If only the world was more like this the show Leave It to beaver, the world would be a much better place.
However, even the sun has its spots, and Leave It to Beaver was not without its share of mistakes and lesser-known quirks behind the scenes.
Set a higher standard
Despite being centered around a fictional family, Leave It to Beaver set a higher standard of wholesome decency for Americans, contrasting sharply with other television programs that have progressively declined in quality since its airing.
The beloved American television sitcom captured the hearts of audiences during its original run from 1957 to 1963, becoming iconic for its portrayal of idyllic family values and wholesome humor.
To put it simple, the series was very well-written and funny as hell.
But now, let’s take a look at some hilarious moments that weren’t meant to make it on screen — what we call bloopers or goofs. There’s one particular scene that really surprised me; a scene that wasn’t edited out and features an unexpected blooper.
June Cleaver’s calendar
One well-known mistake, which I had never heard about until now, involves June Cleaver’s calendar. Over the years, the Cleaver household has been presented as the quintessential example of good housekeeping.
Every organized and well-planned home, of course, has a calendar to keep track of important dates. June Cleaver certainly had her calendar, but it seems they forgot to update the one hanging on the wall of the Cleaver home.
For those with sharp eyes, you can spot that June Cleaver’s calendar displayed incorrect dates in the episode The Poor Loser, from 1963. In fact, the show likely used a calendar from 1961.
In the same episode, Ward and Beaver are set to go watch a baseball game. During a close-up of the tickets, there’s a noticeable error: “Mayfield” is misspelled as “Mayfied” in the smaller print, even though it’s spelled correctly in the large print.
The fake bee
In earlier times, special effects were far from the efficient technology we have today, and filmmakers had to rely on more analog methods. For those of you who remember the episode The Silent Treatment, you might recall a scene where Beaver is painting a door and a bee suddenly takes an interest in him.
Naturally, using real bees posed significant challenges, so the production team resorted to a fake bee hovering on a string. If you look closely, you can clearly see the string bouncing around Beaver’s face!
“I got in a lot less trouble”
Jerry Mathers portrayed Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver and quickly became everyone’s favorite kid brother. The actor, who celebrated his 76th birthday in 2024, remains alive and well.
He has also been asked whether his off-screen personality mirrored any aspects of Beaver’s character.
“Well, I got in a lot less trouble,” he laughed. “But then again, I had a lot of people watching me all the time. Because when I was due doing the show, there were about 60 men and probably eight or nine women on the show these were lighting people and all the different things that they have to do to make a series. Between takes, when I wasn’t doing things, they would come out and we’d play — throw footballs, throw baseballs. It was like an extended family. There was a whole bunch of people, and they wanted me not to say, ‘I don’t want to be here anymore.’”
Jerry Mathers’ infamous audition
When it comes to Jerry Mathers, one can’t help but mention his infamous audition for the role of Beaver. He made quite the impression — let’s just say it was memorable.
“I came dressed in a Cub Scout uniform, so that should have been a big clue,” Mathers recalled.
The young boy was supposed to head to his Cub Scouts meeting right after the audition, and he wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about being there. However,he quickly impressed the show’s creators, Joe Connolly and Bob Mosher, with his natural charm, innocence, and ability to deliver lines authentically.
Mathers candidly expressed his concerns about missing his Cub Scouts meeting, which only added to his charm. The producers found his honesty refreshing and knew immediately that he was the perfect choice for the role.
Ironically, there wasn’t much time for scouting for Mathers after he landed the role of Theodore.
“We had to go to school for three hours a day, and it could be chopped up, because we’d go out and if they’d shoot the original, the long shot, and then we’d do closeups. You were jumping in and out of school all the time, and you’d come back 20 minutes later and you study for maybe another 40 minutes, and then you have to do another scene or whatever,” Jerry explained.
Negotiating genius
Jimmy Mathers was a trailblazer in more ways than one; he became the first child actor to negotiate a deal that entitled him to a slice of the merchandising pie from a TV show. Talk about smart business moves!
This savvy decision turned out to be quite the cash cow, as Leave It to Beaver continues to rake in revenue more than 60 years after its original run. Who knew that a show about a kid in a striped shirt and his misadventures could keep making money long after the final credits rolled?
Tony Dow was not the original Wally
Actor Tony Dow is best known for his role as Wally Cleaver, the quintessential All-American older brother to Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver and son of Ward and June Cleaver.
In the beloved series Leave It to Beaver, Wally navigates the ups and downs of teenage life, tackling relatable issues like dating while offering guidance to his more mischievous younger brother, Beaver.
Dow’s portrayal of Wally was nothing short of iconic; his charm, warmth, and relatable persona helped make Wally a household name. But did you know he wasn’t the first actor cast in the role?
