What Ward Cleaver does for a living. - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Leigh Ann · 01-12-2003, 08:28 PM

What does everyone think he does for a living? When my mom and I were watching the Wally and Alma ep last night, she said maybe he's in advertising b/c he does a lot of surveys. That got me to thinking why do the writers of LITB want to keep the location of Mayfield and what Ward does for a living a secret?

Katherine Leigh · 01-12-2003, 11:29 PM

I had never thought of advertising, but that makes a lot of sense. I have heard accounting and engineering mentioned as possible professions, but I like the advertising idea. Good idea!

HuskerTornado · 01-13-2003, 12:49 AM

Well, they wanted to keep it like an Anytown, USA. It was part of the charm of the show. In one episode they were just a few miles from the Ocean, in another they have to go many miles to travel to a cabin to go fishing in the midwest. Apparently the concensus is that the live in Ohio...

jon123 · 01-13-2003, 02:43 AM

I think Ward was an accountant because in the reunion "Still the Beaver" Beaver applies for a job at his father's old firm (Ward had died, and Fred is now boss) and tells Fred that he has experience in bookkeeping. I read a few places that Ward was an accountant but I don't remember them ever mentioning it for sure in the original series, just in the sequel.

frani · 01-13-2003, 07:39 AM

Yeah, I'm going to go for accountant or at least some sore of account manager in some kind of financial or insurance company. I think the point was that he went to the office and had a "dad's" kind of job. Maybe his career was second to that of being a father. He was a white collar guy who was admittely "comfortable" We know he was educated and had been an engineer in the seabees. However, I think the writers just wanted to have him dress in a suit, drink his coffee and go to the office. Occasionally, he could get a call at the office. But his main function was that of father to the two boys.

BrandonS · 01-13-2003, 10:43 AM

Ward might be an accountant, but I don't think he works in a financial or insurance company, because I remember once he said that the guys at the office did a survey of the buying habits of the American housewife, which is something you would have no reason to do selling insurance or stocks.

John Sterren · 01-13-2003, 01:00 PM

My hunch is advertising. He certainly dresses like the Man in the Gray Flannel Suit!

LeaveItToBeaverFan · 01-13-2003, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BrandonS
Ward might be an accountant, but I don't think he works in a financial or insurance company, because I remember once he said that the guys at the office did a survey of the buying habits of the American housewife, which is something you would have no reason to do selling insurance or stocks.

This would imply that he is in some sort of advertising or marketing job.

HaskellGirl · 01-13-2003, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by HuskerTornado
Well, they wanted to keep it like an Anytown, USA. It was part of the charm of the show. In one episode they were just a few miles from the Ocean, in another they have to go many miles to travel to a cabin to go fishing in the midwest. Apparently the concensus is that the live in Ohio...

Well, I was thinking that if Beaver and Wally WERE real and they DID come from Ohio, they'd be pretty excited about the OSU win!!!!!!

bandito · 01-13-2003, 08:14 PM

my guess would be he was somewhat into surveying or engineering of some sort. remember he was in the seabees in the service

Mysty Eyes · 01-14-2003, 05:12 PM

Well, I've read most frequently that the assumption was that he was an accountant. But I don't believe that it was ever definitely confirmed as to what Ward did for a living.

I work in accounting, and a lot of what I recall mentioned does seem to fit. However, the idea of him working in advertising is a good one. I currently work for an advertising agency. The person in charge of a particular project is called the "Account Executive" or "Account Supervisor." And they do take surveys, and have meetings with the public in gatherings called "focus groups."

Parisite · 01-22-2003, 01:41 PM

I think he actually said on one episode that he was an accountant.
I think they tried to keep the show "generic". Sometimes I got the impression that they lived in California (they went to the ocean or beach sometimes) and other times, they seemed to live in the midwest (they went to "the lake" occasionally). But I don't remember any episode where it was cold enough for the boys to wear more than a jacket outside, or that it ever snowed.

BrandonS · 01-22-2003, 02:11 PM

I doubt that there's an episode in which Ward said that he's an accountant, because it's generally acknowledged that his profession and the location of Mayfield are left to the viewers' imaginations. I could be wrong, but there's been a lot of discussion of these topics, and no one has previously referenced such a quotation.

Parisite · 01-23-2003, 01:29 AM

I probably just "dreamed" that, or confused Ward with another sitcom dad.

FonzesLeatherJacket · 01-23-2003, 01:37 AM

I always thought Ward was like an accountant, or maybe a secretary. I like how Fred Rutherford always says, "See ya at the salt mines, Ward ol' man."

Maybe he worked in a salt mine?

Whatever it was I think it was, pretty good.

