Were There Times On LITB When June Didn’t Have A Clue?

[Sgt. Saunders]

In watching the LITB episodes there were times when I thought June did not exercise good judgment at all.

We’ve already discussed in a previous thread, how June’s careless and thoughtless action, when she placed the “How To Make A Million” book that Beaver had bought for Ward in the family’s cookie drawer, which hurt and upset the Beaver greatly.

I also thought June was looking at the world through the proverbial “rose-colored glasses,” when she selected a photograph of a nude baby Beaver, stretched out on a blanket. Didn’t she realize that the other children, but especially Judi Hensler and Larry Mondello, would have made life absolutely miserable for Beaver if Miss Landers had gone ahead and placed that photograph of Beaver, au naturel, on the classroom bulletin board?

And, how would little June Bronson have reacted if Aunt Martha had submitted a photograph of her to June’s grade school class, showing baby June, lying on a blanket and showing her cute, little keester for everyone to see and comment on?

On another LITB episode, when June asked Wally to help new Mayfield High School student Dudley (and, by the way, what an absolutely “wonderful” Christian name to saddle your own son with for life?), the son of one her closest grade school friends, she did it again, when she urged the very naive Dudley to leave on that dorky-looking fedora he was wearing and wear it to school as he walked with Wally for Dudley’s first day at Mayfield High.

I mean, even Ward immediately realized that that fedora hat along with that drab black fly front rain coat Dudley was wearing, made Dudley look like a pallbearer at a funeral. Ward obviously knew that such longtime smart-@sses as Eddie Haskell and Lumpy Rutherford, would make life especially miserable for the callow Dudley. Ward very tactfully suggested to Dudley that he leave the hat at the Cleaver home, but, once again, June “Miss Goody-Two-Shoes” Cleaver interfered much to both Ward and Wally’s mild annoyance.

I’ve always wondered if Ward ever mentioned to June how she unintentionally made both of her sons feel very uncomfortable with her puzzling and thoughtless actions?

June really needed to get her head out of the sand, in my opinion.

[Tankeryanker]

"Were There Times On LITB When June Didn’t Have A Clue?"

Do bears do bear things?

[stevea]

I mean, even Ward immediately realized that that fedora hat along with that drab black fly front rain coat Dudley was wearing, made Dudley look like a pallbearer at a funeral.

Then Beaver asked, "Who died?" Brilliant writer--great line!

There were a few times where Ward called her out on her bad judgment. For instance, when Beaver took a stand and wouldn't eat Brussels Sprouts, she punished him. So, did she take away his dessert? Or send him to his room for the evening?

No, she barred him from a family outing. Ward was right--pick your battles, June.

When then-older Beaver wanted to go with Eddie and Wally, she wanted him to go to the store. Again, she should have realized Beaver and Eddie had bumped heads in the past. If Beaver had an opportunity to hobnob with the big guys, she should have let the store slide. In another episode, she let that go when Wally had plans.

That time, Ward didn't call her out, probably because Beaver gave her the silent treatment, and that became the issue.

[Sgt. Saunders]

In the “Beaver’s Baby Picture” episode, Ward demonstrated both wisdom and tact in how he was able to resolve Beaver’s baby photo dilemma by cropping the embarrassing shot and not informing the starry-eyed June of his action on the Beaver’s behalf.

Ward also demonstrated these same admirable traits when he came to Beaver’s aid by having his young son, very discreetly, put on regular boys’ clothes over the old-fashioned and atrocious prep school boy’s suit (with shorts!), the visiting and blithely out-of-it Aunt Martha had Beaver wear to school. Ward resolved Beaver’s humiliation without offending the prim and proper Aunt Martha.

I wonder how Ward’s Uncle Billy would have reacted if he had seen the Beaver, attired in that Little Lord Fauntleroy outfit, not very well, I suspect?

[ThisLittlePiggy]

Ward was the savvy one. June probably wore her pearls too tight and cut off the oxygen to her brain.

[stevea]

^LOL

In the baby picture episode, I think the male Cleavers were too worried about June crying if they told her she found an inappropriate picture.

If she was gonna cry, let her. And tell her she was wrong.

[ThisLittlePiggy]

June was a precious flower that would fall apart, she needed to be coddled. LOL

[Howard]

She may have had her goofs and faults but I would have given ANYTHING to have a mother just like her. This and other shows of the time painted this rosy picture about how suburban life is and mine was the complete opposite with bickering parents and lotsa yelling and cursing constantly; that takes a toll on the kids and it certainly affected me for the rest of my life. Sad but true.

[biffbronson]

I wonder sometimes if moms tend to have a blind eye as to what might embarrass a son. I recall one day when I was in kindergarten, my mom insisted that I wear a frilly white shirt of sorts, which I didn't want to because I thought it was something for girls. So I kept my little black jacket over it all through class; I remember distinctly my teacher asking me if I didn't want to take that jacket off...!

The Brussels sprouts episode is the one that reminds me of my mom. She was relentless at our dinner table in attempting to get me to eat foods I had no interest in. I believe one reason behind that is that she didn't care for short men, so she thought that nutritionally she could max out my future, adult height.

There was very, very little in the way of arguments between my parents; my mom's traditional education ended at about 5th grade (after which she went into seamstress training), so decisions related to finances, the house, etc. were strictly under my dad's responsibilities, who was a college grad.

[stevea]

Originally Posted by Howard

She may have had her goofs and faults but I would have given ANYTHING to have a mother just like her.

I think a lot of kids of the time, and countless rerun times after, felt this way.

[vitoscotti]

Psychological tonic of rewatching classic sitcoms that we've watched hundreds of times and can predict the dialogue word for word is absolutely fascinating. They provide a safe haven of peace and quiet and the wonderful gift of laughter.

I always love the fact that we know very little about any of the classic TV actors political views unless we dig very deep. Some of the current comedians and actors use their celebrity platform to actually mock deaths of politicians whose views they oppose.

None of that with our classic TV actors.

[CosmicCharlie]

LOL Good Writing ! > made Dudley look like a pallbearer at a funeral

No secret here, years ago I like June but now not so much ...

June is sneaky and constantly using her devious GLARE at Ward & the boys as a control mechanism. And she got mad at herself for cleaning her home for the girls visit but it was the wrong week and she was tired (BUT Mrs Manners cleans houses for a living, does a good job, and never seems to tire).

Many times June messed up Wally with girls. I think Wally was right when he threw a fit (more than once) protesting June's butting in. June butting in on Wally's dating life was a re-occurring theme. Seems the writers exploited that.

I wonder if Barbara Billingsly on some level resented THAT Writing ? She seems smarter than her character not having a clue (?)

Some of June's Glaring pix ... +-

[MichaelMartinD]

Originally Posted by vitoscotti

Psychological tonic of rewatching classic sitcoms that we've watched hundreds of times and can predict the dialogue word for word is absolutely fascinating. They provide a safe haven of peace and quiet and the wonderful gift of laughter.

I always love the fact that we know very little about any of the classic TV actors political views unless we dig very deep. Some of the current comedians and actors use their celebrity platform to actually mock deaths of politicians whose views they oppose.

None of that with our classic TV actors.

This is beautifully stated, Vito. I feel the same way, that classic sitcoms are a safe haven from the crazy present-day world.