MUSEUM OF BROADCASTING SEMINAR SERIES, THE: "LEAVE IT TO BEAVER" SEMINAR {LONG VERSION}

Summary

One in this series of seminars conducted by The Museum of Television & Radio, then known as The Museum of Broadcasting, featuring the reunited cast of "Leave It to Beaver" and celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the popular series. Among those returning to reminisce about the old series and talk about the new show are Barbara Billingsley (June Cleaver); Jerry Mathers (Beaver Cleaver); Tony Dow (Wally Cleaver); Ken Osmond (Eddie Haskell); and Brian Levant (executive producer of "The New Leave It to Beaver"). Museum curator Ron Simon introduces highlights from favorite episodes as well as the original unaired pilot. After the screening, Simon brings the panelists to the stage, and the audience asks questions.

Topics discussed include: Osmond's life as a teenager in the wake of Eddie Haskell; Mathers's and Dow's creative input into the original program, including their use of the vernacular; the whereabouts of past cast members; the cast's contact during the years between the original show and the new; the experiences of Mathers and Dow as child actors; Billingsley as mother both on the set and off; the town of Mayfield as an unspecified location; the criticism that the show only dealt with white America; the show's nonpolitical nature and the perspective of the original show's producers, Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher; the boys' tendencies to laugh on camera during the frequent bloopers during filming; original cast member Sue Randall's battle with cancer; the existence of original scripts; the experience of working with actor Hugh Beaumont, who played Ward Cleaver on the original series; cast members' favorite shows; problems in converting network programs to syndication format; the origin of the character name "Beaver"; Billingsley's wardrobe from the original series, including the use of pearls to cover a hollow in her neck; and the discovery of the pilot. Paul Sullivan, who played Wally in the pilot and who sits in the audience, discusses his career after the pilot. 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. Simon closes the seminar, expressing his hope that this is one of many cast reunions to come.

(This program contains minor technical problems. This represents the best copy of this program currently available to the Museum.)

Details

• NETWORK: Paley
• DATE: October 2, 1987 Friday 12:15 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 1:10:01
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: T87:0463
• GENRE: Seminars
• SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
• SERIES RUN: N/A
• COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

• Ron Simon … Host, Moderator
• Barbara Billingsley … Panelist
• Tony Dow … Panelist
• Brian Levant … Panelist
• Jerry Mathers … Panelist
• Ken Osmond … Panelist
• Hugh Beaumont
• Joe Connelly
• Janice Kent
• Bob Mosher
• Sue Randall
• Paul Sullivan