paul sullivan actor leave it to beaver paul sullivan actor leave it to beaver

One would have imagined that booking such a popular show likeLeave It To Beaver would have been an exciting event, however, for Hugh Beaumont, it led to tragedy. Beaver became the first program to show a toilet on screen, but were only allowed to show the tank and handle. They were never seen in the series - another smart move. As the best friend of Wally, Eddie Haskell was tasked with using his smooth-talking to help the Cleaver brothers out. Many of the scenarios that Beaver and Wally found themselves in throughout the show often seemed to hit very close to the concerns of other children and teenagers their age. Surprisingly, the show ran for a total of four seasons, and included many of the original cast members real children as actors on the show. In his later years, he became a stockbroker, after finding it hard to break allusions that he really was Lumpy. Sullivan would have been a household name for years to come. Wally arrives home and finds his mother preparing dinner; he regales her with teenspeak banter about the day's events at school. The pilot episode of the series was originally titledWally and the Beaver. Paul Sullivan Wally Cleaver Richard Deacon Mr. Baxter Diane Brewster Miss Simms Joseph Kearns Mr. Fred Crowley (as Joe Kearns) Russell Thorson Man with Milk Bottles (as Russ Thorson) Leonard Bremen Milk Bar Proprietor (as Lennie Bremen) Harry Shearer Frankie Bennett Tommy Randall Frankie's Friend Tim Graham Doc Virginia Carroll Nurse Rory O'Connor Wally serves as a bridge between Ward, June and Beaver. Ward takes pity on the boys and buys them a bicycle. Then: Tony Dow Dow played Wally Cleaver in every episode of the show except for the pilot, when Paul Sullivan played the Beaver's polite older brother. He is an intelligent, polite teenager, who is trusted by his parents, popular with his peers, and liked by his teachers. That means that Eddie Haskell was the original cool kid. Apparently, a bunch of the other people did, too. After the show, Ken Osmond left the acting business in order to become a police officer for the Los Angeles Police Department. In celebration of the TV shows 60th anniversary, many of the cast members began doing interviews on many TV networks in order to discuss their time on the show. In real life, the actor wasnt much different. It was Tonys luck, however, that whenLeave It To Beaver realized they needed to recast Wally, they remembered him and gave him a call. After school time is spent practicing sports, and, once home, Wally spends most of his time doing schoolwork in his bedroom. When the war broke out in Vietnam, Jerry Mathers, who played Beaver, wanted to enlist in the Marines. He sometimes clears the dinner table for his mother (i.e., he carries a few dirty dishes to the kitchen), and in one episode is seen drying dishes. Trending. The episode cost a whopping $50,000 to film at the time. Mathers was dressed in his cub scout uniform, however, it wasnt just a costume choice. Neither song got very much air time, which was fortunate, because they werent considered to be that good. Brewster and Deacon would find roles in the series as Miss Canfield, Beaver's second grade teacher, and Fred Rutherford, Ward's co-worker and father of "Lumpy," Eddie Haskell's easily duped henchman/bully. When asked about any on set mishaps in his Fox News interview, Mathers had one very particular story that wasnt well known otherwise. CBS first broadcast the show on October 4, 1957, but dropped it after one season. He would wear his Cub Scouts uniform to the several rounds of audition and tell everyone that he was anxious to get to his den. This was the pilot episode of this television series. The sum would amount to over $400,000 today. Although it is not specified what Wally's exact specialties are, he did agree to be Beaver's attorney to fight for custody of his kids, but the plans changed when Beaver's ex-wife asked him to take the boys because the only vet school that will take her is in Italy. Heres 22 of them from The History Garage.com. Miss Simms ( Diane Brewster) is a secretary/receptionist at the Franklin Milk Company. He is more astute and experienced than his brother and often puts parental communications in simpler terms for Beaver's comprehension. Good thing, too. Many of the scenarios that Beaver and Wally found themselves in throughout the show often seemed to hit very close to the concerns of other children and teenagers their age. More than 60 years after Leave It To Beaver first began airing in 1957, it still maintains its place in the pantheon of great television. Fans got this idea when a college newspaper editor asked Cooper what kind of kid he was, to which he answered, I was obnoxious, disgusting, a real Eddie Haskell. However, the reporter misquoted him and reported that Cooper was the real Haskell. He ended up managing several cast members investments. If you were to go on a tour of the Universal lot, theres still a chance you too could visit the Cleaver house. Wally - this was the weirdest and worst aspect of the pilot. It's been over five decades since the hit show "Leave It to Beaver" ended, but fans still remember the adventures of little Theodore who breathed life into the series. Wally then becomes romantically involved with Mary Ellen Rogers, though the viewer often hears about her rather than sees her. During an interview for the shows 60th anniversary, Tony Dow toldToday that the shows writers didnt wantLeave It To Beaver to be filled with jokes that had audiences rolling on the floor in laughter. Barbara's June wore formal attire along with pearls and heels during the show, but it wasn't all about style. If you thought Eddie Haskell was a huge brat, dont worry, youre not alone. Many audience members reminisce about how June Cleaver was always pristine, even while engaging in all sorts of housework. In order to be able to see the boys sitting in the back seat of the car, the glass was therefore removed, which solved the problem of glare. So instead of letting the jokes roll, they cut any line that garnered too many laughs. Two of Wally's friends are pictured, and they are greasy-looking punks. 