01-12-2003, 08:28 PM	#1
Leigh Ann Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 15, 2002 Posts: 2,189	What Ward Cleaver does for a living. What does everyone think he does for a living? When my mom and I were watching the Wally and Alma ep last night, she said maybe he's in advertising b/c he does a lot of surveys. That got me to thinking why do the writers of LITB want to keep the location of Mayfield and what Ward does for a living a secret?

01-13-2003, 08:14 PM	#10
bandito Going Topless Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Location: The Steel City Posts: 6,320	my guess would be he was somewhat into surveying or engineering of some sort. remember he was in the seabees in the service
	__________________ bandito

01-23-2003, 01:37 AM	#15
FonzesLeatherJacket Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 08, 2001 Location: In Milwaukee with my true love Richie Cunningham Posts: 239	Ward's Job I always thought Ward was like an accountant, or maybe a secretary. I like how Fred Rutherford always says, "See ya at the salt mines, Ward ol' man." Maybe he worked in a salt mine? Whatever it was I think it was, pretty good.

01-12-2003, 11:29 PM	#2
Katherine Leigh Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 09, 2002 Posts: 21	I had never thought of advertising, but that makes a lot of sense. I have heard accounting and engineering mentioned as possible professions, but I like the advertising idea. Good idea!

01-13-2003, 12:49 AM	#3
HuskerTornado Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 29, 2002 Posts: 71	Well, they wanted to keep it like an Anytown, USA. It was part of the charm of the show. In one episode they were just a few miles from the Ocean, in another they have to go many miles to travel to a cabin to go fishing in the midwest. Apparently the concensus is that the live in Ohio...

01-13-2003, 02:43 AM	#4
jon123 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 04, 2002 Location: Temecula Valley, CA Posts: 395	I think Ward was an accountant because in the reunion "Still the Beaver" Beaver applies for a job at his father's old firm (Ward had died, and Fred is now boss) and tells Fred that he has experience in bookkeeping. I read a few places that Ward was an accountant but I don't remember them ever mentioning it for sure in the original series, just in the sequel.

01-13-2003, 07:39 AM	#5
frani Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 09, 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 445	Yeah, I'm going to go for accountant or at least some sore of account manager in some kind of financial or insurance company. I think the point was that he went to the office and had a "dad's" kind of job. Maybe his career was second to that of being a father. He was a white collar guy who was admittely "comfortable" We know he was educated and had been an engineer in the seabees. However, I think the writers just wanted to have him dress in a suit, drink his coffee and go to the office. Occasionally, he could get a call at the office. But his main function was that of father to the two boys.

01-13-2003, 10:43 AM	#6
BrandonS Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 18, 2002 Posts: 8,824	Ward might be an accountant, but I don't think he works in a financial or insurance company, because I remember once he said that the guys at the office did a survey of the buying habits of the American housewife, which is something you would have no reason to do selling insurance or stocks.

01-13-2003, 01:00 PM	#7
John Sterren Banned Banned!! Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 31, 2002 Location: Rose, Arkansas Posts: 61	My hunch is advertising. He certainly dresses like the Man in the Gray Flannel Suit!

01-14-2003, 05:12 PM	#11
Mysty Eyes Dreaming... Senior Member Join Date: Feb 04, 2002 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 1,144	Well, I've read most frequently that the assumption was that he was an accountant. But I don't believe that it was ever definitely confirmed as to what Ward did for a living. I work in accounting, and a lot of what I recall mentioned does seem to fit. However, the idea of him working in advertising is a good one. I currently work for an advertising agency. The person in charge of a particular project is called the "Account Executive" or "Account Supervisor." And they do take surveys, and have meetings with the public in gatherings called "focus groups."

01-22-2003, 01:41 PM	#12
Parisite Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 22, 2003 Location: Paris, KY, USA Posts: 17	I think he actually said on one episode that he was an accountant. I think they tried to keep the show "generic". Sometimes I got the impression that they lived in California (they went to the ocean or beach sometimes) and other times, they seemed to live in the midwest (they went to "the lake" occasionally). But I don't remember any episode where it was cold enough for the boys to wear more than a jacket outside, or that it ever snowed.

01-22-2003, 02:11 PM	#13
BrandonS Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 18, 2002 Posts: 8,824	I doubt that there's an episode in which Ward said that he's an accountant, because it's generally acknowledged that his profession and the location of Mayfield are left to the viewers' imaginations. I could be wrong, but there's been a lot of discussion of these topics, and no one has previously referenced such a quotation.

01-23-2003, 01:29 AM	#14
Parisite Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 22, 2003 Location: Paris, KY, USA Posts: 17	I probably just "dreamed" that, or confused Ward with another sitcom dad.