How Come Beaver's Parents Never Get Sick? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

John Sterren · 03-18-2003, 01:09 PM

Maybe I'm wondering about this because I'm down for the count today with the flu.

Ward and June are NEVER sick. If you think of the other family shows from that time(Donna Reed, Honeymooners, Lucy, Father Knows Best, Ozzie and Harriet), the parents get sick at least once a season.

So how come?

.:BF:. · 03-18-2003, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by John Sterren
Maybe I'm wondering about this because I'm down for the count today with the flu.

Ward and June are NEVER sick. If you think of the other family shows from that time(Donna Reed, Honeymooners, Lucy, Father Knows Best, Ozzie and Harriet), the parents get sick at least once a season.

So how come?

yeah i'v been wondering the same thing, sorry you got the flu get over it soon.

*InThisMoment* · 03-18-2003, 02:40 PM

ya know it is strange that they never get sick.they showed once where wally was sick didn't anyone else catch it? i guess i really don't have a answer for that question but it is odd.oh and i hope you feel better soon.

BBF · 03-18-2003, 03:44 PM

I noticed it too! I was wondering about it. Beaver often used his parent's being sick as an excuse for not doing something, but they never actually were. Good question!

PracTz · 03-18-2003, 04:49 PM

Good question! Maybe somehow Ward and June only got sick during commercials and during the Summer Break! Remember, Barbara Billingsley admitted that there was NOTHING behind the Cleaver Parental Bedroom Door- so I guess that means they slept and did everything else standing up!LOL

BBF · 03-18-2003, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PracTz
Good question! Maybe somehow Ward and June only got sick during commercials and during the Summer Break! Remember, Barbara Billingsley admitted that there was NOTHING behind the Cleaver Parental Bedroom Door- so I guess that means they slept and did everything else standing up!LOL

But you know...(boy this is pathetic I know this...) but they DID have a bedroom. They were shown in it TWICE. I mean, not at night of course, but still, once they were in there when Beaver let that guy in the house to take a bath, and once in the ep "The Party Spoiler" when they were talking about "going to get ward's pipe" to check up on how Wally's party was going. Remember? I guess Barbara forgot.

John Sterren · 03-18-2003, 07:29 PM

Thanks for all the good wishes!

Anyone remember the "Ozzie and Harriet" episode where Ozzie gets the flu and refuses to leave the livingroom sofa? And Harriet, of course, is having the livingroom painted that day!!

O&H could be very bizarre.

*InThisMoment* · 03-18-2003, 08:51 PM

i never watched ozzie and harriet before so i wouldn't remember that episode

Corvetteguy · 03-18-2003, 11:33 PM

Speaking of Ozzie & Harriet, It's been years since I have seen the reruns, but someone said that they showed them on the show in a double bed, instead of twin beds. They said the network let them by with it because they were married in real life. I think that might be wrong because when Rick Nelson married his wife in real life and she joined the cast as herself, the show put them in bunk beds....LOL. If the O&H story is ture, why did the network not let Lucy & Desi sleep in the same bed, since they too were married in real life ? I always heard that Herman & Lilly Munster were the first couple on tv to be in a double bed and that was around 1964. Robbie & Katie Douglas were also one of the early couples to share a double bed on My 3 Sons around 1967.

vze3t9q9 · 03-18-2003, 11:37 PM

If I not mistaken, didn't Ricky and Lucy have a queen bed in the Handcuffs episode. I think the early years they had a queen bed but as seasons changed you saw twin beds.

Cashodeen · 03-20-2003, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by vze3t9q9
If I not mistaken, didn't Ricky and Lucy have a queen bed in the Handcuffs episode. I think the early years they had a queen bed but as seasons changed you saw twin beds.

You're exactly right. They shared a bed during the early years and for some reason changed to twin beds. There is even an episode you see Ethel and Fred share a bed.

I hate to get off topic since this is the LITB show, but since I'm already talking about Lucy I'll ask. It was mentioned that "the parents" on Lucy got sick before. I only remember Ricky getting ill one time. Was Lucy ever ill as well? I am racking my brain trying to think of a time it happened, but I can't come up with anything.

It is funny they never even mentioned Ward or June being sick--just the kids.

vedastone · 03-20-2003, 09:38 AM

Corvette Guy -
Ozzie and Harriet did have a double bed, I saw it recently in one of their episodes on Movieflix.com . Sorry, can't remember which one. They showed it briefly, but I definitely saw it.

frani · 03-21-2003, 07:39 AM

I think the reason they were never sick was that the show really wasn't about Ward and June's life per se. It was about them only in relation to them as parents. Take the ep last week where June was out of town, Aunt Martha had to come. You would never see Ward trying to fumble with dishes. He was way too dignified a character to do that. You also never had a show where one of the main characters was not there. That's quite an achievement for 6 years.

Besides, how would anyone catch a cold in Mayfield if there was never any snow?

BlueEyes · 03-21-2003, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by frani
Besides, how would anyone catch a cold in Mayfield if there was never any snow?

I've done it before

Plenty of times :P

tdr · 03-24-2003, 09:55 PM

Someone has already given the most likely answer; that LITB was based on Beaver and Wally, and all the eps are from their point of view. Ward and June are simply the ideal parents who provide a good living and nice home life for the boys. There are a few eps where Ward or June, or both, are gone on an overnight trip, so this allows some plots that would not go otherwise.