The pilot episode originally featured Paul Sullivan as Wally Cleaver, but he was replaced because a sudden growth spurt made him appear too old for the role.
June Cleaver’s hidden scar
Barbara Billingsley, best known for her role as June Cleaver, will forever be remembered for vacuuming the Cleaver living room while impeccably dressed in high heels and pearls.
Her portrayal of parenting was characterized by calmness and respect, setting a new standard for family-oriented sit-coms.
However, there’s more to June’s trademark look than meets the eye. The actress wore her iconic pearls to conceal a surgical scar at the base of her neck that she preferred to keep hidden. As for the high heels, they were a practical choice to maintain height parity with her growing sons.
Did Jerry Mathers and Tony Dow get along?
Studying photos from the Leave It to Beaver set reveals the undeniable bond between Tony Dow and Jerry Mathers.
”Wally is the perfect big brother,” Jerry Mathers said in a 2006 interview with the Television Academy Foundation.
“He’s the champion basketball player, football player. He does everything right. He’s a huge letterman. He gets A’s on all his papers. Everyone loves him.”
Their connection shined through in their eyes and body language, showcasing the genuine emotions that made their characters resonate so deeply. It’s hard to portray such strong sibling dynamics without real feelings behind them.
For those curious, Tony and Jerry truly became best friends during filming and maintained that lifelong friendship.
Following Dow’s passing in 2022, Mathers expressed his grief, saying, ”He was not only my brother on TV, but in many ways in life as well. Tony leaves an empty space in my heart that won’t be filled.”
Jerry Mathers was not killed in Vietnam
Did you know that Jerry Mathers was once rumored to have died in Vietnam? Thankfully, that was just a false report.
The young actor was never in Vietnam. Although he attempted to enlist in the Marines, he was turned down due to concerns that sending him overseas could lead to negative publicity if anything happened to him. Instead, Mathers enlisted in the Air National Guard, where he spent his service time in the United States.
The most expensive episode
One of the most legendary episodes of Leave It to Beaver aired on May 5, 1961. In a memorable scene, Beaver climbs up to prove that there’s no soup in a giant cup on a billboard but accidentally falls in.
This particular episode had a production cost of $40,000, making it the most expensive of the entire series. It also became one of Jerry Mathers’ most memorable episode, as he struggled with a fear of heights.
Toilet on screen
Leave It to Beaver was groundbreaking in many ways. One of the show’s unique aspects was its focus on the children’s perspective, which allowed viewers to connect with the characters on a deeper level. Another significant feature was its ability to highlight everyday aspects of family life.
This was notably exemplified in an episode where Wally carries a toilet seat, marking a pivotal moment in television history.
Even if only the tank was visible, it was among the earliest programs to showcase a bathroom in any form. In the 1950s, networks were extremely hesitant to display bathrooms on television, let alone an actual toilet.
The first episode almost never made it on air
The first episode of Leave it to Beaver was banned from airing due to its content involving an alligator and the portrayal of a bathroom, which was not allowed on television at the time.
In the very first episode, Wally and the Beaver decide to buy a pet alligator. Jerry Mathers recalled, “We were going to put it in the toilet because we knew alligators needed water. At that time, you not only couldn’t show a toilet, but you also couldn’t show a bathroom on television. It was prohibited.”
The show’s producers battled with censors to include the bathroom scene, ultimately reaching a compromise to only show the back of the toilet tank. “That was a way that Leave It to Beaver actually set some precedents for the television industry: We were the first show to depict a bathroom,” Mathers explained, talking with Fox News.
No laughing policy
The show’s creators sought a gentle comedic tone, they preferred elicit chuckles rather than uproarious laughter.
This intentional choice played a significant role in shaping the show’s unique atmosphere, fostering a warm, family-friendly environment.
The producers believed comedy should stem naturally from the characters and their interactions, avoiding exaggerated jokes or over-the-top humor. As Tony Dow put it: “If any line got too much of a laugh, they’d cut it.”
As we wrap up our dive into the delightful world of Leave It to Beaver, it’s clear that this classic sitcom was more than just a reflection of family life in the ’50s and ’60s — it was a treasure trove of laughter, quirks, and unforgettable bloopers.
So, next time you settle in to watch an episode of Leave It to Beaver, remember to keep an eye out for those little moments, After all, who doesn’t love a good blooper? Here’s to the laughs, the memories, and the timeless charm of Leave It to Beaver! Feel free to share your favorite bloopers and funny facts with us on social media — we’d love to hear what made you chuckle!
Harrison Ford was married twice before he met and fell in love at 67 with his third wife, actress Calista Flockhart.
Harrison Ford fell in love at 67 with a much younger woman after two failed marriages, and he even adopted her son. The actor felt like a little boy again and gushed over his wife, with whom he lives a quiet life on a farm where they enjoyed spending time in the woods.
