Tony Dow
My Merchandise Website!
Hi everyone, I’m very excited to share my merchandise website with you! We will always be adding new products! Here is my vintage t-shirt with my authentic printed autograph, and my hat also has my embroidered signature. Do you know why the hat is green? It was actually the real color of the cap I wore on Leave it to Beaver! Of course the show was in black and white so most people didn’t know the real color. Click here to order yours today!: https://www.jerrymathersbeavermerch.com/
Ozzie and Harriet – Halloween episode
My Mother’s Memories … The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet Halloween show
It was in the early 1950’s. Such a different world than our fast paced, hi tech world of today. The horrific years of WW II were finally behind us but the loss of six of my friends – on the battlefield, to the sea or in the sky will always remain in my memory.
Everyone was determined to put the war years behind them and build a better more productive life than our country had ever know. My husband Norman, a pilot in the European theatre, and I were doing just that. We lived in a little rented white bungalow in Hollywood. Norm was a teacher and coach at Notre Dame High School and I stayed home raising our two children Jerry and Susie.
Jerry had just begun modeling and doing some live TV. I think he was about four years old. One day his agent called that he was to report for work at a location fairly close to our home the next morning. It was early October. I dressed him in his everyday clothes and trekked the short distance to catch the big red streetcar that ran along Santa Monica Blvd. (remember this was the early 50’s, most families owned one car that the father took to work, the wife – me – walked or took buses or street cars). We got to the stage where Jerry was to work. It was a single building and I think was what we referred to as the old Charlie Chaplin studio (circa 1920’s). There was a little girl a few years older than Jerry who was also working, and the makeup man took them to his makeup table to get ready for the scene. I started talking to the teacher, a very nice man. (By law whenever anyone under 18 years old works on a set there must be a teacher/social worker there). He told me it was the “Ozzie and Harriet Nelson show” and what exceptionally nice boys David and Rickey were. He said they were coming later and hoped we would get to meet them.
An assistant director called the kids to the set. There was no script. Ozzie Nelson, the director, just told them to knock on the door, and when the door opened say trick or treat. I have never been on a set with such a casual, relaxed environment. It seemed they finished in no more than fifteen minutes with each clutching a bag of candy. They were told they could go home. As we were leaving, David and Ricky were just entering so we said little hi’s and goodbyes but never got to formally meet them. We boarded the streetcar for home, Jerry, a very happy little chappie, with his early start on Halloween trick or treat candy.
Here is a clip of the actual segment of Jerry in the Halloween episode called “Halloween Party.”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rolMNY4-bKo Marilyn Mathers
Leave it to Beaver 60th Anniversary!
Leave it to Beaver 60th Anniversary Memories
It’s hard to believe that our television show Leave it to Beaver has now been continuously airing since its premier on October 4th, 1957. For me, it has always been a great adventure. At the young age of 8 years old, I was starting on a life’s journey that has not only enriched me, but has brought me countless fans and friends all over the world. Who would have thought that such a simple tv show titled Leave it to Beaver about a boy and his brother growing up in a small town in mid- America in the 50’s and 60’s would ultimately become the longest continuously running show in television history.
As I look back over these last 60 years, the greatest gift that this wonderful program has always given me is all of the friends, fans and acquaintances that I have made who were a direct outcome of such a simple show. The Leave it to Beaver story lines were taken from real life and the situations that occurred then are still relevant and happening to children and families today. Lifestyles and fashions may have changed but the perspective of a child’s view of the adult world while growing up, is still relevant, relate-able and fun to watch. I wish to thank all of my many fans over these 60 years for enjoying the show along with me and hope that the family values of Leave it to Beaver will continue to be relevant and timeless.
Beaver’s twist!
The Twist (1960) by the great Chubby Checker. Video includes dance clips from the early 60’s along with movie and television scenes.
Is this twisted or what? Take a look at the dude with the moves at time code 1:10!
