Leave It to Beaver has become an iconic American sitcom from the 1950s and 1960s and well known as the first primetime sitcom told from a child’s point of view. The show followed the life of Theodore “The Beaver” Cleaver and his family, June and Ward Cleaver, and Beaver’s brother Wally. Leave It to Beaver ran for six seasons first on CBS and later on ABC from 1957 to 1963. It’s been over 50 years since the show was on the air, so let’s take a look back at 8 things you might not have known about the series!
8. Based on Real Experiences
Many of the show’s storylines were developed from real life stories of the writers and show creators, Joe Connelly and Bob Masher. Connelly based the characters of Wally and Beaver on his own two sons, while Eddie and Larry were developed off their friends. Connelly even went so far as to record his sons conversations with their friends in a notebook! The episode “The Haircut” was based off a real life experience of Mosher when he had to wear a stocking cap in a school play after he gave himself a bad haircut. Connelly’s 14-year-old son Jay had a habit of combing his hair too frequently which was then incorporated into Wally’s character.
PREMIUM —