Leave it to Beaver

Starring:Christopher McDonald, Janine Turner, Cameron Finley, Erik von Detten, Adam Zolotin, Alan Rachins, Grace Phillips, Geoffrey Pierson, Barbara Billingsley, Ken Osmond, Frank Bank, Erika Christensen, E.J. De La Pena, Justin Restivo, Louis Martin Braga III, Glenn Walker Harris Jr., Sam Gifaldi, Brighton Hertford, Shirley Prestia, Brenda Song
Director: Andy Cadiff
Studio: Universal Studios
Product Type: DVD

Product Description

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!

System Requirements:

Running Time 6 hrs 6 mins

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Seeing this show through new eyes........2007-06-28

I grew up watching this show when I was a kid and really liked it then, being the same age as Beaver then I really used to relate to him But now that I'm a lot older now with a family of my own the father's love shown by Ward is really touching to me. My children really love "Leave it to Beaver" we all sit as a family and watch this show together and it's very cool how even though the times have changed so much since those days the values of the love of a happy family remain the same. This show is truly something special to me.

great show...Bring on season 3.......2007-05-01

Both Season one and two have GREAT classic shows and never get bored to watch after all of these years, I love the classic reruns. I also love the younger seasons more than the rest of the seasons, espessially because there is a warmth and charm to Beaver and the troubl that he gets in and the whole family aspect if the show, the later seasons are fun also. This is a must watch show for any family or a fan of Leave It To Beaver as well. I hope that Universal continues with LITB Seasons 3-6 and doesn't stop with just these two seasons.. It would be shame if it ended here and it is LONG overdue for season 3!

BRING ON "LEAVE IT TO BEAVER" SEASON 3!!!

Leave It To Beaver.......2007-04-25

This show is so cute and sweet. I was born way after the show was originally aired but grew up watching reruns on different tv stations so it is also part of my childhood. I am now glad it is on DVD so I can share this funny show with my kids. I am just wondering why it is taking so long for season three to be released. Please release all seasons soon!

"A timeless sitcom classic".......2007-03-26

I remember watching "Leave It To Beaver" when I was coming of age in the 1960's-In my opinion,it's the best written & acted sitcom to come down the pike-I kinda wished I had a dad like Ward Cleaver-What's good about the DVD's of the old shows is that you can watch them uncut-The "Beaver" episodes shown in syndication & on TV Land,have been trimmed to allow for the airing of more commercials-Hopefully,Universal Home Video will eventually release the remaining seasons-Season 2 is presently available,as well.

Beaver at it's Best .......2007-03-25

The 1st season of Beaver is one of the best .. This season has great show's of bever and the gang ,, Like water anyone..the Haircut..and the clubhouse are just some of the classic tv shows. in season 1 ... well worth the price .... enjoy ..

Leave It to Beaver - The Complete Second Season

Average customer rating:

Where is Season 3????
Love the series
Typical Release from Universal
5 stars for the show, 0 for Universal
Love the first and second BUT.........

Leave It to Beaver - The Complete Second Season
Starring: Madge Blake , Tiger Fafara , Diane Brewster , Howard McNear , and Bobby Mittelstaedt
Director: Hugh Beaumont , James Neilson , Charles F. Haas , Anton Leader , and Bretaigne Windust
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000EGDANO
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Amazon.com

The second season of Leave It to Beaver finds the Cleaver family happy and wholesome as ever, with most episodes involving the Beaver getting into a scrape, or hearing the from-the-mountaintop advice from Mom or Dad afterwards. Despite the formula, the episodes hold up well, because of the earnestness of the actors and the delivery of their lines, which is, well, swell. Mom June (Barbara Billingsley) is the matriarch who makes it all look easy in her well-pressed frocks and pearls (pay close attention to those necklaces--there are actually several; some plain strands and some with pendants), and Dad Ward (Hugh Beaumont) is thoughtful and a little monolithic. But it's the adventures of boys, older brother Wally (Tony Dow) and the Beav (Jerry Mathers), that make the show so fun. One episode involves Beav and pal Larry (Rusty Stevens) playing hooky (they're late to school anyway, and they figure they may as well get "killed" later as opposed to today), and then winding up on live TV, on a show which June just happens to be watching. Moral? Golly gee, there's more than one, and they're delivered by both parents and Beav's teacher--and echoed earnestly by Beaver himself. The chuckles come in a ready stream, even if sometimes inadvertently. Sample exchange: Wally: "Mom, can I get tattooed?" June: "Tattooed!? Absolutely not!" Wally: "Oh, OK. Bye." No wonder people are so nostalgic for the '50s--teenagers never gave anyone any lip. This season, 1957-58, contains 39 remastered episodes on three double-sided discs, and is a treasure box of nostalgia, in the absolute best sense. --A.T. Hurley

