Starring:
Barbara Billingsley as June Cleaver
Hugh Beaumont as Ward Cleaver
Tony Dow as Wallace ‘Wally’ Cleaver
Jerry Mathers as Theodore ‘Beaver’ Cleaver
Ken Osmond as Edward ‘Eddie’ Haskell
Frank Bank as Clarence ‘Lumpy’ Rutherford
Richard Deacon as Fred Rutherford
Robert ‘Rusty’ Stevens as Larry Mondello
Doris Packer as Cornelia Rayburn
Stephen Talbot as Gilbert Bates
Tiger Fafara as Tooey
Richard Correll as Richard Rickover
Stanley Fafara as Hubert ‘Whitey’ Whitney
Burt Mustin as Gus the Fireman
Special Features:
Bonus Episode: “It’s a Small World” Original Pilot
Other Info:
Fullscreen (1.33:1)
Dolby 2.0 Mono Sound
Spanish Subtitles
Running Time: 17 Hours 20 Minutes
Synopsis:
Leave It to Beaver originally aired in 1957. The following is from the cover of the DVD:
“Finally, one of the most beloved series from television’s Golden Age comes to DVD for the first time ever! Join the Cleavers, America’s quintessential family, in all 39 digitally remastered, unforgettable episodes from the complete first season of Leave it to Beaver! Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver (Jerry Mathers) can’t seem to avoid trouble, and his older brother Wally (Tony Dow), and mischievous pal Eddie Haskell (Ken Osmond), aren’t any help. But with some wise advice from his father Ward (Hugh Beaumont) and mom’s (Barbara Billingsley) home-cooked meals, Beaver learns that all’s well that ends well. Complete with the original pilot, brought out of the studio archives, this must-have DVD collection will have you declaring, “Gee, that Beaver sure is a swell guy!””
Leave It to Beaver is not rated.
Mini-Review:
I used to watch Leave It to Beaver on TV when I was a kid. I was always amused by the antics of Wally, Eddie, and The Beav. So when this first season DVD arrived at my house, I was curious to see what my 6 ½ year old would think of it. I sat her down in front of the TV and played the first episode. Since The Beaver was a 2nd grader, she identified with him going to school, dealing with his older brother, and facing bringing a note home from the teacher. The show had her attention for a while, then she’d wander in and out of the room. She got bored with it at times, but found it alternatively funny, too. Because of this, I think it has the potential to entertain kids today if they can sit still long enough. Though the show has a squeaky clean image, I was surprised at some of the humor and how well it even holds up today.
This DVD will mostly entertain vintage TV buffs and Beaver fans. It’s a very large collection and the remastered episodes look quite good. They even feature the previews that took place before each episode. Quite frankly I’m amazed it took the series this long to get to DVD. The only down side is that it lacks any extensive bonus features. You’d think there would at least be commentaries or interviews with the surviving cast. What you will find is the original pilot “It’s A Small World” starring different actors playing Ward and Wally.