1961-1962 Leave It to Beaver TV Series Bill Scott Scott. Toilet scenes were not shown on television back then, but "Leave It to Beaver" became the first although it was just the tank. Menu. Because of that scene, the show was almost banned from the airwaves entirely. This wasnt because cars lacked the technology for them, but rather because the glass of the windshield created a glare when filmed by the cameras. He was so worried about being late for the meeting, he informed the casting team that he had somewhere to be, which they absolutely loved. It was the first series to have a true finale. The actress wore pearls to conceal the hollow in her neck. Like any other show,Leave it to Beaverhad to stop running. Following that, she starred in the 1997 "Leave it to Beaver Film. He was 77. Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts. The original Wally Mathers is referring to is Paul Sullivan. So, expect to chuckle, but not too much. Neither song got very much air time, which was fortunate, because they werent considered to be that good. In the originalLeave it to Beaverpilot, Wally was played by actorPaul Sullivan. After he was cast as Ward Cleaver, he had to get himself to California pronto, which meant flying. The show producers finally came to a compromise with the FCC by showing only the toilet tank, and not the bowl. While most of the shows back in the 1960s ended abruptly, "Leave It to Beaver" bid farewell with a look back to its previous episodes in "Family Scrapbook.". Despite the rumors, Mathers became the star ofBeaverspin off movies and TV shows in the 1980s, which was originally titled,Still The Beaver. He had been a Junior Olympian swimmer before he began acting. Jerry Mathers didnt have a normal audition. Leave it to Beaver was created by writers Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher, who found inspiration among their own children for plot lines and dialogue. For the main series, producers cast Tony Dow to take Paul Sullivans place as Wally. The ministry to which he was assigned happened to be extremely poor, so he needed to find another source of income. Hugh Beaumont, Tony Dow, Barbara Billingsley, and Jerry Mathers in an episode of "Leave it to Beaver." Both her pearls and her heels are one of the most cited examples of what it meant to be a housewife in the 1950s. It aired as an installment of "Heinz Studio 57," an anthology series. Did you grow up watching the show? Unlike most TV shows today, the pilot that was shot forLeave It To Beaver featured several different actors than the ones who would later become famous for the show. She only began wearing heels as the two boys began growing, so she could better appear to tower over them, especially when dealing with their many misdeeds. When the show first debuted in 1957, its ratings were only so so, which caused executives at CBS to rethink their commitment to the program. Frank Bank (April 12, 1942 - April 13, 2013) was an American actor, particularly known for his role as Clarence "Lumpy" Rutherford on the 1957-1963 situation comedy television series Leave It to Beaver.. Bank was cast in fifty episodes of Leave It to Beaver between January 24, 1958, until the series finale on May 30, 1963. Hugh Beaumonts character, Ward Cleaver, was the character who was always setting good moral examples for his kids to follow. To that end, executives attempted to make a pop star out of Jerry Mathers in addition to being a TV star. Stevens' acting work mostly stuck to the era surrounding "Leave It to Beaver." He appeared in guest . Yet another episode made it seem like Mayfield was in Ohio, because Wally supposedly went to a school near Shaker Heights. He remained on good terms with his former television family until the end. Wally and Beaver may have been the center of the show, but the story certainly wouldnt have been the same without having Eddie Haskell in the mix. Beaumont was always professional and friendly on set, but he was severely depressed while working on it. The pilot episode aired on April 23, 1957, but never aired as an episode within the series. While many people seek side jobs in order to support their acting dreams, Beaumont got into acting for the paycheck. Paul Sullivan did not have much of an acting career outside of this pilot. ", Actress Barbara Billingsley attends the opening of "Radio City Christmas Spectaculor" on December 11, 1998 at the Universal Ampitheater in Universal City, California | Photo: Getty Images. When the purebred show cat was put in the tree for the scene, however, it was spooked by its surroundings and ran away. There was a very specific