Description

America's quintessential family returns with all 39 original, uncut episodes of Leave It to Beaver Season 2! Return to Mayfield for a warm welcome from its most charming family -- the Cleavers: wise pop Ward (Hugh Beaumont), resourceful mother June (Barbara Billingsley), curious older brother Wally (Tony Dow), and lovable, scruffy Theodore "Beaver" (Jerry Mathers). From building a boat to beating a bully to dealing with girls (cooties!), there's nothing the two Cleaver boys can't handle with a little luck and a lot of wholesome, homespun advice. Digitally remastered for optimum picture and audio quality, critics declare "…this 1957-1963 sitcom is as enjoyable today for its `50s nostalgia as it was then for its modern, understated humor" (David Bianculli, New York Daily News). Gee whiz!

Customer Reviews:

Where is Season 3????.......2007-06-22

My partner and I have just finished watching season 2 of Leave It To Beaver and just loved it! I jumped on to Amazon today to buy the next season and was shocked to see it is not available! I want to add my voice to the others here for it to be released as soon as possible. This has to be THE quintessential all-American family series of all time! What gives? Did the sales of season 1 and 2 not meet expectations? Those of us that love this show want to own ALL the episodes to watch and enjoy over and over again. I am an Aussie and never got to experience this show as a kid. Now that I have seen it, I can't get enough!

Love the series.......2007-06-20

How could you not love the beave and his family? A great classic for the entire family to enjoy. When is season three coming out? its been a long while????

Typical Release from Universal.......2007-06-12

A great show, but the Season 2 set, as good as it is, is hampered by the "Universal DVD Release Syndrome." In a word: A W F U L. Poor transfer, poor....no use listing them all again....poor everything.

As for Season 3 - where is it? Answer: There won't be a Season 3. They have done the exact same thing with other great shows. A season or two and then - no more. "Dragnet 1968" for example, the classic series with Jack Webb & Harry Morgan - One Season and out.

Universal needs new management of their DVD division as the complaints are far and wide and LOUD. I simply don't understand why they don't listen.

It's such a shame as LITB is such a classic television series that deserved so much more than what Universal delivered - and then dropped.

S H A M E.

5 stars for the show, 0 for Universal.......2007-05-19

Once again, a great show has been been butchered by Universal.

There's nothing I can add to previous reviews regarding this most perfect example of sitcoms from the 50s/60s that hasn't been said already. There is plenty I can say about Uniserval however... without a doubt the worst of all DVD producers for the following reasons:

[1] Low, low quality transfers. I don't think I've ever bought any DVD released by Universal wherein images didn't freeze or screw up on one way or another.

[2] Double-sided discs with side identification print so small, you never know which side you are putting on.

[3] Virtually no documentation or bonus material, when plenty is available.

...and perhaps most importantly...

[4] WHY IS SEASON 3 NOT BEING RELEASED!?

(For those of us old enough to remember watching this show in "real time" Universal's decision to hold back on releasing the final four seasons risks losing its audience. After all, we are all growing older with each day that passes and I sometimes wonder whether I'll live long enough to ever see the entire series reach the light of day on DVD.)

Love the first and second BUT................2007-05-01

where the heck is the third season?

C'mon Universal, lets get in gear.

