Beaver Goes into Business

[Scrabjan1]

This should have been called Eddie Gives Beaver the Business!

Ward mentions how Beaver should open a bank account with his $5. Didn’t he already have a bank account in Beaver’s Big Contest? Ward deposited the $3500 after he sold the car. Also June says she’ll pick Beaver up at school and take him to the bank to cash check. Well doesn’t she need a car? We know she didn’t have a car because the next scene Ward has just come home in the car and June says the check bounced. Also don’t you need an account to cash a check?

I know June called a cab and took Beaver to bank for $6.50.

[stevea]

Wally got her Tooey's motor scooter. Now I'm picturing her riding that, with her pearls blowing in the wind, with Beaver hanging on for dear life.

Also the boys had accounts at the school, way back to the hunting jacket episode.

[Scrabjan1]

I like how every time Beaver gets his hands on a little dough Ward wants him to “put it in the bank.” The money for the sports car, the $5 for the grass cutting and his $22 for his birthday. Don’t get me started on Beaver’s Birthday, that was so stupid how he’s punished for spending birthday money on a race car. Now he can put his $22 in the bank since he got another $10.

[stevea]

Yeah, and Beaver always says, Dad, you made me put it in the bank. And Ward says, Beaver, I just suggested that would be best. Yeah, right. Like Beaver could have said, OK, I'll spend it. I'm sure Ward would have gone along...not!

In Beaver's Birthday didn't Ward make Beaver come up with his own punishment? If I were Beaver I would have said, I don't think I should be punished. Uncle Billy gave me the money--it was mine, and I spent it.

While I'm on a roll, in Substitute Father, when Beaver is being reamed by Miss Landers, if I were Beaver, I would have said, What about Arthur? Is he allowed to trip people on purpose in school, and get away with it? (I know we've talked about that one in another thread, a long time ago).

[MMR]

Originally Posted by stevea

Yeah, and Beaver always says, Dad, you made me put it in the bank. And Ward says, Beaver, I just suggested that would be best. Yeah, right. Like Beaver could have said, OK, I'll spend it. I'm sure Ward would have gone along...not!

In Beaver's Birthday didn't Ward make Beaver come up with his own punishment? If I were Beaver I would have said, I don't think I should be punished. Uncle Billy gave me the money--it was mine, and I spent it.

As I remember it, though, the punishment wasn't for spending the money but for lying. Ward said that if Beaver had discussed it with him first he would have approved, and I believe him.

[stevea]

Good point. He did lie--when Ward confronted him in the hall, Beaver was really on a roll (lying). "Gilbert gave it to me."--that was the topper.

[Torgo]

Originally Posted by MMR

As I remember it, though, the punishment wasn't for spending the money but for lying. Ward said that if Beaver had discussed it with him first he would have approved, and I believe him.

Yep, it wasn't for spending the money, Ward said he wouldn't have minded, because Uncle Billy wanted Beaver to spend the money on himself.

[Scrabjan1]

Yeah I guess Beaver was once again being “ a dumb little kid.” Don’t know why he just didn’t say “Uncle Billy sent me $10 and I really wanted this car so I bought it. You didn’t get the hint I wanted this car and wanted something more than money.” Then there would be no real plot. I still think June was being a budinski once again snooping into Beaver’s business.

Back to another ep I didn’t like Substitute Father I also can’t understand why Beaver didn’t defend himself and say “Arthur tripped me and it just came out but what about Arthur.” Miss Landers would probably not get into a discussion with him.

[stevea]

That would have solved it (in Beaver's Birthday). You know, Uncle Billy's so full of hot air, I'm surprised he sent anything. Beaver could have said, You know, he still owes me a fishing rod.

As to Substitute Father, SOB or whatever Beaver said--probably everyday stuff in schools today. But back to 1961--I agree Miss Landers was probably too upset about the language (I'm surprised she didn't bring Mrs. Rayburn into it)--but if Beaver had brought Arthur up and she blew it off, maybe Wally should have mentioned it. Come to think of it, she probably should have stopped him in the hall, right after it happened. He and the others were leaving, but she could have stopped him, and brought both of them in her room.

[Hazel Anyday]

This has nothing to do with Beaver but it does relate to this bit of not explaining yourself when accused. It's a pet peeve with me when I watch Gunsmoke, esp. the inferior color years, when either Matt or anyone else is accused of something and they're really innocent, they NEVER explain themselves or tell what happened. They just go away with their head down and their mouth shut. AHHHHH! This makes me crazy. All they have to do is simply tell their side of the story but NOOOO, just accept the blame and be walked off by the accusers.

[Scrabjan1]

Yeah like in Sheepdog when that Shirley starts crying incessantly when Beaver gives her both barrels. She’s been calling him all sorts of names and her friends too and Beaver has gone to great lengths by buying Glamor Spray and goops. He decides to fight back and then he’s accused of awful behavior when all he has to do is say “I’ve been the victim these girls have called me wretched names and treat me like a dog so I decided to give them a taste of their own medicine.” Mr. Bailey would probably still have looked at him with that open mouth vacant look.

Instead Beaver once again takes all the blame. Wonder if another note went home.

[tdr]

Originally Posted by Hazel Anyday

This has nothing to do with Beaver but it does relate to this bit of not explaining yourself when accused. It's a pet peeve with me when I watch Gunsmoke, esp. the inferior color years, when either Matt or anyone else is accused of something and they're really innocent, they NEVER explain themselves or tell what happened. They just go away with their head down and their mouth shut. AHHHHH! This makes me crazy. All they have to do is simply tell their side of the story but NOOOO, just accept the blame and be walked off by the accusers.

I agree that the color years (seasons 12-20) of Gunsmoke are not its best, but what are the top 3 or 4 eps in which this is done? I can think of some where the 'main cast' did not really defend themselves, but I question that "All they have to do is simply tell their side of the story." Consider in the classic ep "The Jailer," with a near all-star cast [Bette Davis, Bruce Dern,...]. Matt Dillon does explain that he didn't kill Old Man Stone, but does that make any difference to Mrs. Stone [Davis]? Nope. Nor does it make any difference to Tom Butler that Doc had a duty to aid the shooting victim in town, even though he was a criminal, and he was late getting to Butler's wife, whose baby was set up for a difficult birth.

Beaver, however, is a different case-- a kid both overly gullible and over-sensitive. And it's really hard to imagine he wouldn't have 'squealed' about Arthur or Shirley when all the blame was put on him and he was ratted out himself. Besides this, it often seems nobody in Mayfield has any sense of honor about them except the Cleavers. Whitey doesn't deny climbing the soup billboard is his idea, but he tells his dad, "Gee, dad, why would I tell a kid to climb a billboard?" The one-appearance little thief, Kenneth, denies he stole those items and his father believes him.

Is honesty really the best policy? In the end it still is, either in Mayfield or Dodge City. But stories do need a plot.

[stevea]

He was better at standing up for himself when he was younger. When Larry, Gilbert, and Whitey went to the movies and Larry stood him up, Beaver let him have it (verbally). When Ward yelled at him because Larry drilled a hole in the garage, he stood up to Ward, but ended up running away.

[Scrabjan1]

Right Beaver was pretty feisty in the early seasons.

As for Beaver getting in trouble, Ward said in Beaver’s Bus “Charles Fredericks hit him on the head but wasn’t caught. Our kids will always get in trouble because they look guilty when they do something wrong.” Not verbatim

[stevea]

Beaver always wrote funny compositions, letters, or newspaper columns. "I am sorry I hit Charles Fredericks on the head on the bus." (By Theodore Cleaver, Fourth Grade)