Harrison Ford was married twice before he met and fell in love at age 67 with his third wife, actress Calista Flockhart. In 1964, the actor tied the knot with his first wife, Mary Marquardt.
Harrison began working as a carpenter to support their two sons because he wasn’t a famous actor. In 1977, he was featured in “Star Wars” and found fame, but his marriage wasn’t equipped to handle the Hollywood lifestyle.
Carrie Fisher, his “Star Wars” co-star, confessed years later that they had an “intense” illegal substance-fueled affair while he was married. Long after his marriage to Marquardt ended in 1979, Harrison went into union with Melissa Mathison in 1983.However, before tying the knot, the duo failed to sign a prenuptial agreement. The “E.T.” screenwriter and the actor welcomed a son and a daughter, but their relationship was also not meant to last.
The “Raiders of the Lost Ark” star paid a whopping $85 million when he and his second wife divorced in 2004. Their separation was described as amicable, but it was rumored that Harrison had been adulterous.
In 2003, Harrison, then 60, who was usually reserved about his personal life, admitted, “I’m in love” when speaking about his relationship with Calista, then 38. He said romantic love was one of the most fulfilling and exciting kinds of love, adding:
“I think there is a potential for it at any stage of your life.”
The star revealed he wasn’t surprised that he could fall in love and did. At the time, the “Ally McBeal” actress and Harrison had been dating since January 2002 when they met at the Golden Globe Awards.
However, until that interview, the actor had been reluctant to open up about his relationship with Calista. The “Indiana Jones” star was so serious about the actress that he proposed on Valentine’s Day in 2009!
Harrison’s proposal to make Calista his third wife happened while they were on vacation. The couple didn’t waste much time before making their relationship official and married in Santa Fe, Mexico, in June 2010.
Before the actress began dating Harrison, she’d become a single parent by adopting her son, Liam, in 2001. However, after marrying the actor, he formally adopted Calista’s son, adding him to his other four children from his previous marriages.
In 2008, the star, then 65, confessed that being a father again to a young child “made me just a bit less self-centered.” He revealed how Calista had brought a child back into his home.
At the time, Harrison shared how his youngest child was 17, other than Liam. He reveled in having the “wonderful opportunity” to be a part of a child’s upbringing, which he described as “always an endless springtime.”
The star gushed about seeing how the growing, blossoming, and nurturing were paying off. The People magazine’s 1998 Sexiest Man, Alive’s other two older sons with Marquard were Benjamin, then 40, and Willard, 39.
With Mathison, Harrison had a son Malcolm, then 21, and a daughter Georgia, then 17. When speaking about the sort of mother Calista was, the actor said she was the best in the world!
He explained that she was a mother by choice and took on a great responsibility when she adopted her son as a single parent. The actor noted how his wife had devoted herself to Liam and was doing a fantastic job raising him.
Harrison shared how he was pleased to be helping with the job of parenthood. However, he noted that he was “naturally” different with Liam compared to his other children because now he was a little more mature.
Calista and her husband were completely in love, and this time around, the marriage might not end in divorce. The couple was so in tune that they had activities they did together, and the actress once had the role of caretaker for Harrison.
Finding True Love and Companionship at 67
When Harrison met Calista in 2002, he wasn’t looking for love. The former explained that there were times when he felt lonely, but he didn’t want to live his life mitigating “against loneliness.”
The actress, who had allegedly dated many celebrities in her past, including comedian Garry Shandling and actor Ben Stiller, had never had an interest in Harrison before. She once confessed:
“I remember loving him in ‘Mosquito Coast,’ but I didn’t really think about him.”
On the other hand, Harrison also seemingly didn’t have sights on the actress but recalled watching “Ally McBeal” once in a while before meeting Calista. However, now that they were together, she wasn’t allowing him to watch the comedy series because she didn’t like seeing herself.
In 2003, the couple opened up about the age gap between them. The actress admitted that it didn’t “faze” her, and she sometimes would forget that Harrison was 22 years older than her!
Calista said the age difference didn’t factor into their relationship in any way. Instead, the star liked how the actor looked first thing in the morning; she said he wasn’t handsome but more cute and looked like a “little boy.”
There were also conflicting stories about how the couple met. Some reports claimed that the actress threw a drink over Harrison, but he explained that she didn’t intentionally spill her glass of wine on him.
She said they conversed for around 20 minutes before the wine spilled, and Harrison was the one who did the spilling! In 2015, the couple discussed the mutual activity that they enjoyed together.
Years before, in 2003, Harrison had shared with the public that Calista loved flying. He said it thrilled him because it was important to him, as it was more fun when done with someone who enjoyed it.
