Beaver's Hair

[Madame X]

Even as a young kid, I wondered why Beaver's bangs were cut at an angle. I figured it was for when he combed it up when he dressed up.

Well, he only dressed up once in a while, but his crooked bangs were there every day.

Did boys in those days have haircuts like that? My brothers were born in the early '60's but never had haircuts like that.

[Ireneparalegal]

I remember seeing pics of my brother when he was young. He was born in 1955. His hair was cut very short, a buzz cut. There are a few pics of it when it was combed just like Beaver's when he was dressed up for a special occasion.

Why would they be cut at an angle? Now I am going to watch LITB and take a good look at his haircut.

[tdr]

Originally Posted by Madame X

Did boys in those days have haircuts like that? My brothers were born in the early '60's but never had haircuts like that.

Yes. My brothers and I had hair that was just like Beaver's; trimmed according to how it was parted, which meant combed slighty back. I remember that our dad (who didn't go to work until late in the morning) every day before school had us sit down in a little chair in front of him and he smeared some Brylcream into our hair and then combed it that day-- yes, every day; and we only washed our hair once a week. With the late 60's and the hippie styles, he wouldn't let us grow our hair long, but eventually he did start letting us comb our own hair without the greasy stuff, then I remember I began to ask the barber to cut my hair in straight bangs and I just combed in straight down. Where I lived (central Texas) my case seemed the rule rather than the exception.

[Madame X]

Originally Posted by tdr

Yes. My brothers and I had hair that was just like Beaver's; trimmed according to how it was parted, which meant combed slighty back. I remember that our dad (who didn't go to work until late in the morning) every day before school had us sit down in a little chair in front of him and he smeared some Brylcream into our hair and then combed it that day-- yes, every day; and we only washed our hair once a week. With the late 60's and the hippie styles, he wouldn't let us grow our hair long, but eventually he did start letting us comb our own hair without the greasy stuff, then I remember I began to ask the barber to cut my hair in straight bangs and I just combed in straight down. Where I lived (central Texas) my case seemed the rule rather than the exception.

Ah, yes! The smell of Brylcreem! A Little Dab'll Do Ya! My poor little brothers were routinely scalped by our Dad with a barber's kit kept in a box in the hall closet. It took years of begging (especially by me) to allow the boys to at least grow bangs for something to comb. They also had some green goo in a little jar that smelled good. I can't remeber the name.

[tanquant]

I have always wondered too why Beaver's bangs were cut uneven.

[tdr]

Just in case it hasn't been made plain, boys' and men's hair was simply not cut in "bangs" then. It was parted on either the left (mostly) or the right side, and the final trimming with scissors trimmed it off the top when it was parted; that's why Beaver's 'bangs' were uneven-- near the part is would come down 'long' in front, and away from the part it would come down 'short.'

[tanquant]

You are right because Opie Taylor's is cut the same way. I guess that it would look more girly if their hair was cut in a straight bang.

[Dennman]

I wonder if Ward's was cut like that in the front. Another distinction to that period pretty much everyone had their neck tapered- Wally, Beav, Eddie, Lumpy, Gilbert and especially Ward. In some episodes Whitey's is long enough for a D.A. though.

[Scrabjan1]

Yup that makes sense trimmed as to how it was parted. Then it would come out at an angle. He often would plaster his bangs down like in Beaver Gets Adopted.

[Zinc2]

In a sweet scene near the end of Beaver's Fortune, Ward and Beaver are standing in front of the mirror and talking. Ward combs down Beaver's hair and then parts it and combs it to the side as they continue to talk. The before and after provides a good example of the haircut's stylishness and how a boy could have unintended bangs.

[Jack1000]

Beaver's hair I think looked better when he got older,

There is the classic scene in 'Wally's Weekend Job" where Beaver is helping Wally practice waiting on customers. (A CLASSIC SCENE!) But Jerry has way too much hair spray or Brylcreem on in that scene.

In "Beaver the Sheepdog" does anyone know what Jerry actually put in his hair when they did that scene?

Jack

[Scrabjan1]

Well sometimes they cut out the scene showing all the products he uses but it's everything from Glamor spray to gels and creams. Probably they just loaded it up with Brylcreem and not a little dab.

[Dennman]

Beaver The Sheep Dog is a great episode -especially the shot of Wally laughing.
It certainly looked like the Beav stocked up on sprays, pomades- other products. I always wondered what Hugh Beaumont wore in his hair.

[Scrabjan1]

I think Beaver covered his head with Crisco oil. I think Ward was balding on top. In one episode he is sitting on Beaver's bed and gets up with his head down..you can see a bald spot..not that there's anything wrong with that.