Leave It to Beaver

Few television shows have invoked as much nostalgia for traditional Americana or served so often as the fodder of parodies as Leave it to Beaver. Who hasn’t heard of Ward and June Cleaver (Hugh Beaumont and Barbara Billingsley), the paragons of traditional, wholesome “family values?” Sure, to refer to someone as a Ward or June Cleaver these days is usually a snide put down, but in the 1950’s they were the hippest parents on the block. Good thing, too, for their dumbass kids Wally (Tony Dow) and Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver (Jerry Mathers--who spent most of his adult acting career starring in Leave it to Beaver parodies). The Beav was always getting into trouble--no, not selling weed, shooting heroin, knocking up underage girls, and robbing liquor stores. This was the 1950’s after all, and we know that sort of thing never happened then. More the “Golly Gee, Wally, I accidentally broke Mister Wilson’s window with a baseball” kind. Wait, that was Dennis the Menace--hell with it, you get the idea. Forget any nudity or even sex appeal in this show. Even the idea of a married couple sleeping in the same bed on TV was anathema in those days (which makes me wonder who Wally and the Beav’s daddy really was). However, one actress from the show, Veronica Cartwright, did bare her perky little nips in the 1975 film Inserts. As for Barbara Billingsley, the role of June Cleaver may have immortalized her, but many will remember her fondly as the Jive-speakin’ Lady in Airplane! “Chump don't want no hep, Chump don't get de hep. Jive ass fool ain't got no brains anyhow!”