The Cleaver House - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Howard · 04-25-2003, 07:27 PM

Is it a fact that the 1st episode of the 1959-1960 season had the new "set"(house) without any comment as if they were always in the 2nd home?I know the show moved to Universal from Republic, but am I right that the new house started off that season!!??(Pine St. NOT Maple St.)

BrandonS · 04-25-2003, 08:35 PM

I recall that they had been talking about moving for awhile and looking at house ads, so it wasn't without warning.

frani · 04-25-2003, 10:01 PM

Also, in the ep that just aired where the ceiling plaster falls down, Ward says "i'm going to call that real estate man. You don't expect this in a new house"

And in the bus ep, Judy says, "Beaver, i like your new house, now you live closer" and beav answers that he lives closer to Larry too.
So, they do acknowledge the move, they just don't make a huge deal of it.

Commander Benson · 04-28-2003, 07:38 AM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by frani
Also, in the ep that just aired where the ceiling plaster falls down, Ward says "I'm going to call that real estate man. You don't expect this in a new house"

I remember that line, and I remember being impressed by it.

It added to the impression that we were watching the developments of a real family, with all of the changes attendent to real life.

Nothing would have been lost to the episode if Ward had not made reference to their new house, but the addition of that one line was one of those small bits of continuity which add to the enjoyment of the series.

Leave It to Beaver was very good about maintaining a constant history, especially with small details like this. (Not that it didn't have occasional lapses--as all shows which use several writers must.)

My Three Sons was the other series which showed considerable attention to detail. Not perfect, because it, too, made the occasional contradiction. But by and large, it maintained a continuity. In the 1965 season, the year following Tim Considine's departure as "Mike", there were occasional reference's to "Mike's old room" and after adopting Ernie, Steve mentioned his satisfaction at seeing "four toothbrushes in the holder" again. And after the move to Los Angeles, there were still references to Bryant Park and appearances of characters from there (usually played by the same actors).

I'm not as adept on the small details of LITB as some of the rest of the posters here, but I believe there were occasional aside references to previous situations which had befallen the Beaver and/or Wally. And of course, the show was appropriately consistant about Ward's boyhood on a farm and his WWII experience in the Seabees.

This is no small thing, especially for sitcoms of the 1950's. It's too easy for a writer to insert a line, in order to advance the episode's plot or to set up a joke, with no attention to whether it conforms to previous established details. That the Cleavers have an established history which can be traced and is referred to on occasion enhances the reality of it.

Commander Benson

04-25-2003, 07:27 PM	#1
Howard Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 23, 2003 Posts: 250	The Cleaver House Is it a fact that the 1st episode of the 1959-1960 season had the new "set"(house) without any comment as if they were always in the 2nd home?I know the show moved to Universal from Republic, but am I right that the new house started off that season!!??(Pine St. NOT Maple St.)

04-25-2003, 08:35 PM	#2
BrandonS Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 18, 2002 Posts: 8,824	I recall that they had been talking about moving for awhile and looking at house ads, so it wasn't without warning.

04-25-2003, 10:01 PM	#3
frani Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 09, 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 445	Also, in the ep that just aired where the ceiling plaster falls down, Ward says "i'm going to call that real estate man. You don't expect this in a new house" And in the bus ep, Judy says, "Beaver, i like your new house, now you live closer" and beav answers that he lives closer to Larry too. So, they do acknowledge the move, they just don't make a huge deal of it.

04-28-2003, 07:38 AM	#4
Commander Benson Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 15, 2002 Posts: 55	[QUOTE]Originally posted by frani Also, in the ep that just aired where the ceiling plaster falls down, Ward says "I'm going to call that real estate man. You don't expect this in a new house" I remember that line, and I remember being impressed by it. It added to the impression that we were watching the developments of a real family, with all of the changes attendent to real life. Nothing would have been lost to the episode if Ward had not made reference to their new house, but the addition of that one line was one of those small bits of continuity which add to the enjoyment of the series. Leave It to Beaver was very good about maintaining a constant history, especially with small details like this. (Not that it didn't have occasional lapses--as all shows which use several writers must.) My Three Sons was the other series which showed considerable attention to detail. Not perfect, because it, too, made the occasional contradiction. But by and large, it maintained a continuity. In the 1965 season, the year following Tim Considine's departure as "Mike", there were occasional reference's to "Mike's old room" and after adopting Ernie, Steve mentioned his satisfaction at seeing "four toothbrushes in the holder" again. And after the move to Los Angeles, there were still references to Bryant Park and appearances of characters from there (usually played by the same actors). I'm not as adept on the small details of LITB as some of the rest of the posters here, but I believe there were occasional aside references to previous situations which had befallen the Beaver and/or Wally. And of course, the show was appropriately consistant about Ward's boyhood on a farm and his WWII experience in the Seabees. This is no small thing, especially for sitcoms of the 1950's. It's too easy for a writer to insert a line, in order to advance the episode's plot or to set up a joke, with no attention to whether it conforms to previous established details. That the Cleavers have an established history which can be traced and is referred to on occasion enhances the reality of it. Commander Benson