Leave it to Beaver - The Complete First Season Limited Edition Gift Set

Average customer rating:

Classic TV at its best!
LUNCH BOX SET
NO WAY TO TREAT SUCH BRILLIANT DISCS
5 Stars (And Then Some!) For The DVDs Themselves .... But Just A 1-Star Rating For The Lunch-Box "Limited Edition" Set
Stick with the basics

Leave it to Beaver - The Complete First Season Limited Edition Gift Set
Starring: Madge Blake , Tiger Fafara , Diane Brewster , Howard McNear , and Bobby Mittelstaedt
Director: Hugh Beaumont , James Neilson , Charles F. Haas , Anton Leader , and Bretaigne Windust
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000B7HZUU
Release Date: 2005-11-22

Description

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!"

Customer Reviews:

Classic TV at its best!.......2007-06-26

This show was and is a great classic. My teenage son and I watch these episodes together and thoroughly enjoy them. What a wonderful time this must have been to grow up in. Wish things could be this simple now. However, this is a must have set. I only wish it would have came with an episode guide and maybe a more secure place to store the DVDs.

LUNCH BOX SET.......2005-12-22

Other than the cool lunchbox and the episodes themselves, this set sucks. No episode guide and the photo album inside is a brittle piece of crap!!! All 3 of my dvds inside were scuffed up when I pulled them out. I will be sending this back and getting the regular edition, which has a episode guide and a decent case to house the dvds. Whoever designed this thing should be fired! One of the worst deluexe edition dvd sets ever released!!

NO WAY TO TREAT SUCH BRILLIANT DISCS.......2005-12-06

like others, i found the discs brilliant but the album packaging is bad for the discs, so i have put mine in 3 empty cd cases, ditched the styrofoam (not good for the discs) put in its place 1 of those airbags(1 only)that amazon use to pack round your goods, and that has everything nice and tight in the rather nice lunchbox tin. getting back to the discs, the picture is sharp and crisp and the sound is excellant too .i love the shows depiction of smalltown life, and june cleaver is just the perfect mom, brilliant stuff, you wont want to leave this beaver!.

5 Stars (And Then Some!) For The DVDs Themselves .... But Just A 1-Star Rating For The Lunch-Box "Limited Edition" Set.......2005-11-25

"LEAVE IT TO BEAVER: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON" .........

At-A-Glance DVD Stats:

Number of Episodes -- 39.
Number of DVDs -- 3 (Dual-Sided; Dual-Layered; DVD-18).
Video Aspect Ratio -- Full Frame OAR (1.33:1).
Audio -- Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (English only).
Color or B&W? -- B&W.
Any Bonus Stuff on the DVDs? -- Yes ... The LITB "Pilot" Episode ("It's A Small World").
Subtitles -- English and Spanish.
"Play All" Option Included? -- Yes.
Chapter Stops Included? -- No.
Are These Episodes Complete and Unedited? -- Yes.
Booklet Included? -- No.
DVD Distributor -- Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
DVD Release Date -- November 22, 2005.

--------------------------------------------------

"Leave It To Beaver" (1957-1963) is one of my all-time favorite television programs, and I'm thrilled to now have the opportunity to collect the series on the DVD format. It's a TV show that, for me, never grows old or tiresome. Wally, Ward, June, Eddie, Lumpy, and "The Beav" will always be welcome on my TV screen.

This "Limited Edition" Lunch Box version of "Leave It To Beaver: The Complete First Season" is both fantastic and a nightmare at the same time. The "fantastic" part is the TV show itself (and the three discs which have all 39 first-year Beaver entries on them....and the quality is excellent here).

The "nightmare" part has to do with the way the discs are stored within the Lunch Box, plus the complete and utter lack of ANY printed episode information inside this package whatsoever. No episode guide booklet. Not even a single-page insert with the ep. titles scribbled on them someplace. Nothing. That's just plain crazy.

Via this "Premium" pack, the only way to find a specific episode you want to view is to physically load up a disc and then search for the program via the Episode Index on the DVD itself. Either that or print out the episode information yourself from an online episode guide or some other source. I guess that WOULD actually be a good idea for people who buy this Limited set.

In fact, with the best interests of Beaver fans in mind, I'll provide a quick-reference, disc-by-disc, Season-One episode guide near the end of this review. And if anyone should desire to do so, they can easily copy-and-paste the program list below into "Word Pad" (or some similar type of computer word processor), and then print out a copy to put in the Lunch Box for future Beaver reference.

Offhand, I cannot think of one other TV-on-DVD product that doesn't come with some kind of program guide, either printed on the box or on an insert/booklet. I certainly don't own a similar such set anyway.

The three discs in this set are afforded a very cheap Lunch-Box home, with each one being slid into a CD-like plastic sleeve which comprise the first "pages" of the bonus item here, a "Cleaver Family Photo Album". The album is a pretty nice supplementary item, with six B&W pictures of the Cleavers (plus Eddie Haskell) placed into sleeves within the album (same type of sleeves that hold the discs).

But, for what's labelled as a "Premium Edition Gift Set" by Universal Home Video, I would have expected a much better disc-storing device than just these album sleeves. Sliding them in and out of sleeves could possibly result in the discs getting scratched more easily. Plus, to get the things out of the sleeves, you pretty much have no choice but to touch some portions of the data sides of the DVDs, which isn't too good of an idea either.

If only Universal would have made the Lunch Box a tad bigger, they could have easily put the "Standard Edition" of the LITB set inside the Lunch Box, which would have been the best of both packaging worlds -- i.e., a "Limited Edition", but with normal (and better) DVD cases/trays, which the Standard version does contain. The Lunch Box measures 7.75 in. x 6 in., with a thickness of about 3 inches.

The regular/standard edition comes in a nice-looking white slipcase box, which holds three individual slim cases for the DVDs. And, of course, that edition also has episode information written on the back of the cases (plus "DVD specifications" such as video aspect ratio stats, Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono, subtitle options, etc., which is also data that is completely absent from the Limited Edition set).

So, I'd advise fans of this charming and ultra-likeable TV sitcom to go with the "Standard" version of LITB Season 1. It has much better packaging for the double-sided DVDs. I might also add that three of the six photos contained in the Limited Edition's Photo Album can also be found in the Standard pack (with those same 3 pics being shown on the back covers of the three slim plastic cases).

Packaging devices aside, I'm extremely pleased with the overall video and audio quality of these DVDs. The Cleaver clan looks just terrific here. It appears to me that Universal Studios has done a marvelous job of transferring these nearly half-century-old TV episodes (which were shot on film, not videotape) to the DVD format. The original "wet cement" opening titles appear on each of these 39 episodes, as do the "teasers" (i.e., prologues/trailers) that originally aired during these shows just prior to the opening credits. Thank you, Universal, for presenting these programs unedited in any fashion; the average run time here looks to be about 25.5 minutes, which is excellent (in an "uncut" sort of way). ;)

And Universal has even seen fit to include the "Pilot" episode ("It's A Small World") in this Beaver collection as well (it's located on Side B of Disc #3). The pilot, which was first broadcast in April 1957 as an installment of the syndicated "Studio 57" TV series, is a good program too (IMHO), and provides a very satisfactory start to the LITB series (although I must admit that Casey Adams, who portrayed Ward Cleaver in the pilot, doesn't nearly exhibit the charm, likability, and overall greatness that Hugh Beaumont brought to the role in the actual LITB series). Very nice DVD picture quality for the pilot too.

Here now is that episode list I promised earlier. For providing the following info that Universal should have included in this Lunch-Box pack in the first place, but didn't, I accept personal checks and most major credit cards. (Just kidding, Beaver fans. ~devilish grin~).......

--------------------

LEAVE IT TO BEAVER -- THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON:

DVD EPISODE INDEX:

DISC 1; SIDE A:

1. BEAVER GETS 'SPELLED
2. CAPTAIN JACK
3. THE BLACK EYE
4. THE HAIRCUT
5. NEW NEIGHBORS
6. BROTHERLY LOVE
7. WATER, ANYONE?

DISC 1; SIDE B:

8. BEAVER'S CRUSH
9. THE CLUBHOUSE
10. WALLY'S GIRL TROUBLE
11. BEAVER'S SHORT PANTS
12. THE PERFUME SALESMEN
13. VOODOO MAGIC
14. PART-TIME GENIUS

DISC 2; SIDE A:

15. PARTY INVITATION
16. LUMPY RUTHERFORD
17. THE PAPER ROUTE
18. CHILD CARE
19. THE BANK ACCOUNT
20. LONESOME BEAVER
21. CLEANING UP BEAVER

DISC 2; SIDE B:

22. THE PERFECT FATHER
23. BEAVER AND PONCHO
24. THE STATE VS. BEAVER
25. THE BROKEN WINDOW
26. TRAIN TRIP
27. MY BROTHER'S GIRL
28. NEXT-DOOR INDIANS

DISC 3; SIDE A:

29. TENTING TONIGHT
30. MUSIC LESSON
31. NEW DOCTOR
32. BEAVER'S OLD FRIEND
33. WALLY'S JOB
34. BEAVER'S BAD DAY
35. BOARDING SCHOOL

DISC 3; SIDE B:

36. BEAVER AND HENRY
37. BEAVER RUNS AWAY
38. BEAVER'S GUEST
39. CAT OUT OF THE BAG
BONUS PILOT EPISODE: IT'S A SMALL WORLD

--------------------

Closing Comments........

I've always looked upon the "Leave It To Beaver" TV series as an American institution of sorts. Its scripts and storylines were always very simple in nature, but the show never has failed to make me smile. And the entertainment value of the series' inaugural season is increased many times over thanks to the high quality of these DVDs.

Even with my many gripes concerning the Lunch-Box packaging, the first season of "Leave It To Beaver" on DVD is unquestionably an obligatory purchase for fans of this fun television show.

I'd strongly suggest getting the Standard Edition set, however, instead of this Limited Edition pack. And even though I dislike multiple things about the Lunch-Box set, I still feel the need to heap some praise and compliments upon Universal Studios for giving consumers a choice here, and for not releasing LITB Season 1 in JUST the Lunch Box. For being provided a choice of Beaver sets, I salute Universal proudly.

Stick with the basics.......2005-11-23

I recommend purchasing the standard set, not the "limited edition" collectors version. The lunch box is cool enough, but the DVDs are housed in a cheap plastic "photo album", which will, no doubt, yellow with age (looks like PVC, which is notorious for aging). The "photo album" doesn't stand up buy itself and doesn't physically "fit in" very well with a DVD collection. Would have been much better if they had just put the standard boxed set in the lunchbox. (There is also a large piece of styrofoam in the lunchbox. Classy.) The DVDs themselves are excellent and any LITB fan will be thrilled.

Family Favorites 4 Movie Collection (The Little Rascals / Casper / Flipper / Leave it to Beaver)

Average customer rating:

Family Favorites 4 Movie Collection
Kind of disapointed...in my case

Family Favorites 4 Movie Collection (The Little Rascals / Casper / Flipper / Leave it to Beaver)
Starring: Chauncey Leopardi , Spencer Vrooman , Malachi Pearson , Cathy Moriarty , and Eric Idle
Director: Brad Silberling , Alan Shapiro , and Penelope Spheeris
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000LV6NZY
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Description

Get ready for hours of family fun! Perfect for movie fans of all ages, the Family Favorites 4-Movie Collection includes four feature-length, live-action films based on the original beloved television series. Join Alfalfa, Spanky, Buckwheat and all the rest of The Little Rascals as they romp from one adventure to another; take flight with Casper the friendly but lonely ghost; dive into a wild and wet world of fun with Flipper; and look out for trouble with Beaver and the rest of the Cleaver gang in Leave It To Beaver. Available together on DVD for the first time, the Family Favorites 4-Movie Collection is a must-have addition to every family's DVD library!

Customer Reviews:

Family Favorites 4 Movie Collection.......2007-05-30

I am very pleased and it was in great condition and I received it faster than expected. Thank you.

Kind of disapointed...in my case.......2007-05-14

The selection is great. I only had one problem: it should have the french or spanish version as options.

