To retain some height over the boys as they grew taller, Barbara Billingsley wore high heels, very high heels.
Considering how significantly the portrayal of women has changed in Hollywood since the ’50s, the sight of her wearing heels while cooking and cleaning provides endless fodder for mockery by modern perspectives.
Tony Dow Got Into Acting Completely by Chance
Tony did not audition for the role of Wally; he just happened to be at the right place at the right time. He was not a trained actor. As it happened, he accompanied his buddy Johnny White, who was a lifeguard at the athletic club he worked out at, to an open audition.
The next thing he knew, he was hired. Ironically, his friend Johnny was an actor, but Tony got the part instead.
Tony Dow Was an Olympic Hopeful
Tony was training at the Hollywood athletic club that fateful day. There was nothing he loved more than sports, and he was a gifted athlete. In high school, he lettered in every sport.
His best and favorite sport was swimming. Many people don't know this, but he was a junior diving champion and broke a national record at age nine!
"Leave It to Beaver" Is a Required Study at Some Colleges
However, if you’re a diehard "Leave it to Beaver" fan, you may not enjoy the course. Sociology professors teach about social values and norms by using the show as an example.
Students might compare the 1950s sitcom with more current family programs like "Family Matters" or "Modern Family."
Jerry Mathers Wanted to Go to High School Like Regular Kids
In 1963, Wally and the Beave were growing out of their roles. The precocious baby brother was turning into a teenager, and Wally was becoming an adult. It was a natural ending for the family-centric show.
Like any kid, he wanted to play sports in high school, so he quit acting in order to attend Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks.