"Leave It to Beaver" (1957) TV series 1957-1963

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Creators:

Joe Connelly
Dick Conway
Bob Mosher
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

4 October 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Plot:

The Cleavers are the 1950's 'All-American Family' in this 'feel-good' family sitcom. Parents Ward and June...

Plot Keywords:

Sitcom | Husband Wife Relationship | Marriage | Suburbia | Problem Solving

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Nov. 9	12:30 PM	TVLAND	Beaver the Athlete	#2.37
Tue. Nov. 10	12:30 PM	TVLAND	Found Money	#2.38

Cast

Barbara Billingsley	...	June Cleaver (235 episodes, 1957-1963)
Jerry Mathers	...	Theodore 'Beaver' Cleaver (235 episodes, 1957-1963)
Hugh Beaumont	...	Ward Cleaver (234 episodes, 1957-1963)
Tony Dow	...	Wallace 'Wally' Cleaver (234 episodes, 1957-1963)
Ken Osmond	...	Edward 'Eddie' Haskell (97 episodes, 1957-1963)

(more)

Series Directed by
Norman Tokar		(93 episodes, 1957-1960)
David Butler		(56 episodes, 1959-1963)
Norman Abbott		(43 episodes, 1960-1962)
Hugh Beaumont		(25 episodes, 1960-1963)
Earl Bellamy		(4 episodes, 1960-1963)
Gene Reynolds		(3 episodes, 1960)
Charles F. Haas		(2 episodes, 1961-1963)
Anton Leader		(2 episodes, 1961-1962)
Jeffrey Hayden		(2 episodes, 1962)

Series Writing credits
Joe Connelly		(233 episodes, 1957-1963)
Bob Mosher		(233 episodes, 1957-1963)
Dick Conway		(75 episodes, 1958-1963)
Roland MacLane		(72 episodes, 1958-1963)
George Tibbles		(14 episodes, 1958-1961)
Bob Ross		(13 episodes, 1958-1962)
Katherine Albert		(12 episodes, 1959-1963)
Dale Eunson		(12 episodes, 1959-1963)
Mathilda Ferro		(10 episodes, 1959-1963)
Theodore Ferro		(10 episodes, 1959-1963)
Joseph Hoffman		(6 episodes, 1961-1962)
Bill Manhoff		(5 episodes, 1957-1961)
Mel Diamond		(3 episodes, 1957-1958)
Ben Gershman		(3 episodes, 1957-1958)
Fran Van Hartsveldt		(3 episodes, 1958)
Phil Leslie		(2 episodes, 1957-1958)
Hendrik Vollaerts		(2 episodes, 1957-1958)
John Whedon		(2 episodes, 1958-1959)
Richard Baer		(2 episodes, 1958)
Ed James		(2 episodes, 1958)
Jon Zimmer		(2 episodes, 1959-1960)
Arthur Kober		(2 episodes, 1960)
Kenneth A. Enochs		(2 episodes, 1961-1963)
Wilton Schiller		(2 episodes, 1961-1963)
Lou Breslow		(2 episodes, 1961)
Allan Manings		(2 episodes, 1962-1963)
Hugh Beaumont		(1 episode, 1959)

Series Produced by
Joe Connelly	....	producer (234 episodes, 1957-1963)
Bob Mosher	....	producer (234 episodes, 1957-1963)
Dan Nathan	....	associate producer (21 episodes, 1957-1958)
Harry Ackerman	....	executive producer (20 episodes, 1957-1958)

Series Original Music by
Paul J. Smith		(19 episodes, 1962-1963)
Pete Rugolo		(18 episodes, 1962-1963)
Dave Kahn		(unknown episodes)
Joseph Weiss		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Mack Stengler		(142 episodes, 1958-1962)
Jack MacKenzie		(42 episodes, 1962-1963)
William A. Sickner		(38 episodes, 1957-1959)
Fred Mandl		(6 episodes, 1962)
Ray Rennahan		(3 episodes, 1958)
Ray Flin		(2 episodes, 1960)

Series Film Editing by
Robert Seiter		(100 episodes, 1959-1963)
Richard Belding		(83 episodes, 1957-1960)
Eugene Pendleton		(8 episodes, 1960-1961)
Marsh Hendry		(7 episodes, 1957-1958)
Roy V. Livingston		(4 episodes, 1958-1959)
Stanford Tischler		(2 episodes, 1957-1958)
Danny B. Landres		(2 episodes, 1960-1961)
Bud S. Isaacs		(2 episodes, 1961)

Series Art Direction by
John Meehan		(152 episodes, 1957-1962)
Alexander A. Mayer		(18 episodes, 1961-1962)
Frank Arrigo		(17 episodes, 1962-1963)
John J. Lloyd		(11 episodes, 1958-1963)
Arthur Lonergan		(5 episodes, 1960)
Howard E. Johnson		(4 episodes, 1962-1963)
George Patrick		(3 episodes, 1958-1959)
Lloyd S. Papez		(2 episodes, 1958-1960)
Russell Kimball		(2 episodes, 1963)

