Did Larry Mondello Really Say That? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

howilu · 09-06-2021, 09:50 AM

In all the years i have been watching Leave it to Beaver, there have been numerous episodes when Larry talks Beaver into doing something wrong. Beaver usually says no and Larry asks him "What are you, chicken?"

Did Larry really say that?

vitoscotti · 09-06-2021, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howilu

In all the years i have been watching Leave it to Beaver, there have been numerous episodes when Larry talks Beaver into doing something wrong. Beaver usually says no and Larry asks him "What are you, chicken?"

Did Larry really say that?

Sounds familiar from Larry, Gilbert, and Richard. Chicken seems to be the magic word that gets Beaver to do anything. With trouble sure to follow.

Cx · 09-06-2021, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vitoscotti

Chicken seems to be the magic word that gets Beaver to do anything. With trouble sure to follow.

In so many dramadies, sitcoms, afterschool specials, made-for-TV movies from the 60s and 70s, "chicken" as a magic word to goad someone was so ubiquitous as to be a trope in its own right.

Extra credit, when the kid being asked if he's chicken, there are a gaggle of other kids/schoolmates looking on and emitting a chorus of snickers, further humiliating said kid.

Howard · 09-06-2021, 06:40 PM

I always thought he was perfect to counter to Beaver's naiveté/innocence just as Eddie was to Wally. Too bad they only used for a handful of episodes. What I find amusing is that his mom (Madge Blake) certainly didn't look like the mother of a 10 year old; more like a grandmother, but hey, she's so a funny actress in all the stuff she's done through the years on sitcoms!

stevea · 09-06-2021, 07:07 PM

I think we once figured out Madge Blake was 60 in real life to Larry's 10 on the show, meaning she would have been 50 when he was born. I thought that was absurd but was soon corrected by several posters.

Stepperry40 · 09-06-2021, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

I think we once figured out Madge Blake was 60 in real life to Larry's 10 on the show, meaning she would have been 50 when he was born. I thought that was absurd but was soon corrected by several posters.

That would have been impossible. Larry had two older siblings. One of these siblings was a married brother by some point with a baby and an older sister who was still single. How old was his sister really?
His brother
Born 1937
Grad HS 1954
Marriage: 1956
Baby: 1958

His sister
Born either 1937 or 1940
Grad HS 1954 or 1957
Marriage None yet
What was the focus on getting her married off? Especially since she wouldn’t have been out high school for that long at least in the beginning of the show.

09-06-2021, 09:50 AM	#1
howilu Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 20, 2003 Location: St. Louis Park, MN Posts: 1,964	Did Larry Mondello Really Say That? In all the years i have been watching Leave it to Beaver, there have been numerous episodes when Larry talks Beaver into doing something wrong. Beaver usually says no and Larry asks him "What are you, chicken?" Did Larry really say that?

09-06-2021, 06:40 PM	#4
Howard Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 23, 2003 Posts: 254	I always thought he was perfect to counter to Beaver's naiveté/innocence just as Eddie was to Wally. Too bad they only used for a handful of episodes. What I find amusing is that his mom (Madge Blake) certainly didn't look like the mother of a 10 year old; more like a grandmother, but hey, she's so a funny actress in all the stuff she's done through the years on sitcoms!

09-06-2021, 07:07 PM	#5
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,894	I think we once figured out Madge Blake was 60 in real life to Larry's 10 on the show, meaning she would have been 50 when he was born. I thought that was absurd but was soon corrected by several posters.