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LEAVE IT TO BEAVER: BEAVER'S HERO (TV)

Summary

One in this comedy series about the Cleaver family -- Ward and June and their two sons, Wally and Theodore, known as "the Beaver." Beaver's substitute teacher Mr. Willet is teaching the class about World War II, and Judy Hensler brags about her father being a war hero. Beaver makes up a story about Ward being a hero himself, and the other kids start to believe him. Mr. Willet suggests that Beaver bring in some of his father's mementos from the war. Wally and Beaver open Ward's trunk, but Beaver is disappointed to find that it contains tools instead of guns and grenades like he expected. Ward explains that he was in the Seabees; he didn't do any fighting in the war but surveyed land for the construction of bases. Realizing that his lie is starting to catch up with him, Beaver tries to figure out a way to perpetuate it. He and Wally decide to forge a wartime letter from Ward to June detailing several of his heroic fictional exploits. However, Beaver realizes that the letter isn't convincing enough and discards it. The next morning, Beaver asks June for advice on what to do about white lies. She is called away by Ward, who discovered the letter and realizes what's going on. In school, Mr. Willet turns the subject of the classroom discussion away from World War II, much to Beaver's relief. When he gets home, Ward explains to Beaver that he used his engineering skills in the war instead of fighting in it, and that many of the Seabees were heroes. Beaver learns to appreciate his father just as he is, and also resolves not to embellish his tales from now on. Commercials deleted.

Details

  • NETWORK: ABC
  • DATE: April 9, 1959 7:30 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 0:24:36
  • COLOR/B&W: B&W
  • CATALOG ID: B:12380
  • GENRE: Comedy
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy
  • SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1957-1958; ABC - 1958-1963
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Joe Connelly … Producer, Created by, Writer
  • Bob Mosher … Producer, Created by, Writer
  • Norman Tokar … Director
  • Barbara Billingsley … Cast, June Cleaver
  • Hugh Beaumont … Cast, Ward Cleaver
  • Tony Dow … Cast, Wally Cleaver
  • Jerry Mathers … Cast, Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver
  • Wendell Holmes … Cast, Mr. Willet
  • Jeri Weil … Cast, Judy Hensler
  • Stanley Fafara … Cast, Whitey Whitney
  • Stephen Talbot … Cast, Gilbert Bates
  • Bobby Mittelstaedt … Cast, Charles Fredericks