reason producers found the young Jerry Mathers endearing when he showed up to audition for Beaver. There was good reason the boys lives were so relatable to viewers. Hugh Beaumont wasnt content to simply act on the show. The Cleaver family from the television program "Leave it to Beaver." Tony Dow almost didnt make it into the acting business, but rather decided to tag along with a friend of his who was a lifeguard at one of the pools he swam in. After he was cast as Ward Cleaver, he had to get himself to California pronto, which meant flying. Many audience members reminisce about how June Cleaver was always pristine, even while engaging in all sorts of housework. It was Tonys luck, however, that whenLeave It To Beaver realized they needed to recast Wally, they remembered him and gave him a call. In another episode, however, Beaver mentions being only 30 miles from the beach. Today, many of the show's cast members including Hugh Beaumont (Ward Cleaver), Barbara Billingsley (June Cleaver), and Frank Dank (Lumpy Rutherford), are no longer alive, but the memories of them are still fresh. June Cleaver: I think I'm going to ask them why they're collecting those things. Theres more to the tale of the toilet onLeave It To Beaver than simply being censored for wanting to show a toilet. Beaumont blamed himself and his work on the show for her death, because he wasnt there to drive the car instead of Hunter. Fans looked for clues in every episode, but soon found out from the writers and producers that the show was set in Mayfield, a fictional town meant to represent the American ideal. Sullivan appeared on the shows pilot titled, Its A Small World.. Wally is based on Connelly's son, Jay. It didnt stop because of poor ratings, though. Beaumont didn't remain the show business after "Leave It to Beaver." Jerry Mathers was a huge star during his time, and the network wanted to make extra money, so they had him record a music single, titled Dont Cha Cry. Somehow, a myth was begun and perpetuated that Mathers had in fact been killed in Vietnam, which is ironic because the military wouldnt let him serve for that reason. Many associate June Cleavers classic pearls as the quintessential look for a 1950s housewife, but the truth is, that wasnt necessarily every mothers uniform. It never was.Jeanne Moreau (b. At 69, Jerry Mathers hasnt been acting much lately, but he did surprisingly end up the focus of a tragic rumor during his mid-life years. A portrait of Jerry Mathers circa 1959. The writers didnt want the show to be too comedic. Our condolences. Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts. The series premiered on a notable day in history, though it had nothing to do with the show that would become an icon in its own right later on. In a play taken straight from Beavers life, Mathers was shooting an episode where Beaver cares for a neighbors cat. Mathers didnt end up pursuing a music career in the end. Unlike most TV shows today, the pilot that was shot forLeave It To Beaver featured several different actors than the ones who would later become famous for the show. In a play taken straight from Beaver's life, Mathers was shooting an episode where Beaver cares for a neighbor's cat. Matthers returned to television for a reunion, "Still the Beaver" in 1983, and appeared in a few episodes of the famous series, "Lassie." The series lasted one season on the Disney Channel before being picked up by TBS in 1986 and renamed The New Leave It to Beaver. To that end, Beaumont was able to play a part in writing for several episodes ofLeave It To Beaver, as well as to also direct some of the episodes. Some of that stems from the fact that Tony Dow himself was an accomplished athlete, even before he made it onto the show. Penny has danced with college boys and thinks Wally dances just as smoothly as they do. In 1986, Mary Ellen gives birth to their second child, Kevin (who was age advanced to 4 years old in the fall of 1987 and played by Troy Davidson). Many associate June Cleavers classic pearls as the quintessential look for a 1950s housewife, but the truth is, that wasnt necessarily every mothers uniform. Explore, taste, and write about the world. Some consider Mayfield to be in Wisconsin, because the town of Madison, as well as the Green Bay Packers, were mentioned. They make Eddie Haskell appear likable. Beaver may not have been reliant on pop culture for its storylines, but it certainly made mention of the Sputnik launch during several episodes. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. Sadly, he passed away in 1982 from a heart attack at just 79 years old. Hugh Beaumont wasnt content to simply act on the show. Instead, it became the house that was used for a number of other shows as well. Movies. Before shows likeLeave it to Beaver, it wasnt couth to show bodily functions on screen, or even imply them. They didnt want a big laugh; they wanted chuckles. You may have wondered why the humor of the show was styled as such, so its nice that Dow provided the answer. Wally Was Re-Cast, Too. 