerry Mathers music career. Did you grow up watching the show? Paul Sullivan is known for Leave It to Beaver (1957), Official Detective (1957) and Studio 57 (1954). What Cooper had meant was that he behaved a lot like the character of Haskell as a child, not that he portrayed him. Instead, his son drove the family, but ended up in an accident on the way, which Hughs mother-in-law didnt survive. It was the first series to have a true finale. This was because Paul Sullivan had grown too tall in between pilot and series. 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). During one 2014 interview, Mathers appeared onFox News to discuss his favorite recollections from the show. Wally also acts as a foil to the shenanigans of Eddie and Lumpy, but sometimes reluctantly goes along with them. Yet another episode made it seem like Mayfield was in Ohio, because Wally supposedly went to a school near Shaker Heights. Jerry Mathers didnt have a normal audition. 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. Unfortunately for Paul, he grew too much in the six month break before the show went to series. His friends, Clarence "Lumpy" Rutherford and Eddie Haskell, have a knack for getting into trouble and taking Wally along for the ride. Leave it to Beaverremains one of the best-beloved American sitcoms ever to air. 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. Paul Sullivan - IMDb Mathers recalled that it took nearly 5 days to find the frightened kitty. 'Leave It To Beaver': The Original Wally Cleaver Was Replaced After a By the time those pesky Alice Cooper rumors spread, Ken Osmond had been a police officer for over 18 years! He was 77. Given the character he portrayed, its hard to image Lumpy as anything akin to suave. But its not the main point of my life. The rumor spread like wildfire. The show producers finally came to a compromise with the FCC by showing only the toilet tank, and not the bowl. In 1983, CBS aired the reunion telemovie Still the Beaver starring Jerry Mathers. One of the most curious things about the final seasons of the show is that the Cleavers car very distinctly had no back windshield. The ministry to which he was assigned happened to be extremely poor, so he needed to find another source of income. The Leave It To Beaver Secrets You Never Knew - Pens & Patron Wally arrives home and finds his mother preparing dinner; he regales her with teenspeak banter about the day's events at school. When the show first began, Beaver was only in second grade, making him around 7 years old. Hugh Beaumont might have hated the show, but he did a lot for it anyway. So, expect to chuckle, but not too much. He's all right. Beaver may not have been reliant on pop culture for its storylines, but it certainly made mention of the Sputnik launch during several episodes. He carves the roast at dinner and monitors Beaver's behavior. I quote, "A child's world is his own sacred domain and his privacy must at all times be respected.". Tony Dow Dead: 'Leave It to Beaver' Star Dies at 77, Reps Confirm - The The network cancelled the show, butBeavers cancellation was short lived, as it was quickly picked up again by ABC. 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. 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. Beaver may not have been reliant on pop culture for its storylines, but it certainly made mention of the Sputnik launch during several episodes. Ward Cleaver: It's nothing to be alarmed about. | Source: Wikimedia Commons. | Source: Wikimedia Commons. 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's kind of goofy-looking but he wasn't as bad as I would have guess after I first saw him. However, the actor didn't quite follow through with his early career. 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. His usual routine was to drive with his wife, son, and mother-in-law from Minnesota, but didnt have the time. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! The actress wore pearls to conceal the hollow in her neck. Unlike most TV shows today, the pilot that was shot for Leave It To Beaver featured several different actors than the ones who would later become famous for the show. 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.