There could also be no extra archetypical American household sitcom than “Depart it to Beaver.” Even character names grew to become archetypes, as “Ward Cleaver” immediately connotes a firm-but-fair good father, and a June Cleaver sort can be assumed a wholesomely lovely housewife and mom. Household issues, drawn from the writers’ actual lives, often proved solvable, and the Cleaver clan typically offered the mannequin of the household that the viewer wish to have.
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As typical as its drama might have been, the present did break new floor. It was the primary prime-time sequence to particularly create a sequence finale episode, and stated finale was additionally one of many earliest clip-show sitcom episodes (it was preceded by at the very least one different, an “I Love Lucy” Christmas Particular). Within the final episode, “Household Scrapbook,” the Cleavers take a look at previous stills from prior episodes and bear in mind highlights from the present, together with most of the main supporting characters, like Wally’s obnoxious pal Eddie Haskell. Ward and June additionally lastly revealed the origin of Theodore’s “Beaver” nickname.
By means of six seasons with 39 episodes every, at a time when there have been solely three main TV networks, the forged of “Depart it to Beaver” grew to become so acquainted to American households that it proved robust for them to get totally different roles after the present ended. There was worth within the model, and most returned for revivals, however let us take a look at what else occurred to the “Depart It to Beaver” forged following the ultimate episode.
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Jerry Mathers (The Beaver)
When the present ended, Jerry Mathers did what each boy his age often does: He went to highschool and doubtless headed off quite a lot of potential teasing by embracing his previous, fronting a band known as Beaver and the Trappers. Afterward, he joined the California Air Nationwide Guard, and although a rumor unfold that he was killed within the Vietnam Warfare, he by no means truly left the nation whereas in service. After getting a BA in philosophy at UC Berkeley, he labored in banking, actual property, and radio, finally returning to appearing on the dinner theater circuit.
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In 1983, CBS introduced Mathers and his surviving costars again for the TV film “Nonetheless the Beaver,” which spawned a brand new sequence initially known as “Nonetheless the Beaver” for one season on The Disney Channel, and subsequently as “The New Depart It to Beaver” for 3 extra seasons on CBS. It depicted Beaver as a divorced dad, and arguably set a precedent we have to cease.
Mathers’ appearing profession since then has principally been in cameos on different exhibits to permit him to spend extra household time. He is been a spokesman for the Nationwide Psoriasis Basis, and the primary male spokesman for the Jenny Craig weight reduction program. Within the ’90s, he briefly ran a catering firm known as “Cleaver’s Catering.” Extra just lately, he is been writing a e-book about his weight-loss journey.
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His son Noah is an expert sound mixer, totally on documentary and actuality exhibits like “Coast Guard Alaska.”
Hugh Beaumont (Ward Cleaver)
Hugh Beaumont’s good-guy picture was greater than a TV portrayal, as he was additionally a Methodist minister with a Masters in theology from USC and a conscientious objector throughout World Warfare II, serving as a medic moderately than in fight. Previous to taking part in Ward, he was best-known for taking part in Brett Halliday’s detective character Michael Shayne in 5 movies. The character is sort of at all times broke as a result of he will not settle for morally ambiguous instances, and infrequently works professional bono. Beaumont did not imagine in compromising his morality as a priest if an appearing position required it. Although he didn’t seem within the unique “Depart It to Beaver” pilot, each Ward and Wally have been promptly recast, and Beaumont grew to become well-known for the position. He additionally bought to direct a number of episodes, and even write one.
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After “Depart It to Beaver” ended, he principally guested on different exhibits, like “Wagon Prepare” (above) and “Mannix.” As appearing work dried up, he moved to Minnesota and began a Christmas tree-selling enterprise. Following a significant stroke in 1970, he formally retired from appearing. Although he did seem in 1980 as a part of a forged reunion on L.A. native TV information, he died of a coronary heart assault a 12 months earlier than the discharge of “Nonetheless the Beaver,” which was devoted to him.
Barbara Billingsley (June Cleaver)
Barbara Billingsley had beforehand been a daily on the single-season “Skilled Father.” On “Depart It to Beaver,” she introduced her actual life love of pearl necklaces to June Cleaver, as she thought they helped conceal and light-weight a hole in her neck. It grew to become a operating joke amongst some viewers that the character did family chores in heels, however the heels have been to compensate for the truth that Jerry Mathers and Tony Dow have been rising quick, and he or she did not wish to look too quick.
