I understand that LITB's showtime during its original run was 9:30 PM on a weeknight. (I don't remember if it changed later on - maybe someone can enlighten me.) For me this raises the question of whether LITB was really aimed at kids, because what kids would be up then? Was it really intended just for adults and, particularly, parents?

I understand that LITB's showtime during its original run was 9:30 PM on a weeknight. (I don't remember if it changed later on - maybe someone can enlighten me.) For me this raises the question of whether LITB was really aimed at kids, because what kids would be up then? Was it really intended just for adults and, particularly, parents?


I believe that the 9:00 slot was used only for the summer 1959 rerun showings.

What I believe was the case was:

October 1957 - March 1958----- Fridays 7:30 PM (CBS)
March 1958 - June 1958--------- Wednesdays 8:00 PM (CBS)

October 1958 - June 1959 ----- Thursdays 7:30 PM (ABC)
1959 Summer Reruns ----------- Thursdays 9:00 PM (ABC)
October 1959 - Sept 1962 ----- Saturdays 8:30 PM (ABC)
October 1962 - June 1963 ----- Thursdays 8:30 PM (ABC)


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leave_It_to_Beaver#Broadcast_history

Ah, I guess I had misunderstood then. Those time slots seem more sensible.

Back in the early days, sometimes a local station would have an affiliation with two networks.
And they would time-shift the offerings of one versus the other, to show the full complement

So it's entirely possible that some local variation might have given the time you mention. But it would have been an exception, not the rule (FWIW)