Though we don’t know exactly what state they resided in, it’s been determined that the Cleavers lived at 485 Madison Avenue and also at 211 Pine Street. They also lived in one more house.
The home featured in the pilot episode is different from the others. It’s located at 1727 Buckingham Road, which, in reality, was located at Republic Studios in CBS’s backlot.
The Sitcom Enjoyed a Generous Budget
Though it fell short with ratings, the production behind "Leave it to Beaver" did not skimp. As one of the most expensive sitcoms of the era, it averaged $35,000 per episode. That is equivalent to a $270,000 per episode budget in today’s dollars.
Production costs were high each time outdoor filming was scripted. Filming inside the studio at the Cleavers family home was less costly, but the show required many outdoor scenes.
Most TV Shows Conclude With a Grand Finale Episode
The final episode of "Leave It to Beaver" disappointed many, to say the least. Instead of an originally written program that concludes the series and ties up loose ends, the production decided to go a different direction.
The "Leave It to Beaver" final episode was merely a montage of earlier shows. It was called “Family Scrapbook.”
The Pilot Episode—How It Was Lost and Found
“It’s a Small World” was the first "Leave it to Beaver" episode, which aired on April 23, 1957. Since then, however, it was tossed aside. No one knew where the reel went.
Finally, after 30 long years, it showed up at a storage unit in Illinois. The recovered tape was a print of the original, and it lay hidden in a film vault until 1987!
Judy Hensler Had to Leave the Show
Judy played Jeri Weil, who is a classmate of the Beave. There was only one problem the studio had with her...she started growing up.
They asked her to wrap her chest to flatten out any evidence, but the actress refused. It cost her the role.