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.”
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.
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.
Tony Dow Became a Sculpture Artist
After his time playing Wally concluded, he signed up for the National Guard and went back to school, but his true success came later.
Dow’s art was recognized in 2008 when one of his bronze sculptures was chosen for display by de la National des Beaux-Arts in Paris at the Carrousel du Louvre. Today, he works with Burlwood. He started selling his wood creations in the 2000s.
Jerry Mathers Was Scouted at the Age of Two
He was a toddler out shopping with his mom in a Los Angeles department store when the public relations director spotted him. They needed a catalog model for Mathers’ size because the original 2-year-old model had grown out of the clothing, according to an AARP interview in 2011.
His mom was a little hesitant at first but relented after the PR rep said they could keep the clothes.