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A Bathroom Scene Nearly Banned ‘Leave It to Beaver’ From Television
Country Music Family ^ | 11/19/20 | Jennifer Pernicano

Posted on 01/19/2025 10:25:50 AM PST by DallasBiff

Leave It to Beaver highlighted the Cleaver family’s traditional family values. A large portion of the show revolved around two brothers—Beaver and Wally Cleaver—as they constantly weaseled their way in and out of trouble. The sitcom, which was one of the first shows portrayed from a child’s perspective, pushed the limits of ’50s television.

Despite today’s nearly nonexistent level of censorship, TV in the ’50s was extremely conservative! Shows were not allowed to use bathroom or toilet footage, but Leave It to Beaver decided to stretch censorship boundaries. In the original pilot episode “Captain Jack,” Wally put a small alligator inside the toilet tank as if it were an aquarium.

(Excerpt) Read more at countrymusicfamily.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; History; Society; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: leaveittobeaver; toilet; tv
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To: Leaning Right

The first time you saw Eddie, no matter how young you were, you KNEW he was a wiseass the second he opened his mouth.


21 posted on 01/19/2025 10:57:50 AM PST by TalBlack (Time to use the Law and the Power. Good luck Mr. President.)
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To: Leaning Right
Then came Eddie.

In the little town we lived in back in the early 1960s, there was a much older kid who I thought looked and acted just like Eddie Haskell. I finally mentioned this to my mom and dad when watching the show, and they both started laughing. I was told to keep my observation within the family, etc, but they did confirm the resemblances.

22 posted on 01/19/2025 10:58:42 AM PST by niteowl77
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To: dfwgator
IIRC All In The Family was the first time that they used the sound of a flushing toilet.

“You can never buy beer …. You only rent it.”

23 posted on 01/19/2025 11:01:15 AM PST by FatherofFive (we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor)
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To: bankwalker

LOL!


24 posted on 01/19/2025 11:03:57 AM PST by Carriage Hill (A society grows great when old men plant trees, in whose shade they know they will never sit.)
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To: bankwalker

That was an actual LOL from me. Good one!!!


25 posted on 01/19/2025 11:18:02 AM PST by llevrok (Keep buggering on!)
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To: bankwalker

CPT obvious here, I assume the bev got a Brazilian wax treatment? /s


26 posted on 01/19/2025 11:21:28 AM PST by Liaison (TANSTAAFL)
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To: Old Man From WV
I read that Hugh Beaumont, Beaver’s dad, was a minister.

Yup.

And Barbara Billingsly was was a cigarette smoker who quit when she got the June Cleaver role. She told why in an interview that she did not think it appropriate that America's mom smoked. Different times, huh?

27 posted on 01/19/2025 11:23:03 AM PST by llevrok (Keep buggering on!)
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To: llevrok

Billingsly was a babe too. I saw a pin up of her from the war years. Not your neighbor’s mom!


28 posted on 01/19/2025 11:24:22 AM PST by Vermont Lt
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To: katykelly

I recall that as well.
Kind of cool.

I wish Rush was alive to witness everything that has happened in the last few years.

Knowing where Rush is at however I can rest assured he doesn’t share my sentiment.


29 posted on 01/19/2025 11:27:26 AM PST by Romans Nine
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To: bankwalker

LMAO!!!


30 posted on 01/19/2025 11:28:19 AM PST by Danie_2023
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To: John Milner

Eddie Haskell - ‘nuff said.

Played by Ken Osmond. A straight up righteous dude in real life. In 1970 became an LAPD cop. Got on motorcycles, and was in the thick of things. In a foot chase with a car thief, took three bullets. Two in his vest, one in his belt buckle.
Grew a cop mustache so the public wouldn’t recognize him.


31 posted on 01/19/2025 11:30:42 AM PST by DesertRhino (2016 Star Wars, 2020 The Empire Strikes Back, 2025... RETURN OF THE JEDI..Exactly.)
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To: llevrok
re. Married couples could not be shown in one bed.

In one episode of the show "The Farmer's Daughter" the honeymooning couple were given a hotel room with two separate beds, not a single bed. Due to the requirements at the time when they complained they could not use the word "bed", instead they had to complain about the "wrong accomodations".

32 posted on 01/19/2025 11:31:21 AM PST by ken in texas
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To: DallasBiff

I remember that episode, the guy who played Captain Jack was also the same one who played Uncle Billy..great show Ive seen every episode, repeatedly they show it all the time on MeTV


33 posted on 01/19/2025 11:36:03 AM PST by Sarah Barracuda
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To: John Milner

Strange how Lumpy morphed from a big, oafish bully to a friend, and contemporary of Wally. Held back a couple of years?


34 posted on 01/19/2025 11:40:18 AM PST by gundog (It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. the )
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To: Leaning Right

Don’t sell Larry Mondello short....


35 posted on 01/19/2025 11:41:13 AM PST by gundog (It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. the )
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To: Sarah Barracuda
Edgar Buchanan. Uncle Joe from “Pettycoat Junction.” LITB, was a good show for bringing in character actors. Burt Mustin was another great.


36 posted on 01/19/2025 11:46:27 AM PST by gundog (It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. the )
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To: dfwgator

Figures.


37 posted on 01/19/2025 11:49:11 AM PST by Romulus ( )
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To: Romans Nine

Ditto 👍


38 posted on 01/19/2025 11:50:58 AM PST by katykelly
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To: Leaning Right

So Mrs. Cleaver how’s the beaver?

Eddie asked as Mrs. Cleaver preparing dinner.

Pre slang times


39 posted on 01/19/2025 11:54:55 AM PST by Vaduz
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To: llevrok
Married couples could not be shown in one bed.

The late '40s show Mary Kay and Johnny had a married couple sharing a bed.

40 posted on 01/19/2025 11:58:15 AM PST by HartleyMBaldwin
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