My wonderful friend and mentor, Hugh Beaumont
Jerry Mathers and Hugh Beaumont
I actually worked with Hugh Beaumont even before we started shooting Leave it to Beaver. I was cast with him in a promotional film for Rose Hills Memorial Park. One thing I remember is that during a scene, I was supposed to cry on cue. Hugh asked me if I had ever done that before and I told him, no. He said, “Put your face into your hands and laugh really hard. It’s an old actor’s trick because the sound of laughter and crying are very closely related. Sure enough, I tried it and it worked! Here is the Rose Hills film: http://www.jerrymathers.com/hugh-beaumont-and-jerry-mathers-rose-hills-memorial-park-commercial/
When we shot the pilot of Leave it to Beaver, Hugh was not the original father. But, when they re-cast the role for the series, Hugh was one of several people brought in for an audition. My mother actually suggested for him to go in for the interview! When I saw him, I was so happy because he was the nice man that I worked with on the Rose Hills shoot. So, when we read a short scene together, we had a good chemistry and Hugh got the part of Ward Cleaver. I was very glad that he was picked for the role and we had a wonderful friendship for his entire life until he passed away in 1982 from a heart attack. Hugh and my dad had become friends and he occasionally came to our house to play cards with my father and some of his friends.
What most people don’t know is that Hugh was an ordained minister before Leave it to Beaver. He graduated with a Master of Theology degree in 1946 from the University of Southern California (USC). Hugh had a long and illustrious career and did many films and television series in addition to Leave it to Beaver. One of his most famous characters was Michael Shayne who he played in 5 films. He was a hard drinking, heavy cigarette smoking detective in this part, in the style of Mickey Spillane. I think he was much more comfortable as Ward Cleaver because it fit his ‘real life” personality so much better!
As I mentioned above, here are some of my mother’s cherished memories of Hugh and how she was so instrumental in having him cast as Ward Cleaver!
http://www.jerrymathers.com/my-mothers-memories-of-hugh-beaumont/
The audition process for Beaver Cleaver
Here is my interview about my audition for Leave it to Beaver. This was produced for the Archive of American Television by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Happy Birthday Tony Dow!
Jerry Mathers and Tony Dow
As most people know, Tony Dow was my big brother on Leave it to Beaver. Ironically, he was really “the Beaver” in his real life family because he only had an older brother and he was the youngest. I on the other hand was the eldest of my 4 siblings so I actually was the “Wally” in my real family.
How Tony Dow got the part on Leave it to Beaver
Tony was a phenomenal athlete and had trained to be a swimmer and diver from a very early age. He received many accolades and awards through the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) including Junior Olympics diving champion. Before Leave it to Beaver, he had hopes of someday competing in the Olympics. Although I had been an actor since the age of 2 years old, Tony’s only acting job prior to Leave it to Beaver was in a pilot for a television series similar to Tarzan where he played the “Boy” character. The show did not sell and Tony’s second foray into acting on television was in Leave it to Beaver. He wasn’t in our original pilot which was called “It’s a Small World.” The boy who played Wally grew about 5 inches between the time the pilot was filmed and we went into production of the series. He was almost as tall as Hugh Beaumont so the producers decided to put out another casting call for a boy who was more height appropriate for that age. Tony’s true life ability as an athlete was a perfect fit for Wally, he was cast for the part, and the rest is television history!
– Leave it to Beaver DVD’s, Jerry Mathers movies, and other favorite tv shows! www.jerrymathers.com/dvds-and-more/
Barbara Billingsley – A Pearl of a Lady
Barbara Billingsley was a good friend and an even better mentor. For me she was like the favorite teacher that we all had in school. I was lucky enough to work with her for six years and have a life-long relationship with her. She was a very kind woman and a generous philanthropist who supported many charities always ready to give anyone in need a helping hand. Barbara was even more sparkling and fun than June Cleaver. Every once in a while she would get frustrated or upset and we always knew when that was because she would say, “Hell’s bells” and then put her hands over her mouth with her cutest “oops” look. This was the only “curse word” that I ever heard her say. And she always looked flustered and turned red when she realized that other people had heard her say that. She would then apologize profusely.
Barbara was always eager to teach a rambunctious lad (i.e. Me) proper civility and manners. An example of this was when I would rush ahead of her to see what was beyond the next door. She would reach up and grab me by the very short hairs at the nape of my neck and pull me back very gently and say, “Jerry, ladies always go first.” And, this is what she was—a truly regal lady. I miss her very much.
Fox News Throwback Thursday – Leave it to Beaver
Here’s my interview with Ashley Dvorkin for their Fox News “Throwback Thursday” segment!
Had a great time on the set!
Leave it to Beaver series pilot
Interesting facts about the Leave it to Beaver series!
