Leave It To Beaver: The Complete Series (Shout Factory)

It's been 18 months since I made the above post. I've since watched the entire series. Enjoyed every minute of it, although there was a very slight decline in quality during the final two seasons. The show ended at the right time I believe, before it 'jumped the shark'.

Also, I want to point out how important I thought Larry was to the show! I mean, on some of the episodes he stole the show. It could have been called 'Leave it to Larry'. Missed him after he left.

 

Funny story Jerry Mathers told a friend of mine about Rusty Stevens who played Larry. Apparently he was married to someone who didn't know much about his background. One day 'Beav' was on tv, and he mentioned he was Larry. His wife never even knew until then and he had never brought it up. Very mondello-esque.

Something tells me Ken Osmond's wife had more inisght into her spouse's history.

 

I own seasons one and two from the Universal releases, would really like to own the complete series someday.

 

Yeah, it sucked when he was no longer one the show: He really was a little instigator, wasn't he...

 

After seeing Madge Blake (Mrs. Mondello) on an episode of The Joey Bishop Show yesterday, IMDB says that she played the role of "Mrs. Barnes" (Joey's tv mother) in 30 episodes in 1961-62.

 

Getting in trouble with Ward and June was never a big deal. Ward would only lecture Wally or Theodore, or use reverse psychology. Although I seem to recall a few sly references to corporal punishment.

 

I think he might have spanked one or both of them and definitely made them do extra chores every once in awhile.

 

Yeah, I do remember the chores. If there was any spanking, it must have been off-camera.

I just hate to imagine Beav and Wally being sent to foster parents due to an abusive father caught by child protective services.

 

Wasn't she also Aunt Harriet on Batman?

Would love to see "Still The Beaver" reunion movie from the early 80's. Saw it when it premiered and liked it as a kid. Maybe not so much now but most of the cast returned for cameo's (even Rusty Stevens). Different actors were cast for Whitey (it was reported Stanley Fafara was in trouble at the time) and Gilbert (Stephen Talbot refused to participate).

 

Fans of the show might enjoy seeing this, a short video of Jerry and Hugh before LITB was filmed. This led to Hugh being cast on the series.

 

Yes; according to IMDB, Aunt Harriet Cooper, 1966-67.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing that movie again either: I only seen it once (when it originally aired) and I'm sure I'd catch a lot more now compared to back then: For instance, I didn't know Rusty Stevens made a cameo appearance in it, or if I did know at the time, I sure forgot it over the years...

I remember when it was going to air, Jerry Mathers made an appearance at a local mall to help promote it... He signed autographs, etc... I *did* have his autograph on a piece of paper, but unfortunately it got misplaced/lost thru the years... At the time, I had a hardcover book that featured novelizations of TV series stories in it: I remember it had a cover of Wally and Beaver painting trash cans with red paint-I wish I would have gotten that signed (I still "might" have that boxed up somewhere)... My sister had a "Leave it to Beaver-Rocket to the Moon" board game that she picked up at a yard sale, but that was after he was in town, so she wasn't able to get it signed...

Unfortunately, I think Stanley was into drugs at the time (I think that was the cause of his death too), so yeah he wasn't in it... Do you remember if that guy that played Richard in the original series made an appearance in the reunion film?

 

Yep, Richard Correll reprised Richard. He is still good friends with Jerry to this day. They were best friends during childhood. Richard is still around too but behind the camera. I recently saw his name on an episode of iCarly (or some other Nick show). He's a director now.

At one time Still The Beaver was on YouTube but before I had a chance to see it was removed. Just Hensley also has a cameo and I think Violet Rutherford. Oh yeah and Tiger Fafara played Tooey.

But like you I saw it that one time on CBS. I think I was 12 or so at the time. Occasionally watched the New Beav on TBS. Would watch it now if I had a chance but I remember it not being very good other than Osmond's real life sons.

 

I wonder if Shout! Factory would put the new Beav TV series out on DVD: I suppose a lot of it would depend on A) How well the original series sold for them, and B) Licensing the show and hoping it'd be easy to do so... To my recollection, I've never seen an episode (we lived too far out at the time for cable)-If I seen an episode, it would have been if we were visiting someone in town that had cable/TBS, but I don't think I did, I'm sure I'd remember it, even if I wouldn't remember the specific episode.

 

Apparently there are rights issues. Universal sold the distribution rights to a company called Qintex which went out of business so nobody really knows who owns the distribution rights to the show. I wouldn't expect to see it released on DVD any time soon since there's a pretty limited audience for these reunion projects anyway (unlike the original show which has massive appeal).

 

True enough about the limited appeal thing, *but* the new Beav series did air for a few seasons, didn't it, so it must have had some sort of appeal beyond a simple reunion film... It wasn't a simple one-off thing like the "Green Acres" or "Beverly Hillbillies" reunion movies. That said, you are probably right that it *won't* see a release anytime soon...

And yes, the original "Leave it to Beaver" TV series is the classic, and the standard by which anything with the "LITB" name attached to it will be measured.

 

If there weren't rights issues I assume Universal or Shout or someone would have at least released the reunion TV movie and maybe the first season of the show to test the waters.

 

My wife and I have been watching the show on ME TV and enjoying it after not seeing the show for many years. There is a nice believability to all the dialogue IMO

We think Larry was great on the show also. I watched an interview with Barbara Billingsley on whatever that TV interview archive website is and she said they all liked Larry and he was really good.
Unfortunately apparently Larry had an insufferable stage mother that everyone disliked so Barbara implied that's why Larry disappeared from the show, although the official or alternate story was that Larry's dad got a job in Philadelphia or similar.

Yes, Larry talked Beaver into many things, but it seemed to sound more natural or believable coming from Larry than when Gilbert inherited the instigator role.

I just watched one of the later episodes where Eddie Haskell's dad was none other than George Petrie, mister all around utility man on the Honeymooners.

 

Many years ago, I went to a symposium that had the entire Beaver cast. This was right before the "new" Beaver, and they were all excited about the new show. I got to ask a question and and Barbara Billingly answered!! That was a fun day.

 

So what was her favorite Beatles song?

 

LOL.......didnt ask her that Paul!! What i did ask was whether, in the 60s and 70s, she ever thought that the series would be revived in ANY form.

 

Did she speak jive?

 

When I was a young lad (which is when the new one was on), I had a major crush on Kaleena Kiff, who I believe was Wally's daughter. I think she grew up to be a director.