Average customer rating:

Groovy Movie
Leave it to the Beave!!!
Great movie!
Leave it to Beaver
Leave it to Beaver

Leave it to Beaver
Starring: Christopher McDonald , Janine Turner , Cameron Finley , Erik von Detten , and Adam Zolotin
Director: Andy Cadiff
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0783225555
Release Date: 1998-01-20

Amazon.com

You might think that this 1997 comedy based on the popular late-'50s TV series would be little more than a pointless clone of its small-screen predecessor, but as a harmless slice of family entertainment it's surprisingly easy to take. Of course nobody could ever hope to match the original Cleaver family for Eisenhower-era charm, but there's cleverness afoot in the notion of presenting the Clinton-era Cleavers with just a hint of dysfunction beneath all that domestic bliss and innocence. While Ward (Christopher McDonald) pushes his son Beaver (Cameron Finley) onto the football team to compensate for the lost glories of his bygone youth, Beaver's grades suffer along with his self-esteem. When a teacher suggests that the Cleavers seek family counseling, June (Janine Turner) has visions of Beaver in the loony bin. Meanwhile, brother Wally is wracked with guilt over dating his friend Eddie Haskell's object of affection, but eventually these various plot lines (borrowed from the TV show) converge for the requisite happy ending. What--you were expecting Beaver to become a Prozac kid? --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Groovy Movie.......2005-06-07

Okay, YUP-it's corny. HELLO-its based on a very popular show from the 50s and 60s, which I happen to love. Forgive the cheese factor every once in awhile and enjoy this family film!

Leave it to the Beave!!!.......2004-12-06

"Leave It to Beaver" was one of the most popular TV shows of the late 50s-early 60s.

Beaver was the youngest member of a 50s family called the Cleavers that included Dad (Ward), Mom (June) and big brother (Wally). When the show began in 1957 Beaver was 8 and his brother Wally 12.

Tony Dow as Wally Cleaver was perhaps the most likeable and most believeable of the Cleavers. He was teen-cute and acted like an honest-to-goodness, normal 50s teenager. Jerry Mathers as the Beave was cute too but a bit of a drag as he aged on the series. He grew up quickly and at one point he was almost as tall as his TV Mom and Dad! The producers should have quit while they were ahead.

Hugh Beaumont and Barabara Billingsley as the Cleaver Dad (Ward) and Mom (June) are another story. Dad grew up on a farm and apparently he and "June" were something like high school sweethearts. I don't remember discovering exactly what Dad did for a living. He had an office "downtown" and a "den" at home where he occasionally worked. But I don't remember ever being told exactly what he did. I'm guessing he sold insurance. He spent an extraordinary amount of time however counseling, guiding, and mentoring his boys over every little thing. He was the perfect 50s dad.

Mrs. Cleaver was a wonderful fantasy character. She reminded us in a number of episodes that she grew up with her Aunt Martha and she went to boarding school. Like other TV moms of the 50s she dressed in pearls, earbobs, and crisp, attractive frocks while housecleaning. Her hair and her makeup were perfect as she went about dusting the tops of china closets and making waffles. Ma Cleaver appeared to have few interests outside the home (like charities, church activites, animal shelters, bake sales, etc.) She was always at home tending her men by pouring glasses of milk, buttering toast, and tidying the kitchen. She was never shown doing truly laborious housework - like sorting dirty laundry or mopping floors. Her household tasks were light and ladylike (slivering carrots, polishing the silver, etc.) After the dining room table was cleared in the evening and the dishes were done, she sat beside her husband on the living room couch. He read the newspaper and she sewed buttons onto what appeared to be male clothing while both chatted about the boys.

Interestingly, none of the Cleavers watched TV.

The Cleavers lived in several different houses over the lifetime of the series and in each house the boys always had their own bathroom. The boys' bathroom wasn't out in the hallway but just off their bedroom - like a master bedroom and bath. This bathroom arrangement was really peculiar. It meant that there were at least 5 bathrooms in the Cleaver house: Mom and Dad probably had their own bathroom as part of the master suite and Beaver and Wally had their own bathroom as part of their bedroom suite. That's two bathrooms. There was probably another upstairs "guest" bedroom and this bedroom must have had its own bathroom as well. That makes three bathrooms. (This guest bedroom was where June's Aunt Martha would have stayed when she visited.) And then there must have been a bathroom in the upstairs hallway and possibly a downstairs "powder room" for guests and the convenience of the family when they didn't want to run upstairs. That makes 5 bathrooms. I'm guessing the downstairs powder room was tucked somewhere at the back of the main hallway or tucked into a corner of the kitchen.

