Anyone Know What it Was Like on the Set of LITB? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

10-20-2001, 04:31 PM

You always hear in books about how much the actors of a series liked or disliked a show (or each other) Examples include Brady Bunch's Robert Reed fighting with the Schwartz's over scripts and story lines, I Love Lucy's Vivian Vance and William Frawly's personal disdain for each other offscrean. so....

How well did the cast of "Beaver" get along with each other on/off screan. I am currently researching info about the show, and am interested in the kind of chemestry/interaction of the actors in terms of how they got along with each other. Also, was Ken Osmond anything at all like his Eddie Haskell image in real life?! (I can't imagine him as a cop! I do know that he stopped Tony Dow on the highway once for speeding! That must have been a riot!)

Barrett Reynolds · 10-20-2001, 09:50 PM

LOL! That's hilarious! I'll bet when Ken realized who it was, he said something like, "Pull over, Sam!"
As far as I know, the cast of LITB was very warm and family-like. Jerry Mathers even stated in a recent interview (that can be seen on tvland.com), that he is still very close to Barbara Billingsley, Tony Dow, and Ken Osmond. One of his former LITB buddies (I think it was Whitey), is now an accountant, and helps Jerry Mathers with his taxes and legal affairs. It's a set I would have loved to be a part of. What a great show to have the opportunity to work on!

---Barrett Reynolds

DarleneIllyria · 10-21-2001, 11:50 AM

That must've been funny when Ken pulled Tony over. I can just imagine Ken just going back into that Eddie role for a few minutes when that happened!!

------------------
Hottest Men alive:
Dale Midkiff
Anthony Starke
Tim McGraw
Jonathan Crombie

Lumpy: Did you go out for anything, Dud?

Dudley: Well, I went out for football, but I got my finger stepped on, so my mother made me quit.

Eddie: Well listen-- I went out for basketball and I got my hair pulled, and my mother made ME quit.

Dudley: It's not that I was afraid of getting hurt or anything; it's just that-- well, it's kind o' hard to play the flute with a busted finger.

[Eddie and Lumpy suppress laughter]

Dale Midkiff is my man!

TVLanFan · 10-22-2001, 04:41 PM

I'm not sure which is funnier...Osmond pulling over Dow for speeding, or Whitey doing Beaver's taxes!! I just can't picture either one!!

But the few things that I've heard about the people on the show do indicate that there was a very warm atmosphere on the set between the actors.

I've also read (maybe on this site) that during pre-Beaver days, J.Mathers was trying out for a part in which he had to cry. By a remarkable coincidence, Hugh Beaumont happened to be on the set, and he took Mathers aside and told him to cover his face and laugh, which would produce the same visual effect to the observer. Mathers ended up getting the part. I don't know what show or movie that was for, but that's pretty cool. And, I think you can tell from watching the episodes, that Ward and June really did love the boys, both on the show and in real life.

DarleneIllyria · 10-22-2001, 05:06 PM

I've also read (maybe on this site) that during pre-Beaver days, J.Mathers was trying out for a part in which he had to cry. By a remarkable coincidence, Hugh Beaumont happened to be on the set, and he took Mathers aside and told him to cover his face and laugh, which would produce the same visual effect to the observer. Mathers ended up getting the part. I don't know what show or movie that was for, but that's pretty cool. And, I think you can tell from watching the episodes, that Ward and June really did love the boys, both on the show and in real life.[/B][/QUOTE]

I think you may have read that in the Jerry Mather's book. I can't remember the title, but I do remember reading that piece in the book.

------------------
Hottest Men alive:
Dale Midkiff
Anthony Starke
Tim McGraw
Jonathan Crombie

Lumpy: Did you go out for anything, Dud?

Dudley: Well, I went out for football, but I got my finger stepped on, so my mother made me quit.

Eddie: Well listen-- I went out for basketball and I got my hair pulled, and my mother made ME quit.

Dudley: It's not that I was afraid of getting hurt or anything; it's just that-- well, it's kind o' hard to play the flute with a busted finger.

[Eddie and Lumpy suppress laughter]

Dale Midkiff is my man!

lukes42 · 10-22-2001, 07:06 PM

I think the book you might be referring to is Jerry Mather's autobiography, titled "And Jerry Mathers, as the Beaver". I think I remember reading that about Hugh Beaumont and Jerry as well.

And there's a little mix-up between characters. Lumpy (Frank Bank) is a bonds broker and handles Jerry's as well as other former cast members finances. Whitey (Stanley Fafara) is currently a musician. There's actually an interview of Stanley on his own web site about his LITB days as well as his past trouble with drugs. Thankfully he went into rehab and is in good shape today. If you want to check it out, its at http://www.fafara.com.

