Some of the surviving members of Leave It to Beaver recently reunited at The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles.
Those attending were Frank Bank (Clarence “Lumpy” Rutherford), Jerry Mathers (Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver), Tony Dow (Wally Cleaver) and Ken Osmond (Eddie Haskell). Barbara Billingsley (mother June Cleaver), who is now 94 years old, was not present.
Matt Hurwitz was the event’s moderator. The actors discussed being cast on the show and their recollections of filming it. They also talked about the late Hugh Beaumont (dad Ward Cleaver), Richard Deacon (Lumpy’s father), and directors Norman Tokar and Norman Abbott.
Dow recalled that, when the Still the Beaver reunion movie was being prepared, they tried to find Robert “Rusty” Stevens, who played Beaver’s pudgy friend Larry Mondello. When the detective they hired went to his home, his wife answered. She wasn’t sure that her husband was who the detective was looking for since he’d never told her he’d been on the show.
The founders of Shout Factory, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos, were also on hand. The gathering was held in part to promote the release of Leave It To Beaver: The Complete Series
In addition, the set will include several two-hour audio interviews with members of the cast, courtesy of our friend Stu Shostak and his Internet radio program, Stu’s Show.
What do you think? Are you a fan of Leave It to Beaver? What are your favorite episodes from this beloved show?
Images courtesy Kevin Parry/The Paley Center for Media.
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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
One of my all – time favorite episodes of LEAVE IT TO BEAVER was when Beaver wondered whether there was really soup in a soup bowl on a billboard. His friend, coaxed him to climb up to see. He fell in the bowl and couldn’t get out. There was another where Beaver and his friend were home alone. Two of Wally’s friends were outside in a car wearing masks. Beaver’s friend coaxed Beaver to call the police. He did, and Wally’s friends got into trouble though they really did nothing wrong. Another good episode which I just saw again last night was when Beaver and Larry Mondello found money which Larry said had fallen from an airplane. Beaver was to be punished when it was found out that it was from Mrs. Mondello’s sewing basket. Larry had taken it, and admitted it. Beaver was not punished. I always liked the way that Mr. Cleaver had the solution to the problems faced at the end of one – half hour. My late wife always used to say that it is too bad that it can’t be that way in real life.
OOPS SORRY ! GUESS I’M A BIG BOOB, TOO! LOL
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU SAID AND DID TO MAKE US LAUGH, FRANK ! YOU WILL ALWALYS BE OUR FAVORITE “BIG BOOB” , LUMPY! SORRY DOLLY!
REST IN PEACE RUSTY ! YOU WILL ALWAYS BE OUR FAVORITE BIG BOOB! SORRY DOLLY!
We all have our eddies and our lumpies. They are the one’s , for better or worse, that make life interesting. I have mine and until this day they are the best friends I have ever had and I love them dearly although I hope no one ever uncovers everything we ever did lol. R.I.P Lumpy
I’m 63, and really enjoy the whole “Leave It To Beaver” era. I have no particular favorite show, but I always laughed at the two-faced Eddie Haskell, a jerk in scenes with the Beav and Wally (Ah, c’mon on Eddie), and perfect gentleman with June and Ward, who saw right through the excellent manners he displayed. June was always so lavishly dressed and Ward was the the husband/father who kept Wally and Beaver in line, punishing when needed, and swear words were never used on TV back then. As a previous comment went, it would be swell to see Beaver’s little friends, Gilbert, Whitey, Larry (loved apples) and the rest. And Wally’s “girlfriend” in the show, Mary Ellen Rogers. plus a few other girls he dated on the show. Oh, to have life so simple as it was on Leave It To Beaver!
I bought the complete Leave it to Beaver and showed it to my 27 year old Daughter. We both Had fun watching it in the correct order and now mixed. They arew great episodes and they let the kids grow in the show. I would love to see Gilbert and some of beavers friends now. Where are they?
I love the show, and watch it all the time. Morals, responsibility, respect for women, strong men. It’s hard to find such things in real life, much less on TV.
The beaver AND Opie Taylor the son of the sheriff of Mayberry are the same age as I am. The late fifties was a wonderful time to be a kid. It was truly a time when you always worried about “getting clobbered” by your dad, or in my case, my grandmother is you did anything you knew you were not supposed to do. You always minded your teacher too, lest she take you to the principals office so he could be a witness while she paddled your butt. Then she called your dad (or grandmother) and you got it again at home!
It’s a shame the last two or three generations of kids have missed out on this because so many of them have grown up unprepared for the harsh realities of life as an adult. They have in many cases become victims of violence, crime, and drugs as result. Not to mentioned the untold number who didn’t live long enough to raise kids of their own.
I’m glad that I got “my butt busted good” as many times as I did for it made me a better man. I am someone that a kid can be proud of!
I don’t think I have one favoirte episode of this fantastic show! Maybe the one with Don Dryesdale in it or maybe the one when Eddie and Wally pull a prank on Lumpy with his car. I love every single episode. I am so glad to see all 234 episodes FINALLY make in DVD. I hope that one day the show’s sequel, “The New Leave it to Beaver” will also make it on to DVD. Gee, Folks! It’s been great. I need to go take a bath now or else my brother will give me the business for stinkin’ See you in Mayfield everyone!
Yes, we loved the Beav..
always interested to know what happened to madge Blake, and her “son” larry Mondello, and Mr Mondello, who was always away on business! What became of Gilbert?
And Tooey?
Still like to watch the re runs!
I love Leave It To Beaver and I watch it every day. I remember it more in reruns as a child since it started when I was a baby. Its just a happy, simple show and its nice to see things from a simpler, clearer point of view. Nothing really bad ever happens in this show, so its a blessed relief from the real world.
I loved the whole series but I always remember the “Captain Jack” episode where Wally & the Beaver order the baby alligator from a comic book ad and then end up taking a sick alligator to Captain Jack to have him help them take care of it. If I remember correctly, Captain Jack puts an eye-dropper of whiskey in the alligators throat to make it feel better. I like those early episodes the best when the kids were really young.
The ‘Leave It To Beaver’ show was a weekly thing at our family home back then. Never did understand
why June Cleaver always was so perfectly neat and tidy and wearing high heels if she had did a full
day’s cleaning house, laundry etc. I think she had a maid hid in the closet somewhere.
I loved Leave it to Beaver. Beaver and I are the same age. I never missed the show when I was growing up. The TV shows from the 50′s and 60′s were definitely the best, it was a great time to be a kid.