The Cleaver boys spent a great deal of time in their bedroom. Whenever they rushed into the house after school, they usually asked to be immediately "excused" from Mom and/or Dad's presence and hurried to their bedroom. Wally sat at a desk doing homework while Beave lay in bed daydreaming, kid-worrying, or playing with a toy plane, a cowboy pistol, a comic book, etc. The amount of time the Cleaver boys spent in their bedroom was very peculiar. Beaver was very, very occasionally seen on the telephone in the living room however.

The Cleaver boys had several friends: Beaver had Larry Mondello, (a fat little boy), Gilbert, Whitey, Gus (an old fireman down the street), and many more but the most memorable were two snippy, snooty girls in his class. Wally had Lumpy and Eddie Haskell. Eddie is one of TVs most beloved and best remembered characters. His Slick Slimy approach to Mom and Dad Cleaver was the most orignal touch on the series.

Other notable minor characters were Mrs. Cleaver's maiden aunt Martha, Lumpy's Dad Mr. Rutherford, and Mary Ellen Rogers, a teen classmate of Wally's.

Almost everyone (including his mom) called little Theodore Cleaver "Beaver" or "The Beave." (Exceptions were Aunt Martha and Miss Landers, the Beave's teacher.) According to one of the earliest episodes, Theodore received his nickname from his older brother Wally who, as a 4 year old, could only pronouce "Theodore" as "Tweeter." It was Ma and Pa Cleaver who refined "Tweeter" to "Beaver." The producers intended the name to suggest a perky, toothy, happy little kid.

Great movie!.......2004-10-25

This is a good movie to see, especially after seeing the original Leave it to Beaver series that were made in the 1950s. But there were some things wrong like some of the girls were wearing miniskirts and nobody wore miniskirts until 1965 or in the late '60s. And also in the movie, I saw Wally (Erik von Detten) was kissing his girlfriend Karen (Erika Christensen). And Wally wasn't kissing any of his girlfriends in the original Leave it to Beaver series except in this one episode that was made in February 28, 1963, "Box Office Attraction", Wally's girlfriend Marlene Holmes was kissing Wally. But anyway, this movie is 10x better than "The Sandlot." You can see my review on that movie too. So it is a great movie but I still like the original series of Leave it to Beaver that was made in the '50s.

Leave it to Beaver.......2004-08-04

Why does everyone expect this to be a TV-show clone? For gosh sakes, it would be critcized for being too akin to the TV show because it wouldn't be original. I think those people need to open their horizons.

Leave it to Beaver is an incredibly well done film. It is true to the series only in bits and pieces, but it really shines anyway.

The acting is superb. It's all excellent. No actor/actress in the film did even one thing wrong with their roles. It was truly an improvement over most Disney films.

The storyline and plot is, like most Disney films, toned down and simplified for younger kids. Their is truly only two full plots: Wally and Karen's jumbles, and Beaver's main story. See, that keeps it enjoyable for all.

The script and words themselves were written in clear, direct language. As such, Beaver has a bit of a lyspy voice, but it can be forgiven. He was young. Again, the movie's actual talk was toned down mostly for younger ones.

The movie really doesn't have SFX to talk about. Like most Disney films, it focuses on charm. It certainly chose well.

All in all, they did a great job!

Leave it to Beaver.......2004-07-10

Leave it to Beaver. I think everyone has seen that television show at least once, and I know that I, for one, loved it... even though it was completely unrealistic. But who cares? It was a cute little show.

The movie is the exact same way; don't expect something COMPLETELY lifelike... but DO expect something a bit different from the original show. The Cleavers have been updated... and I think my favorite part was when Mrs. Cleaver told Eddie Haskill off... that was great.

The characters have a great performance, too... Adam Zolotin was a great Eddie Haskill, and Christopher McDonald was the perfect Ward.

And watch out for cameo appearances from a couple of the original stars of the series. Those were great to see.

