When “Leave it to Beaver” went off the air in 1963, Jerry Mathers was a teenager. He decided to give a shot at a singing career. He got a contract with Atlantic Records and recorded a self-titled single called “Don’t Cry.”
Unfortunately, the song was not a hit. He tried forming a band next. He called it Beaver and the Trappers. You’ve probably never heard of it. Similar to Mathers’s song, it was not a hit.
There Was a Character Named Frankie
In the pilot, Frankie hoodwinked the Beaver into falling for a free bicycle scam. The "Frankie" character did not make it to the "Leave it to Beaver" series, but the actor a name you've probably heard of before.
Harry Shearer went on to "SNL" in the 1980s. We know his voice as Ned Flanders on the notorious show, "The Simpsons." He also voices Principal Skinner and Mr. Burns.
You’ll Be Surprised to Learn Who Moved Into the Cleavers’ Home
After the second season of "Leave It to Beaver," the Cleavers moved to a new house located on the fictional Pine Street in the Universal backlot. Forty years later, guess who moved in?
The street name changed, but the house stayed the same. Now called Wisteria Lane, the house was featured as a home on "Desperate Housewives." Stay-at-home moms on TV sure did change, by golly!
Stanley Fafara Ended up on the All-Too-Common Child Actor Route
Stanley played one of the Beave’s best schoolyard buddies, Hubert “Whitey” Whitney. When the show ended in 1963, Stanley started high school at North Hollywood High and got in with the wrong crowd.
His life spiraled downward from there, and by 2003, he died without a dime to his name. Unfortunately, the actor couldn’t even afford a tombstone for his grave.
The Final Episode, “Family Scrapbook,” Was Actually Ahead of Its Time
During the 1960s, TV shows did not end with a season finale. During those days, the show simply stopped airing.
So it’s safe to say that by designating the final episode with a special montage of memories from the show, " Leave it to Beaver" kicked off the season finale tradition.