The actor shared how the actress liked the process, what she saw from the air, and seeing him happy. He speculated that she enjoyed it most because she loved seeing him do something he loved.
Calista revealed that she had complete confidence in his piloting abilities. She confessed to having been a bit nervous about flying, but surprisingly, when she went to Santa Barbara with her husband for the first time, she didn’t feel any nervousness; instead, the star loved it!
The actress believed she loved the sport because she trusted her husband, and she revealed they would take Liam flying all the time, and he loved it too! Besides flying, Calista and Harrison tried to be a giving family.
On November 21, 2007, the couple and their son, then 6 1/2, went together to assist in feeding the homeless in Los Angeles. The couple was photographed wearing Los Angeles Mission aprons as they dished up food.
The actors even wore gloves as they taught Liam about the blessing of giving back to the less fortunate. Then in 2015, tragedy struck the family when, at age 72, Calista’s husband was involved in a plane crash and suffered a nasty laceration on his face.
The actor had to be rushed to a local hospital where his wife, then 50, son Benjamin, and daughter Georgia rushed to be by his side. The actress stayed with her husband at the E.R. section of the hospital until late at night after his vintage plane crashed.
The following day, a Friday, she was photographed driving away from the hospital. Calista allegedly looked tired and was seen holding a tissue, but later that day, she returned to the hospital to be by his bedside.
Sources said the actress “looked concerned” when she arrived shortly after her husband. The following morning she allegedly drove Liam to school before returning to the hospital and remaining there to take care of Harrison.
An insider described the couple and their family as normal, “super loving,” and down to Earth. The couple, who waited for over eight years before getting married, whose shared love for flying was mentioned by the source, before adding this about Harrison’s hospital stay:
“This whole thing must be terrifying.”
Ultimately, Harrison recovered from his injuries and returned to his family. The actor, his wife, and his adopted son now live on a ranch where they keep busy with various activities.
Calista and Harrison’s Quiet Life on a Farm
In August 2022, it was reported that Harrison and his family live on a Jackson Hole, Wyoming ranch. “The Fugitive” star’s home boasted 800 acres of land and was located along Snake Rover.
It was revealed that year that Harrison said he had lived there for 35 years. He even confessed that when he was in Wyoming, he had the leisure of just walking out of the door and continuing.
The farm was described as a “personal sanctuary” for the actor, his wife, and Liam. In 2020, it was revealed that Harrison split his time between his Wyoming ranch and Los Angeles home, which he shared with the “Brothers & Sisters” actress.
Besides living quietly on their properties, Calista’s husband kept busy with his career. That year he was back on the big screen starring in “The Call of the Wild,” an adaptation of the classic Jack London novel.
According to reports, the actor also used to own a home in Brentwood, California, but in 2012 he put it up for sale for $8,295,000. The property had been his home for almost 30 years when he sold it.
Harrison bought the Gerard Colcord-designed country Colonial home in June 1983 for a mere $1 million. The house was initially built in 1951, and its 7,164-square-foot space boasts four bedrooms, an additional poolside, a one-bedroom guesthouse, and two separate guest/staff suites.
He put it on the market after buying another mansion with his wife in Brentwood that cost $12.65 million. The property was described as their longtime primary residence in Los Angeles.
When on the ranch, Harrison spent his days balancing his time between doing a little work and a little play. He once revealed that when his chores were done, and there was nothing more pressing waiting for him, he liked flying when the weather was good.
The “Blade Runner” star admitted that he loved flying in Wyoming. However, sometimes he opted to walk in the woods, do some work, and ride his road or mountain bikes.
Calista’s husband also shared that he had chores given to him by his wife, and he was always working on fixing something on the property. He did the home maintenance, worked in his woodshop, or discussed putting in a new roof with some people.
When the “Air Force One” actor wasn’t doing all those things, he enjoyed spending quality time with his wife while raising Liam. In 2010, the star opened up a little about what he did with his adopted son.
Harrison [Ford] shared some things he’d learned over the years to help make his marriage last.
He revealed that he did whatever his wife and son wanted to do on weekends. Sometimes on Sunday mornings, they went hiking, or motorcycle riding, or he and Liam would make a birdhouse, which took him three days!
Speaking about his son, Calista’s husband said having a then nine-year-old child was something he hadn’t expected. The star grinned when he shared that it was also a joyful experience.
He recalled Liam was around six or eight months old when he met him and his mother; they’ve been together since! In 2020, the couple celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary.
Harrison shared some things he’d learned over the years to help make his marriage last. The “Supergirl” actress’ husband joked that it was best not to talk and nod your head.
He also hilariously admitted that he had no idea where his dry humor came from. The actor said he’d never thought about his humorous side and noted, “I see funny, I think.”
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