AlexandraFirst Show With A Toilet Tank
It is usual to see a toilet on television nowadays. That was not the case back when Leave it to Beaver debuted. Censors were very strict when it came to scenes in the bathroom. Somehow, even though it was previously considered as obscene, this show was the first featuring a toilet tank!
Facts About Their Hometown
The exact location of where the Cleavers lived was never shared. The fictional town was called Mayfield and it was portrayed as an example of a typical USA town of the time. It was filmed in Universal Studios and there is where you can find the two-story house where the famous family lived. That is as close to that fictional world as you can get. The mentioned house was later used in several other shows, including Desperate Housewives. Even though most of it was filmed in Universal, they did use real footage. One example was one photo of Skokie, in Illinois.
There Was A Sequel Series
It was not until about 20 years later, in the 1980s, that a sequel series was aired. The sequel ran for 7 seasons, one more when compared to the original’s 6 seasons. It did not have the same impact though. The main focus is on Wally’s and Beaver’s own families. There was also a movie called Leave it to Beaver.
The Merchandising Deals
Leave it to Beaver was very popular back in the time. It still is. Toys, board games, and many other merchandising products were sold. This was an effective way to capitalize on the show’s popularity. There is still revenue from merchandise as of today! A fun fact is that Mathers became the first ever child actor to seal a merchandising deal. His contract included a percentage of the merchandising.
Beaver’s Book Series
Creating a book series based on the show was another way to capitalize it. Beverly Cleary was the author chosen for the job since he had written more than 30 other young adult books. Here is how the process went, according to Clearly: “So I wrote the Beaver books — it was boring work. They wanted a certain number of words and I’m not used to writing prose by the yard and I received several letters saying the books were better than the movie. I cut out dear old Dad’s philosophizing.”
A Worldwide Phenomenon
It is difficult, if not impossible, to quantify success. The reach of a show may be one of the determinants that help in that process, though. Leave it to Beaver was aired across the USA and translated to about 40 languages, being broadcasted in around 80 countries!