10-20-2001, 04:31 PM	#1
Jack 1000 Guest Posts: n/a	Anyone Know What it Was Like on the Set of LITB? You always hear in books about how much the actors of a series liked or disliked a show (or each other) Examples include Brady Bunch's Robert Reed fighting with the Schwartz's over scripts and story lines, I Love Lucy's Vivian Vance and William Frawly's personal disdain for each other offscrean. so.... How well did the cast of "Beaver" get along with each other on/off screan. I am currently researching info about the show, and am interested in the kind of chemestry/interaction of the actors in terms of how they got along with each other. Also, was Ken Osmond anything at all like his Eddie Haskell image in real life?! (I can't imagine him as a cop! I do know that he stopped Tony Dow on the highway once for speeding! That must have been a riot!)
Jack 1000 Guest Posts: n/a

10-20-2001, 09:50 PM	#2
Barrett Reynolds Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jun 22, 2001 Location: Matthews, NC, USA Posts: 15	LOL! That's hilarious! I'll bet when Ken realized who it was, he said something like, "Pull over, Sam!" As far as I know, the cast of LITB was very warm and family-like. Jerry Mathers even stated in a recent interview (that can be seen on tvland.com), that he is still very close to Barbara Billingsley, Tony Dow, and Ken Osmond. One of his former LITB buddies (I think it was Whitey), is now an accountant, and helps Jerry Mathers with his taxes and legal affairs. It's a set I would have loved to be a part of. What a great show to have the opportunity to work on! ---Barrett Reynolds

10-21-2001, 11:50 AM	#3
DarleneIllyria Gone Forum Star Join Date: Oct 15, 2000 Posts: 19,086	That must've been funny when Ken pulled Tony over. I can just imagine Ken just going back into that Eddie role for a few minutes when that happened!! ------------------ Hottest Men alive: Dale Midkiff Anthony Starke Tim McGraw Jonathan Crombie Lumpy: Did you go out for anything, Dud? Dudley: Well, I went out for football, but I got my finger stepped on, so my mother made me quit. Eddie: Well listen-- I went out for basketball and I got my hair pulled, and my mother made ME quit. Dudley: It's not that I was afraid of getting hurt or anything; it's just that-- well, it's kind o' hard to play the flute with a busted finger. [Eddie and Lumpy suppress laughter] Dale Midkiff is my man!

10-22-2001, 04:41 PM	#4
TVLanFan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 31, 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 199	I'm not sure which is funnier...Osmond pulling over Dow for speeding, or Whitey doing Beaver's taxes!! I just can't picture either one!! But the few things that I've heard about the people on the show do indicate that there was a very warm atmosphere on the set between the actors. I've also read (maybe on this site) that during pre-Beaver days, J.Mathers was trying out for a part in which he had to cry. By a remarkable coincidence, Hugh Beaumont happened to be on the set, and he took Mathers aside and told him to cover his face and laugh, which would produce the same visual effect to the observer. Mathers ended up getting the part. I don't know what show or movie that was for, but that's pretty cool. And, I think you can tell from watching the episodes, that Ward and June really did love the boys, both on the show and in real life.

10-22-2001, 05:06 PM	#5
DarleneIllyria Gone Forum Star Join Date: Oct 15, 2000 Posts: 19,086	I've also read (maybe on this site) that during pre-Beaver days, J.Mathers was trying out for a part in which he had to cry. By a remarkable coincidence, Hugh Beaumont happened to be on the set, and he took Mathers aside and told him to cover his face and laugh, which would produce the same visual effect to the observer. Mathers ended up getting the part. I don't know what show or movie that was for, but that's pretty cool. And, I think you can tell from watching the episodes, that Ward and June really did love the boys, both on the show and in real life.[/B][/QUOTE] I think you may have read that in the Jerry Mather's book. I can't remember the title, but I do remember reading that piece in the book. ------------------ Hottest Men alive: Dale Midkiff Anthony Starke Tim McGraw Jonathan Crombie Lumpy: Did you go out for anything, Dud? Dudley: Well, I went out for football, but I got my finger stepped on, so my mother made me quit. Eddie: Well listen-- I went out for basketball and I got my hair pulled, and my mother made ME quit. Dudley: It's not that I was afraid of getting hurt or anything; it's just that-- well, it's kind o' hard to play the flute with a busted finger. [Eddie and Lumpy suppress laughter] Dale Midkiff is my man!

10-22-2001, 07:06 PM	#6
lukes42 I've got nothing... Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 31, 2001 Location: Marquette, MI Posts: 416	I think the book you might be referring to is Jerry Mather's autobiography, titled "And Jerry Mathers, as the Beaver". I think I remember reading that about Hugh Beaumont and Jerry as well. And there's a little mix-up between characters. Lumpy (Frank Bank) is a bonds broker and handles Jerry's as well as other former cast members finances. Whitey (Stanley Fafara) is currently a musician. There's actually an interview of Stanley on his own web site about his LITB days as well as his past trouble with drugs. Thankfully he went into rehab and is in good shape today. If you want to check it out, its at http://www.fafara.com.