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Groovy Movie.......2005-06-07

Okay, YUP-it's corny. HELLO-its based on a very popular show from the 50s and 60s, which I happen to love. Forgive the cheese factor every once in awhile and enjoy this family film!

Leave it to the Beave!!!.......2004-12-06

Great movie!.......2004-10-25

Leave it to Beaver.......2004-08-04

Leave it to Beaver.......2004-07-10

The characters have a great performance, too... Adam Zolotin was a great Eddie Haskill, and Christopher McDonald was the perfect Ward.

And watch out for cameo appearances from a couple of the original stars of the series. Those were great to see.

Product Description

Digitally Remastered / Sound Enhanced Special features: Includes interactive Trivia from TV Guide. 18 classic original episodes (as they were seen on TV). 6 of each series on 3 discs.

Customer Reviews:

Could have been better,but I enjoyed it........2006-05-28

An okay "collection" of ''THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES'', ''THE LUCY SHOW'',and ''THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW''.The picture quality on the ''TAGS'' episodes looked like they do on TV,same with the ''TBH'' episodes, however ''THE LUCY SHOW'' episodes were very bad.They were full of black and white dots and lines and some of the audio skipped,but I could unsterstand what was being said.There is one bad thing,though:Not a one episode of any show contains the original music,the ''THB'' replacement theme was terrible,there were no words except for when the announcer says ''THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES!'' in a very loud voice,and ''THE LUCY SHOW'' replacement theme is about as close to the original you're gonna get! However,the ''TAGS'' replacement was much better than other companies replacement theme.But don't pay more than $10 and if you don't feel like waiting for them to come from Amazon, you may want to try your local Best Buy or Wal*Mart store,I bought mine at Best Buy.

A Decent Sampler with One Pitfall.......2005-07-04

Each of the 3 DVDs is devoted to one show containing 6 episodes. Each show has it's own storage case for the DVD so if you want to watch say Andy Griffith, you can pull the AG case out separately from the other two.

This collection features early episodes from these three sitcoms. The Beverly Hillbillies DVD contains 1962 and 1963 episodes so they're all in black and white. Andy Griffith is from 1963 and The Lucy Show is from 1967.

The episodes appear to be complete unlike when you watch classic TV these days where certain scenes are cut to fit in more commercials. I'm a big Andy Griffith fan and the last scene in these episodes seem fresh since they're the part that's usually the victim in today's commercial laden TV.

I'm not a big fan of Lucy or Beverly so I probably won't buy complete season sets of these series. However, they're fun shows and it's nice to see them again. With all the focus on I Love Lucy, it's nice to see one of her lesser known series make it into a DVD collection.

The package says "Digitally Remastered" and "Sound Enhanced". I'm not sure what's meant by digitally remastered because these shows look and sound just like they do when you watch reruns today. The Lucy Show must have been recorded on film because you see all the dots and scratch marks inherent with film. Plus, you also hear the pops especially coming out of black outs where the commercials used to be. An ocassional word is omitted where the film was spliced but you can still understand the sentence.

What's the pitfall? The beginning and ending themes of all these episodes were redone! I think that's what they mean by "sound enhanced" but I certainly don't consider it an enhancement. The Beverly Hillbillies theme is just music; no words! The closest remake is on The Lucy Show but what's the point of remaking perfectly good theme songs? At least the original video is still there however, when you watch classic TV you expect to see everything in original condition and the theme song is what most of us remember from our favorite shows.

Still, it's a nice sampler. Don't pay more than $15 for it though. It's a bargain if you can get it for under $10.

THIS MAKES NO SENSE.......2005-05-12

WHY IS THIS LISTED WITH THE MUNSTERS RESULTS? HOW BOUT A SEASON 2 RELEASE DATE INSTEAD.

*4 DVDs / 24 EPISODES* George Burns & Gracie Allen Show, The Jack Benny Program, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Lucy Show

Average customer rating:

*4 DVDs / 24 EPISODES* George Burns & Gracie Allen Show, The Jack Benny Program, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Lucy Show

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Digitally Remastered For Superior Picture Quality
Dolby Digital Sound
INTERACTIVE MENUS
scene selections
includes interactive trivia from TV Guide

ASIN: B000HA0PK8

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