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When the present ended, Billingsley stayed in contact with Mathers as a mentor, however she did not do a lot appearing for the subsequent 17 years, apart from taking part in two totally different characters on two separate episodes of “The FBI.” In 1980, nevertheless, she skilled a profession resurgence after showing in “Airplane!” — which remains to be hilarious after 40 years — because the passenger who’s capable of communicate Jive (above).
Sufficiently old to now not be stereotyped as June, she started working repeatedly once more and gained a complete new technology of followers because the voice of Nanny on the animated “Muppet Infants” spinoff that got here immediately from “The Muppet Film.” Billingsley nonetheless reprised her most well-known position on “Nonetheless the Beaver” and its subsequent sequence, and he or she was additionally one in all three actors from the unique sequence to make a cameo within the 1997 “Depart It to Beaver” film, as Aunt Martha. (The opposite two have been Ken Osmond as Eddie Haskell Sr., and Frank Financial institution as Frank.)
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She died in 2010, aged 94.
Tony Dow (Wally)
Tony Dow was an aspiring championship swimmer when he bought the position of Wally, as a result of earlier actor within the pilot rising too tall, too quick. Through the course of “Depart It to Beaver,” he grew to become a teen heartthrob, and he had the fitting look to maintain appearing thereafter, most notably starring in “By no means Too Younger,” the primary daytime cleaning soap geared toward youngsters. Like Mathers, he additionally joined the California Nationwide Guard throughout the Vietnam Warfare, serving primarily as a photographer.
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After the struggle, he labored development whereas nonetheless dabbling in appearing, taking part in Wally once more in parody kind for a sketch in “The Kentucky Fried Film.” When he returned to the position full-time for “Nonetheless the Beaver,” he tried his hand at writing and directing and took to it, turning into a TV director on exhibits that continuously had a sci-fi or fantasy bent, like “Babylon 5,” “Swamp Factor,” and the TV spinoffs of “Harry and the Hendersons” and “Honey, I Shrunk the Children.” This additionally led him to an curiosity in particular results, which he supervised on “Babylon 5” and the flop Paul McGann “Physician Who” TV film. He additionally got here near directing “The Line Kings,” a comedy film about “Star Wars” followers battling to be first in line for the subsequent movie.
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Later in life he grew to become a bronze sculptor. He additionally battled scientific despair and appeared in self-help movies about beating it. Sadly, he died of liver most cancers in 2022 on the age of 77.
Ken Osmond (Eddie Haskell)
Eddie Haskell was purported to be simply one other of many one-off TV roles for Ken Osmond, however the character proved in style, and he grew to become a daily. Along with his unfailing politeness to adults and duplicity behind their backs, Eddie grew to become an iconic sitcom character, a lot in order that Osmond discovered himself principally unable to get any subsequent appearing work. Although he did rating an uncredited cameo in Doris Day’s ultimate movie, “With Six You Get Eggroll,” he needed to have the ability to purchase a home, so he joined the LAPD, rising a mustache to keep away from being acknowledged as Eddie whereas in uniform. In direction of the top of the present, he had beforehand served within the Military Reserve.
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Through the time he was away from appearing, Osmond was the topic of two main rumors. One was that he was truly shock rocker Alice Cooper, based mostly on a misreported quote from Cooper. One other was that he had develop into porn star John Holmes, which was so pervasive was that he needed to confront a theater and bookstore wrongly selling it.
After being shot thrice within the line of responsibility, he ultimately bought a full pension and retired from the power, proper as “Nonetheless the Beaver” arrived to permit him to return as Eddie, alongside along with his two real-life sons, Eric and Christian, taking part in Eddie’s sons. After that present ran its course, he continued to make cameos and particular appearances earlier than his dying from COPD issues in 2020, aged 76.
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Rusty Stevens (Larry Mondello)
Robert “Rusty” Stevens was promoting newspapers on a avenue nook when a expertise scout named Lola Moore noticed him. He’d been doing that job for 10 months, then impulsively he discovered himself taking part in the Beaver’s pal and schoolmate Larry. It led to additional gigs on exhibits like “77 Sundown Strip” and “The Rifleman,” however his appearing profession ended abruptly in 1963. He had left “Depart It to Beaver” three years earlier, and in response to Barbara Billingsley, it was as a result of his mom proved to be an insufferable stage mother. His household then moved to Philadelphia.
