Lame and Unnecessary - the Name Beaver - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

stevea · 01-20-2021, 11:07 AM

Here is a quote from the Family Scrapbook thread:

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelMartinD

I'm not a big fan of that finale episode, for the reason you mentioned (the pictures are not plausible) and also because the explanation for Beaver's name is lame and unnecessary.

I agree. Now, what WOULD be a good explanation for Theodore to have picked up the nickname Beaver? How would it have come about?

(For those who haven't seen the episode, the explanation was that young Wally couldn't pronounce Theodore, and it came out similar to Tweeder, and evolved to Beaver.)

MichaelMartinD · 01-20-2021, 02:08 PM

My take (being the person who made that post):

They could have just said it was a rhyming nickname (Beaver Cleaver) OR that it came from the fact that he resembled a Beaver (his front teeth that stick out) or that he was very busy and active like a beaver. Any of these would have been better than the contrived explanation they gave.

GentlemanJim · 01-20-2021, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

Here is a quote from the Family Scrapbook thread:

I agree. Now, what WOULD be a good explanation for Theodore to have picked up the nickname Beaver? How would it have come about?

(For those who haven't seen the episode, the explanation was that young Wally couldn't pronounce Theodore, and it came out similar to Tweeder, and evolved to Beaver.)

Thank you for adding that clarification. It's been a while since I saw the episode.

FWIW, I have no problem with the original explanation, it's believable.
I grew up with a friend named "Walter", yet everyone called him "Bug". because no one wanted to go to the trouble to enunciate two syllables, and he evidently crawled around like a little bug before he could walk,..and the nick just stuck.

I also have an uncle Felix, who many years ago one of my young female cousins could not pronounce "Felix" properly, so she called him "Uncle Feeley".

And we just all thought that was too funny to let him live it down, so it became sort of a family joke nickname ...and stuck.

Zoneboy · 01-20-2021, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelMartinD

My take (being the person who made that post):

They could have just said it was a rhyming nickname (Beaver Cleaver) OR that it came from the fact that he resembled a Beaver (his front teeth that stick out) or that he was very busy and active like a beaver. Any of these would have been better than the contrived explanation they gave.

The explanation given in that episode works for me. If my teeth stuck out at that age and my parents called me Beaver because of it I would have disowned them.

CosmicCharlie · 01-20-2021, 06:37 PM

LOL it's tv

Theodore to Beaver is a reach but the Title has a good ring to it

Leave It To Chubby ? because Wally couldn't pronounce Charlie ? Whatever LOL

GentlemanJim · 01-21-2021, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

(For those who haven't seen the episode, the explanation was that young Wally couldn't pronounce Theodore, and it came out similar to Tweeder, and evolved to Beaver.)

One thing that makes the "official explanation" somewhat dubious, how many children are there that could not pronounce "Ted", as in Teddy Bear?

stevea · 01-21-2021, 09:28 AM

When I thought about this, I wondered why Ward and June wouldn't just tell Wally (if he had trouble with Theodore) to call him Ted or Teddy.

GentlemanJim · 01-21-2021, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

When I thought about this, I wondered why Ward and June wouldn't just tell Wally (if he had trouble with Theodore) to call him Ted or Teddy.

Perhaps Wally had a "Beaver Bear"?

stevea · 01-21-2021, 09:42 AM

The mfr. gave up on Beaver Bear when he wouldn't sell--the evidence was pretty "damming."

howilu · 01-21-2021, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

When I thought about this, I wondered why Ward and June wouldn't just tell Wally (if he had trouble with Theodore) to call him Ted or Teddy.

In a previous post on this board, I mentioned that Tom Brittingham and Mary Margaret Matthews were the only two characters to call Beaver "Teddy."

stevea · 01-21-2021, 11:41 AM

Right, despite Beaver's claim to Mary Margaret that nobody had called him Teddy before, Mr. Brittingham had.

Later, Beaver asked Miss Landers to make sure he called him Beaver.

01-20-2021, 02:08 PM	#2
MichaelMartinD Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 23, 2013 Posts: 577	My take (being the person who made that post): They could have just said it was a rhyming nickname (Beaver Cleaver) OR that it came from the fact that he resembled a Beaver (his front teeth that stick out) or that he was very busy and active like a beaver. Any of these would have been better than the contrived explanation they gave.

01-20-2021, 06:37 PM	#5
CosmicCharlie Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 14, 2019 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,457	LOL it's tv Theodore to Beaver is a reach but the Title has a good ring to it Leave It To Chubby ? because Wally couldn't pronounce Charlie ? Whatever LOL

01-21-2021, 09:28 AM	#7
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,990	When I thought about this, I wondered why Ward and June wouldn't just tell Wally (if he had trouble with Theodore) to call him Ted or Teddy.

01-21-2021, 09:42 AM	#9
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,990	The mfr. gave up on Beaver Bear when he wouldn't sell--the evidence was pretty "damming."

01-21-2021, 11:41 AM	#11
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,990	Right, despite Beaver's claim to Mary Margaret that nobody had called him Teddy before, Mr. Brittingham had. Later, Beaver asked Miss Landers to make sure he called him Beaver.