Leave It to Beaver

Leave It to Beaver is an American television sitcom series. It first aired from October 4, 1957 to June 20, 1963.  The series stars Jerry Mathers as "Beaver"; Tony Dow as his older brother Wally; Barbara Billingsley as his mother June Cleaver; and Hugh Beaumont as his father Ward Cleaver.

Semi-regulars include Ken Osmond as Wally's friend Eddie Haskell; Frank Bank as Wally's other friend Lumpy; Burt Mustin as Gus the fireman; Sue Randall as Beaver's teacher Miss Landers; Rusty Stevens as Beaver's friend Larry Mondello; and Jerry Weil as Beaver's mean little schoolmate Judy Hensler.

The series is about Beaver's adventures at home, in school, and around his neighborhood. Writers Bob Mosher and Joe Connelly based Beaver's adventures on the exploits of their own children.  In most episodes, Beaver would get into trouble. His parents would speak to him and explain what he had done wrong. They would hope that he had learned a lesson.

Various critics and television viewers adored the series, with Variety comparing the series to Tom Sawyer. Websites like Time and Bravo placed the series at the top of their "best of television" lists. In 1999, TV Guide ranked Eddie Haskell number 20 on its "50 Greatest TV Characters of All Time" list. In 1997, a movie based on Leave It to Beaver opened in theaters, of the same name.

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Category:1950s American children's comedy television series
Category:1950s American sitcoms
Category:1957 American television series debuts
Category:1960s American children's comedy television series
Category:1960s American sitcoms
Category:1963 American television series endings
Category:American Broadcasting Company original programming
Category:American children's television sitcoms
Category:American English-language television shows
Category:American television series revived after cancellation
Category:American television series about children
Category:American television series about families
Category:Black and white American television series
Category:Columbia Broadcasting System original programming
Category:Television series adapted into movies
Category:Television series by Universal Television