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Jerry Mathers spent years on the lookout for Rusty, personally wanting him to return again for “Nonetheless the Beaver.” He discovered him promoting automobile insurance coverage in New Jersey. Briefly returning to appearing to play Larry within the pilot and three subsequent episodes, he returned to promoting insurance coverage afterward. As of this writing, he’s nonetheless alive in his mid-70s, however this time, he and Mathers have stayed in contact as two of solely three main actors left alive from the present.
Pamela Baird (Mary Ellen Rogers)
Pamela Beaird, who simplified her final identify to “Baird” for her appearing profession, was a part of a teenage concord group known as the Holly-Tones within the Nineteen Fifties, alongside together with her cousins Deanna and Joyce. Her first credited appearing position got here on “The twentieth Century Fox Hour,” an anthology present that featured shortened remakes of tales from in style Fox motion pictures. After many appearances on exhibits together with “Father Is aware of Finest,” “My Buddy Flicka,” and “Bachelor Father,” she landed her best-known position as Wally Cleaver’s girlfriend, Mary Ellen. When the present ended, she principally disappeared from appearing following a 1964 look on “Perry Mason.”
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In 1973, she married Texan gospel singer Robert Hensley, who had beforehand been a TV western actor below the identify of Bob Henry and a singer utilizing the alias Jericho Brown (to not be confused with the Pulitzer-winning poet of the identical identify). After he grew to become born once more, Hensley based a ministry, and he met Beaird at a Hollywood Christian Group. That they had 5 youngsters, and toured the nation as a household for 12 years, singing spiritual songs, founding church buildings, and preaching the Bible. Hensley used to joke that he “stole Mary Ellen Rogers from Wally Cleaver.”
Hensley died in 2016, and Beaird, now 80, survives him.
Sue Randall (Miss Landers)
Born Marion Burnside Randall, the actress who grew to become greatest generally known as Beaver’s eminently crushable trainer bought her first main break on the daytime drama “Valiant Woman,” because the third actress to play the position of Diane Emerson Soames. Her solely film position got here shortly thereafter, in a supporting position within the Katharine Hepburn-Spencer Tracy rom-com “Desk Set” (above). Many single-episode TV appearances adopted, on the likes of “The Rifleman,” “Gunsmoke,” and three totally different characters on “77 Sundown Strip,” earlier than “Depart it To Beaver” in 1958. Her appearing profession continued in the identical vein for a couple of decade thereafter, with the spotlight being six episodes of the anthology “Dying Valley Days” as a number of characters.
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She retired from appearing in 1967, transferring to Philadelphia two years later to work in an administrative position for charitable organizations, amongst them the A number of Sclerosis Telethon, Studying for the Blind, and Venture Headstart. Sadly, Randall died of lung most cancers on the age of 49, probably resulting from her heavy smoking behavior. She donated her physique to medical science, via the Humanity Presents Registry of Philadelphia.
Madge Blake (Margaret Mondello)
The TV mom of Beaver’s bud Larry might have probably the most fascinating story. Madge Blake did not begin her appearing profession till age 50, previous to which she and her husband James Lincoln Blake labored on the Manhattan Venture, testing tools and dealing on development of the detonator for the unique atomic bomb. They obtained a quotation from the federal government.
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Following an uncredited small position in “An American in Paris,” she befriended Gene Kelly, who put her in most of his movies thereafter, notably as gossip columnist Dora Bailey in “Singin’ within the Rain” (above). Following “Depart It to Beaver,” she appeared in a number of roles on “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” and “The Danny Thomas Present.” She was a daily forged member on “The Joey Bishop Present” and “The Actual McCoys” earlier than scoring her most well-known position as Aunt Harriet on the 1966 “Batman” sequence and film. The character had first appeared in Detective Comics #328, however the TV present fleshed her out and added canonical particulars, like her surname of Cooper. At one level, rumor had it the producers tried to fireside her from the present, however Adam West refused to allow them to, so she baked him a contemporary cake as thanks.
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She left the present throughout the third and ultimate season as her well being failed, together with her ultimate position being within the soap-spoofing TV film “Hastings Nook.” Blake died of a coronary heart assault in 1969 at age 69.