Series Set Decoration by
John McCarthy Jr.		(99 episodes, 1960-1963)
Ralph Sylos		(94 episodes, 1957-1963)
James Redd		(82 episodes, 1958-1963)
James M. Walters Sr.		(13 episodes, 1958-1963)
Perry Murdock		(9 episodes, 1961-1963)
George Milo		(5 episodes, 1957)
Julia Heron		(5 episodes, 1961-1963)
Robert C. Bradfield		(3 episodes, 1961-1962)
Glen Daniels		(3 episodes, 1961-1962)

Series Costume Design by
Vincent Dee		(13 episodes, 1958-1962)
Constance Edney		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Florence Bush	....	hair stylist (218 episodes, 1957-1963)
Jack Barron	....	makeup artist (210 episodes, 1957-1963)
Robert Dawn	....	makeup artist (6 episodes, 1959-1961)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dolph Zimmer	....	assistant director / first assistant director (193 episodes, 1958-1963)
Will Sheldon	....	assistant director (14 episodes, 1958)
Hilton A. Green	....	assistant director (10 episodes, 1957-1958)
John Pommer	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1957-1958)
Ronald R. Rondell	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1957-1958)
Charles S. Gould	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1957)
James H. Brown	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1958)
Frank Fox	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1958)

Series Sound Department
William H. Lynch	....	sound (153 episodes, 1958-1963)
Sam Caylor	....	sound effects editor (56 episodes, 1961-1962)
Earl Crain Jr.	....	sound / sound effects editor (41 episodes, 1957-1962)
Earl Crain Sr.	....	sound (6 episodes, 1958-1963)
Robert R. Bertrand	....	sound (3 episodes, 1961-1962)
Lyle Cain	....	sound (2 episodes, 1960-1962)
Howard Fogetti	....	sound (2 episodes, 1960)
Edwin J. Somers Jr.	....	sound (2 episodes, 1961-1962)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Vincent Dee	....	costume supervisor (205 episodes, 1957-1963)
De De Johnson	....	dresses: Miss Billingsley (5 episodes, 1960)

Series Editorial Department
David J. O'Connell	....	editorial department head / editorial supervisor (116 episodes, 1960-1963)
Richard G. Wray	....	editorial supervisor (104 episodes, 1957-1960)
Richard Belding	....	film editor (39 episodes, 1958-1959)

Series Music Department
Jack Wadsworth	....	music supervisor (66 episodes, 1960-1962)
Michael F. Johnson	....	music supervisor (47 episodes, 1959-1960)
Stanley Wilson	....	music supervisor (32 episodes, 1957-1963)
Frederick Herbert	....	music supervisor (32 episodes, 1958-1959)
Joseph E. Romero	....	music supervisor (2 episodes, 1958)
Frank Morriss	....	music supervisor (2 episodes, 1960-1961)
Mort Greene	....	composer: theme music (unknown episodes)
Melvyn Lenard	....	composer: theme music (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Richard Michaels	....	script supervisor (2 episodes, 1960)

Production Companies

• Gomalco Productions (1957-1961)
• Kayro-Vue Productions (1961-1963)
• Revue Studios

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1957-1958) (USA) (TV)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1958-1963) (USA) (TV)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2005-) (USA) (DVD)
• Studios USA Television

Other Companies

• A-1 Manufacturing Company  boys casual wear (1960)
• General Electric (GE)  original sponsor
• Ralston Purina Company  original sponsor

Also Known As:

It's a Small World (USA) (working title)
Wally and the Beaver (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min | USA:30 min (234 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-G

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Gomalco Productions

Trivia:

Edgar Buchanan, who appeared in an earlier episode as Captain Jack, would later return as Wally and Beaver's Uncle Billy.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: "Beaver Gets a Haircut" episode (Episode 4): When Wally and Beaver are talking in their room, right before Wally calls Beaver a "goof," you can catch the Beaver mouthing Wally's line along with him.

Quotes:

Ward Cleaver: It's that friend of Beaver's. You know, the one who always talks like he was just frightened by something.
June Cleaver: Whitey Whitney?
Ward Cleaver: That's it.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Mad Men: Meditations in an Emergency (#2.13)" (2008)

A SHOW THAT 'PLAYS' ACROSS THE YEARS.....

Leave it to Beaver is one of the classic sit-coms of all time. It is timeless and has had meaning for every generation that has watched it since its inception. It is in that rare category of show that will be shown forever. Like "I Love Lucy" or "The Dick van Dyke Show", or "The Brady Bunch (although I call this one a cheap rip-off)", or "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"---THE BEAVER IS AMONG THE BEST OF THE BEST, completely watchable and understandable with concepts that are universal to all and can be understood across the years.

When my young children discovered it, valuable lessons were learned. We laughed at the "messes" Beaver got in, usually with the help of friends talking him into it. We all learned to trust our judgment and not be led into unnecessary trouble. If there was trouble out there Beaver would find it. Thanks to the Beaver, mine have had a little more trouble finding it than they might have otherwise. Lots of laughs and a lesson to be learned every show.

Please check my comments for "Still the Beaver", (a many years later continuation), and if you get the chance tune into it for some "Cleaver's: the next generation action". It was done with love and it was a wonderful job.

PS--I was surprised to learn (from the imdb info on 'beaver') that GWEN RUTHERFORD (fred's wife/lumpy's mom) was played by MAJEL BARRETT (RODDENBERRY) of later Star Trek fame. Live and learn.......