June Cleaver - Leave It To Beaver

392cobra · #1 (**permalink**) 10-17-2010, 09:41 AM

"Everyone may not realize it, but America just lost its mother.

Barbara Billingsley, who died Saturday at the age of 94, was the prototype for American mothers the way John Wayne was the prototype for American men.

As housewife and mother June Cleaver on the sitcom "Leave It To Beaver," which ran for 234 episodes from 1957 to 1963, Billingsley was sweet, loving and pretty much perfect.

When Jerry Mathers's Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver got into mischief, which happened frequently, June always knew the right thing to say so he didn't feel even worse, but instead learned a lesson.

When Beaver and his brother Wally (Tony Dow) came home from a hard day at school, June had a plate of warm, fresh, homemade chocolate chip cookies on the table, right next to a cold glass of whole milk.

Actually, I'm not sure she made cookies every day. But it felt like she did, and certainly every time a fellow really needed a cookie, June delivered."

twobjshelbys · #2 (**permalink**) 10-17-2010, 04:36 PM

Yeah. I kind of find it sad that all of the regulars on TV and movies from my youth are passing away now.

Rick Parker · #3 (**permalink**) 10-17-2010, 05:04 PM

Yea that was one of the best shows of the 60's. Always had a good moral and lesson to be learned. The first couple of seasons when Jerry Mathers was 8 or 9 he really did some funny stuff. June often warned her husband Ward "Not to be too hard on the Beaver". Reruns are on Nickolodian occasionally. Great show.

I agree with twoshelbys that its tuff to see TV icons leaving us, Ozzie & Harriet have been gone along with their son Rick, lots of others...time marches on.
I'm grateful for each day I wake up on the green side of the grass.

BeanCounter · #4 (**permalink**) 10-17-2010, 06:46 PM

I had lunch with Ms. Billingsley back in '86 or so in the American Restaurant here in Kansas City. She was as elegant in person as she was on TV. The strand of pearls was there even at lunch. I was struck at how down to earth she was. The next week the wife and I attended the dinner playhouse where she was starring and after the play she came out and waved to us. Just a classy person. Her passing is indeed sad.

twobjshelbys · #5 (**permalink**) 10-17-2010, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Parker

Yea that was one of the best shows of the 60's. Always had a good moral and lesson to be learned. The first couple of seasons when Jerry Mathers was 8 or 9 he really did some funny stuff. June often warned her husband Ward "Not to be too hard on the Beaver". Reruns are on Nickolodian occasionally. Great show.

I agree with twoshelbys that its tuff to see TV icons leaving us, Ozzie & Harriet have been gone along with their son Rick, lots of others...time marches on.
I'm grateful for each day I wake up on the green side of the grass.

I remember the Ozzie and Harriet show, and when Ricky got married to Kristin Harmon - she was such a hottie. She is sister of Mark Harmon and the mother of Gunnar and Matthew Nelson. I almost bought their Mustang convertible but got the Cobra instead.

Dumpling · #6 (**permalink**) 10-17-2010, 09:13 PM

Man, how old are you guys?

Yeah, she was a 'good' mother alright...plate full of cookies and whole milk every day and look at the balloon Mathers turned into. Symptomatic of the obesity epidemic coursing through the youth of those who thought that was 'good' parenting.

As a real person, Ms Billingsley was by all accounts a very nice person. As a fictional mother, she was subservient and lacked any kind of nutritional sense.

The best episode was when Wally bought a junker car, took it completely apart with the help of Eddie and the gang, and then when it was time to reassemble everything, he was left holding the shaft (driveshaft) alone.

He ended up parting it out and getting more money for the parts than he'd paid for the whole car, a true foreshadowing of the future.

The string of pearls was to hide a hollow in her neck by the way.

Rick Parker · #7 (**permalink**) 10-17-2010, 10:41 PM

Only woman to wear High Heels, an apron and the before mentioned Pearls or were they "Pop Beads"?? (remember them) and then cook or do housework in them.

Dumpling: Those of us that truely remember this show from actually watching it, did so in Black and White TV. That should give you some idea of our age. Respect your elders!

"Father Knows Best" was another good one.

trularin · #8 (**permalink**) 10-19-2010, 09:00 AM

I see we are really making it clear we have aged.

Fred, Ethel, Ricky and Lucy to add to the list.