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During one 2014 interview, Mathers appeared onFox News to discuss his favorite recollections from the show. Wally and Beaver may have been the center of the show, but the story certainly wouldnt have been the same without having Eddie Haskell in the mix. Mathers genuinely had a cub scout meeting to go to after his audition, which he was anxious to get too. One of the most noticeable goofs on the show was the changing age gap between Wally and Beaver. Wally and Beaver want a new bicycle. Though show may have been more internally consistent than most TV programs in history, but the fictional Mayfields general location seemed to be in flux. The ministry to which he was assigned happened to be extremely poor, so he needed to find another source of income. Before he was a Beaver, actor Jerry Mathers was Little Ricky on the show "I Love Lucy" for one scene. In the 1980s, Osmond was shot three times while he was on duty during a chase with a criminal. Leave it to Beaver: Jerry Mathers Said Show Had to Move On from Original Wally Cleaver for One Reason. Theres a lot of facts you might know. When the purebred show cat was put in the tree for the scene, however, it was spooked by its surroundings and ran away. His dating life is sometimes frustrating as he tries to deal with the thoughts and emotions of teenaged girls. The producers werent able to figure out a way for the show to go on without him, so they decided it would be best forLeave It To Beaver to go off the air. Billingsley passed away due to Polymyalgia at age 94 in 2010. The first episode of the main series revolved around Wally and Beaver buying an alligator, which they needed to put in water. After his run as Haskell, Ken Osmond disappeared seemingly for a while, and rumors abounded. However, Tony Dow wasnt always a member of the fictional family. He didnt even audition forLeave it to Beaveroriginally, but a different show that was cancelled. Here's the scoop about the young actress Jeri Weil who played Judy Hensler during the first three seasons of the classic TV series, Leave It To Beaver.Check . June Cleaver, portrayed by Billingsley, notably wore pearl necklaces in every single episode. They didnt want a big laugh; they wanted chuckles. You may have wondered why the humor of the show was styled as such, so its nice that Dow provided the answer. During an interview for the shows 60th anniversary, Tony Dow toldToday that the shows writers didnt wantLeave It To Beaver to be filled with jokes that had audiences rolling on the floor in laughter. After the show, Ken Osmond left the acting business in order to become a police officer for the Los Angeles Police Department. Jerry Mathers wanted to take a break from acting in order to focus on going to high school. Barbara Billingsley chose pearls as part of her regular costume because she had a small scar on her neck that she deemed unsightly for the cameras. The season four episode shows Beaver stuck inside a giant bowl of soup on a billboard after he went to see if there was real soup in there. At other times, he clues the parents in on Beaver's activities, plans and feelings. The series pilot episode was originally filmed and casted by Max Showalter, and he played Ward Cleaver. Thankfully, his bullet-proof vest saved his life. WhenLeave It To Beaver first debuted on CBS, strict censorship laws governed what could and couldnt be shown on TV. Have you noticed while watching the show that the Cleavers car is missing the rear windshield? The only actor who didnt return was Hugh Beaumont, who had died several years prior. To hold the Franklin Milk in the Franklin Milk bottles. His usual routine was to drive with his wife, son, and mother-in-law from Minnesota, but didnt have the time. That was four years before "Leave It to Beaver" aired. Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver ( Jerry Mathers) is the younger son of Ward and June and the brother of Wally. (Getty Images) In May, Dow's wife Lauren Shulkind announced Dow's cancer had returned, just a month after . Leave It To Beaver had a curious effect on fashion trends of the era. Still, that didn't happen. Instead, Mathers decided to join the United Air Force Reserve. The last episode was a retrospective one called "Family Scrapbook" and has claimed its place in TV history as the first prime time sitcom episode specifically written as a series finale. What Cooper had meant was that he behaved a lot like the character of Haskell as a child, not that he portrayed him. He slips into slang occasionally, which upsets his mother. His son announced the news, revealing that loved ones surrounded the actor as he went and adding, "he was loved and will be very missed." Current "New Leave It to Beaver" cast member Janice Kent, who is also in the audience, discusses becoming a part of the family in the new series. We spent a lot of time together. Leave It To Beaver had a curious effect on fashion trends of the era. However, he did so well . In one episode, he declines a vacation trip with his family to stay at home near his current flame, then discovers she has left town with her parents for a vacation trip. Highlights of the original and previously unaired pilot for Leave it to Beaver, called "It's a Small World" and featuring different actors in roles of Ward a. There was good reason the boys lives were so relatable to viewers. UnlikeBeaver,Happy Days was filmed during the 1970s, even though it took place in the 1950s. It was the beginning and end of Jerry Mathers music career. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. It wasnt uncommon for stars of the 1950s to cross over into other artistic genres, not unlike many stars today. Paul Sullivan, Actor: Over the Top. He ended up managing several cast members investments. The town was Skokie, Illionis, but the footage wasnt taken for the show. Though show may have been more internally consistent than most TV programs in history, but the fictional Mayfields general location seemed to be in flux. The producers wanted someone who would look younger, so they cast Tony Dow as Wally instead. Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wally_Cleaver&oldid=1129258944, Articles that may contain original research from April 2022, All articles that may contain original research, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, student; various after school jobs including newspaper carrier, drug store soda jerk, and ice cream vendor, This page was last edited on 24 December 2022, at 10:31. However, the actor didn't quite follow through with his early career. Despite the fact that Beavers friend Lumpy was seen as the ultimate nerd throughout the show, when the actor, Frank Bank wrote his autobiography as a result, he claimed that he was rather gifted when it came to his romantic relationships. Were very good friends. In a first-season episode, Mary Ellen cultivates Beaver's friendship in order to get to Wally, then maneuvers Wally into going to a dance against his will. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In his later years, he became a stockbroker, after finding it hard to break allusions that he really was Lumpy. Mathers recalled that it took nearly 5 days to find the frightened kitty. I don't say he could have done as good a job as Hugh Beaumont, but he was acceptable. Luckily for Osmond, he was wearing a bullet proof vest, which ultimately saved his life. The show ends with Beaver and Wally playing with a wind-up toy and laughing like children. In fact, there was someone else who played little Beaver before Dow. Since then, the black and white show has gone down in history as one of the trailblazers for tv and film. Beaumonts mother-in-law was killed in the crash. We actually became much closer as adults, because in the 80s we toured together for 18 months in a play called So Long, Stanley and spent a lot more quality time together.. However, when she kissed Casey on the lips right off the bat, I felt she was cheating on Beaumont! Unlike most TV shows today, the pilot that was shot for Leave It To Beaver featured several different actors than the ones who would later become famous for the show. Given the character he portrayed, its hard to image Lumpy as anything akin to suave. Thereafter, he was cast as Clarence Rutherford in 101 episodes of . More than 60 years after Leave It To Beaver first began airing in 1957, it still maintains its place in the pantheon of great television. Leave it to Beaver Trivia Thatll Change How You See the Show, COPYRIGHT 2020 By TheLifeandTimesofHollywood.com, Stories From The Life and Times of Hollywood. Both her pearls and her heels are one of the most cited examples of what it meant to be a housewife in the 1950s. Tony Dow almost didnt make it into the acting business, but rather decided to tag along with a friend of his who was a lifeguard at one of the pools he swam in. In the second season, Wally attends Mayfield High School, and remains there for the show's last five seasons, despite the fact that he should have graduated. | Source: Wikimedia Commons. But where are the cast members now? In the 1997 film adaptation of the original series, Leave It to Beaver, Wally is portrayed by Erik von Detten. What Cooper had meant was that he behaved a lot like the character of Haskell as a child, not that he portrayed him. It stars Barbara Billingsley, Hugh Beaumont, Tony Dow and Jerry Mathers ("as The Beaver", as the opening credits put it). Paul Sullivan is known for The Book of Life (2014), Megamind (2010) and The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019). He often showed off his personal flare by coming up with constant nicknames for the other characters, most of which were improvised by Ken Osmondon the spot. Eddie was played by the actor Ken Osmond, but due to a little mix up in an interview, many viewers believed Eddie Haskell grew up to become Alice Cooper, the rock musician. Id work with him all day, then wed go home to our families. Showcase yourself on IMDbPro Add to list More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Known for Leave It to Beaver 7.6 TV Series Wally Cleaver 1957 1 ep Official Detective 8.0 TV Series Tommy Harrison 1957 1 ep Studio 57 7.9 TV Series Wally Cleaver Hugh Beaumont turned to acting for very different reasons that most performers. Due to particular relationships around the world, some Accio Potterheads! At the age of five, Wally gave a newborn Beaver his nickname while trying to pronounce his given name of Theodore. Unfortunately for Paul, he grew too much in the six month break before the show went to series. Son of actor Lyle Talbot Stephen was born on February 28 1949 in California. Wally Cleaver (Paul Sullivan) is the older son of Ward and June and the brother of Beaver. Featured in Leave It to Beaver: Family Scrapbook (1963) 4 /10 gattonero975 Details Release date October 4, 1957 (United States) Country of origin United States Language English Filming locations Revue Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA Production company Gomalco Productions See more company credits at IMDbPro Technical specs Edit The humor of the character rests in Wally's teenage perspective.