<qb>Besides, how would anyone catch a cold in Mayfield if there was never any snow? </qb>

I'm sure this must have been intended as a funny remark, but one thing LITB does display, where it is usually not inaccurate scientifically, is ideas from folklore that being out in the cold or wet air is what makes people sick. Studies have shown this is not true, of course. Colds, flu, and other comment ailments are caused by viruses, which actually thrive more in warm indoors. That is the reason there is often an outbreak of flu or other infectitious diseases in late winter... by that time people have spent so much time indoors that many have contacted the viruses and are infecting others in what is almost a 'chain reaction.'

03-18-2003, 01:09 PM	#1
John Sterren Banned Banned!! Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 31, 2002 Location: Rose, Arkansas Posts: 61	How Come Beaver's Parents Never Get Sick? Maybe I'm wondering about this because I'm down for the count today with the flu. Ward and June are NEVER sick. If you think of the other family shows from that time(Donna Reed, Honeymooners, Lucy, Father Knows Best, Ozzie and Harriet), the parents get sick at least once a season. So how come?

03-18-2003, 02:40 PM	#3
InThisMoment a starlit sky and you & me Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 02, 2002 Location: Detroit, Michigan Posts: 95,142	ya know it is strange that they never get sick.they showed once where wally was sick didn't anyone else catch it? i guess i really don't have a answer for that question but it is odd.oh and i hope you feel better soon.
	__________________ an island of green and blueberry ice wish we were there but you make me feel i'm in paradise, anywhere you're velvet on a red cupcake sound a cello & a violin make

03-18-2003, 03:44 PM	#4
BBF Workin' those Scrubs Senior Member Join Date: Jun 12, 2002 Location: The "Natural" State Posts: 2,014	I noticed it too! I was wondering about it. Beaver often used his parent's being sick as an excuse for not doing something, but they never actually were. Good question!
	__________________ BBF (Beavers Biggest Fan) GILMORE GIRLS FANATIC!!! ~~Future Registered Nurse!!! May 2008~~

03-18-2003, 11:33 PM	#9
Corvetteguy Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 01, 2003 Location: TN Posts: 126	Speaking of Ozzie & Harriet, It's been years since I have seen the reruns, but someone said that they showed them on the show in a double bed, instead of twin beds. They said the network let them by with it because they were married in real life. I think that might be wrong because when Rick Nelson married his wife in real life and she joined the cast as herself, the show put them in bunk beds....LOL. If the O&H story is ture, why did the network not let Lucy & Desi sleep in the same bed, since they too were married in real life ? I always heard that Herman & Lilly Munster were the first couple on tv to be in a double bed and that was around 1964. Robbie & Katie Douglas were also one of the early couples to share a double bed on My 3 Sons around 1967. Attached Images

03-20-2003, 09:38 AM	#12
vedastone Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 05, 2002 Posts: 120	(O&H bed) Corvette Guy - Ozzie and Harriet did have a double bed, I saw it recently in one of their episodes on Movieflix.com . Sorry, can't remember which one. They showed it briefly, but I definitely saw it.

03-18-2003, 04:49 PM	#5
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	Good question! Maybe somehow Ward and June only got sick during commercials and during the Summer Break! Remember, Barbara Billingsley admitted that there was NOTHING behind the Cleaver Parental Bedroom Door- so I guess that means they slept and did everything else standing up!LOL

03-18-2003, 07:29 PM	#7
John Sterren Banned Banned!! Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 31, 2002 Location: Rose, Arkansas Posts: 61	Thanks for all the good wishes! Anyone remember the "Ozzie and Harriet" episode where Ozzie gets the flu and refuses to leave the livingroom sofa? And Harriet, of course, is having the livingroom painted that day!! O&H could be very bizarre.

03-18-2003, 08:51 PM	#8
InThisMoment a starlit sky and you & me Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 02, 2002 Location: Detroit, Michigan Posts: 95,142	i never watched ozzie and harriet before so i wouldn't remember that episode

03-18-2003, 11:37 PM	#10
vze3t9q9 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 31, 2003 Location: ROCKCOVE Posts: 548	If I not mistaken, didn't Ricky and Lucy have a queen bed in the Handcuffs episode. I think the early years they had a queen bed but as seasons changed you saw twin beds.

03-21-2003, 07:39 AM	#13
frani Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 09, 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 445	I think the reason they were never sick was that the show really wasn't about Ward and June's life per se. It was about them only in relation to them as parents. Take the ep last week where June was out of town, Aunt Martha had to come. You would never see Ward trying to fumble with dishes. He was way too dignified a character to do that. You also never had a show where one of the main characters was not there. That's quite an achievement for 6 years. Besides, how would anyone catch a cold in Mayfield if there was never any snow?

03-24-2003, 09:55 PM	#15
tdr Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 23, 2001 Posts: 1,454	Someone has already given the most likely answer; that LITB was based on Beaver and Wally, and all the eps are from their point of view. Ward and June are simply the ideal parents who provide a good living and nice home life for the boys. There are a few eps where Ward or June, or both, are gone on an overnight trip, so this allows some plots that would not go otherwise. <qb>Besides, how would anyone catch a cold in Mayfield if there was never any snow? </qb> I'm sure this must have been intended as a funny remark, but one thing LITB does display, where it is usually not inaccurate scientifically, is ideas from folklore that being out in the cold or wet air is what makes people sick. Studies have shown this is not true, of course. Colds, flu, and other comment ailments are caused by viruses, which actually thrive more in warm indoors. That is the reason there is often an outbreak of flu or other infectitious diseases in late winter... by that time people have spent so much time indoors that many have contacted the viruses and are infecting others in what is almost a 'chain reaction.'