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.
Mathers Dabbled in the Music Business
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.
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.
Showing the Toilet Was Taboo on TV in 1957
Things were much different in the ‘50s. Believe it or not, "Leave It to Beaver" was the first TV series to show a toilet. The episode almost got banned! Even though it pictured just the toilet tank, central to the plot because the boys were using it as an aquarium for their pet alligator, the commode was off-limits.
Hearing this now is surprising, but it was the norm back then. Married people couldn’t even mention they slept in the same bed during those times.
The Leave It to Beaver Cast Was Like a Family Backstage
While crazy, behind-the-scenes stories are the norm in Hollywood, the actors who played the Cleavers got along swimmingly. The show’s producers wanted them to be like a family.
Recently, Tony Dow shared this with Fox News: “There was no swearing on set at all, not even from the crew. They wanted to keep it as family-friendly as possible at all times.”