This episode as many Beaver historians know is considered among the worst of the very few clunkers of episodes of LITB. Where as 97% of the shows are good to brilliant, I want to talk about and invite your comments as to this one crapper.

For those that don't know, "Beaver the Bunny" was shown in Season 5 when Beaver was supposed to be about fourteen. He plays a rabbit for a little school pageant when Beaver's friends are in like 7th-8th grade!

Jerry has said it was one of the worst and most humiliating experiences of his acting career. This episode was directed by Anton "Tony" Leader, who did some episodes of Gilligan's Island. The consensus is this COULD have been a classic episode if done in season 1 or season 2. Maybe season 3, tops. It could have been like Ralphie's Christmas Bunny suit in A Christmas Story. Jerry was much too old for this role.

Jerry had to be almost sick to his stomach during rehearsals of that episode. Everyone Tony, Hugh, Frank (Lumpy), Ken (Eddie) had to be thinking. "Jerry's too old for this." Barbara I am convinced made a comment about "how cute Jerry looks in his bunny suit." Because off-set Barbra was the exact image of June in mannerisms and personality. She would NEVER intentionally say or do anything to hurt Jerry's feelings or embarrass him. However, Barbara "Mothered" Jerry and Tony on the set as if they were her birth children. She WOULD think Jerry looks cute in a bunny suit, and would say this as a mother, without perhaps realizing the embarrassment that Jerry felt.

Someone pre-production should have taken that script and thrown it in the trash like Beaver tried to do when he got the "Tell it To Ella" newspaper column that sided with his parents that Beaver should stay home and study on school nights. Beaver threw the paper in the trash can at school. That script should have also been shredded.

The cast got the scripts and had four days to rehearse before filming. Embarrassment for Jerry had to be very high for him during that episode and he deserved a raise and the sincerest "Hey buddy, so sorry that you had to go through this." Jerry might have said, "Yea, I know, I'm sorry too."

The director Mr. Leader did one previous episode. ("Beaver's Doll Buggy.") Coincidence? At any rate, Hugh took over after this for some episodes in directing along with one of the series most frequent directors, David Butler, and the writing and greatness improved dramatically, where Beaver really had no more bad episodes, until the out-of-sequence aired, Clothing Drive.

I hope Jerry got a pay raise and tons of condolences for the "Bunny" episode. UGGHH that was BAD!

Jack

I so agree with the fact that Jerry was way too old to play a bunny. All those kids were too old to act in such a play like that , period. I would like to point something else out about this episode. The part where he was running from the people in the street....the adults were just as bad as the kids and the dogs. They just stood there while he was trapped in the phone booth instead of acting like real adults and try to restore order for pete sake.

omg: God, this one is hard to watch. I agree about those adults outside the phone booth. Could nobody guve this kid a ride? Although I think the phone conversation between Beaver and the cop and the dialog between the 2 cops is pretty funny.

The fact that he was WAAAAY too old was bad enough, but when the school insists he MUST wear the costume to the school, it simply defies sense. None of the costumes would have taken any longer than 2 minutes to have put on, it's just so ridiculous that I actually get mad :mad: every time I watch it. This and any episode that centers around Eddie (not a big fan) are the ones I'll likely never watch again.

Poor Jerry Mathers indeed! My heart really goes out to him whenever this one's on. I feel the same way about poor Mike Lookinland (Bobby Brady) when he takes off his suit to wash it (in the washing machine! :crazy:), and is walking around in his underwear. I don't know if they could pay me enough...

Although I think the phone conversation between Beaver and the cop and the dialog between the 2 cops is pretty funny.

Oh yea! One good thing about this POS episode. Beaver talking to the police at the station, while he's on a pay-phone. Tons of dogs are barking at him outside the booth: Best line exchange:

Beaver: (after calling the police) "We'll see, my name's Beaver, and I go to Grant Avenue School, and I'm playing a rabbit in my schools' pageant, and see there's these dogs barking at me and I'm in a phone both!"

Beaver opens the door-" Quiet dogs, haven't you ever seen a rabbit in a phone booth before?"

Second Office at Station to Guy on Phone: "What's up Sergent?"

Policeman: "We'll I'm not sure exactly, but I got a kid who says he's a rabbit and he's in a phone booth with a bunch of dogs."

Second Officer: "What?"

Policeman: "We never get calls like this until just before New Year's!" LOL!

Jack