Beaver Double

[Scrabjan1]

Just found out that Jerry had a double. Does that just mean a stand in?

[stevea]

It probably means stunt double (or stand in). So maybe (for example) on the forward rolls he practiced on the front lawn for Ward, maybe it wasn't Jerry (watch for a lot of camera changes/possible edits). Maybe also for the Lightning 11 football game. Or Wally and his friends' homemade boat.

On the Dennis the Menace forum I just wrote about seeing the final appearance episode before Joe Kearns' death recently. Near the end of the episode both Jay North and Joe K. went thru a high basement window, to the basement floor. I watched closely and it appeared North performed the move himself. Joe K. appears to have fallen on the move. It might have been a stunt double, but if he took the fall it could have contributed to his death.

[Scrabjan1]

That is exactly what I did. Found the episode where Mr. Wilson is suspicious of the neighbor and went through the basement window. It definitely was Joseph Kearns doing the stunt but going head first wasn’t too swift for an older man. I watched him fall too but I read somewhere where it didn’t contribute to his death but I don’t know. He died soon after and was so sudden. I saw a Beaver double in The Haircut and he probably just stood in position for a scene set up maybe lighting so Jerry wouldn’t be worn out.

[stevea]

If Kearns actually did that stunt I don't know how anyone could say it wasn't contributory. Coincidence he fell ill right after it?

It's surprising they allowed the star (North) to do the stunt. It's also surprising about Kearns, but North probably assured them he could do it.

On the other forum I wrote that Gloria Henry mentioned it had something to do with Kearns being on Metrecal, a dieting drink from the 60s. If I had to pick between Metrecal and a fall on your head, I'd pick the fall as the reason.

The director should have changed the script and handled Kearns some other way.

[Scrabjan1]

Right and it was downright deplorable that the character was written out so quickly and Gale Gordon brought in. I don’t think George Wilson was mentioned again. Joseph Kearns was brilliant as Wilson. His expressions were spot on perfect. Love when he got stuck in the space helmet. That fall he took was bad and little Jay was the only one there to catch him.

[stevea]

There were small mentions but nothing that made much sense. Suddenly he's gone "back East" to do something. But Martha is still there until the end of season 3. Gale Gordon's Wilson arrives and that's a pretty well-done episode. Then at the start of the fourth season Martha is gone too and John Wilson had bought the house. In the producer's defense there probably was not much chance to handle the situation well. It must have been a chaotic time for all of them.

[MichaelMartinD]

I imagine Jerry had a stunt double in "In the Soup."

[stevea]

I watched closely as he climbed the lady's arm, and his foot slipped. I doubt that was planned.

It looked like Mathers climbing, but I can't imagine they'd risk him performing that stunt.

[Scrabjan1]

Doesn’t Jerry slip and fall as he ascends the lady’s arm and lands with legs open? Ouch!!

It really looked like both Tony and Jerry falling into the slimy water in Beaver’s Frogs. I saw how his mother was on the set when Jerry did the stunt. I think they should have had a double when he was twisting. I notice MeTV uses Beaver twisting for a promo.

[stevea]

He slips but he recovers. Whitey yells something to him, like be careful, put your foot on her muscle.

On the boat rescue it's also definitely him going in and getting the boat (and getting soakee).

I'm gonna have to give In the Soup a closer look.

[stevea]

Oh, yeah, I've seen the twisting promo. The music they use is just a little better than on the episode.