Bob Mosher Movies

While coaching Beaver's football team, Wally (Tony Dow) dreams up a secret play which he calls "Old 98." Evidently Beaver (Jerry Mathers) didn't hear the "secret" part, for soon he is telling his friend Penny (Karen Sue Trent) all about this mysterious gridiron strategy. In all innocence, Penny passes along the information concerning "Old 98" to her brother -- who happens to be on the opposing team. This was the final episode of Leave It to Beaver's third season. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In an unusually serious and profound episode, Beaver invites his new friend Chopper Cooper (played by the versatile Barry J. Gordon) to spend the weekend. It seems that Chopper's parents are divorced, and have remarried several times. Beaver is fascinated by all the expensive presents bestowed upon Chopper by the various and sundry grownups and step-siblings in his life, and begins wondering if he could benefit by his own parents' breakup! However, an emotionally charged climactic conversation between Chopper and Beaver forces our hero to realize how lucky he is. Beaver's House Guest was co-written by eminent playwright/screenwriter Arthur Kober, whose other credits include the film version of The Little Foxes. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Beaver (Jerry Mathers) makes the acquaintance of Kenneth Purcell (Gil Rogers), a new kid in school who seems desperate for friendship. Not long afterward, things start disappearing from Beaver's classroom. June (Barbara Billingsley) finds the missing items under Beaver's bed, and jumps to the obvious conclusion. Of course, by this time the viewer has figured out that Kenneth and not Beaver is the thief -- but the story isn't quite over yet. Jean Vander Pyl, best known as the voice of Wilma Flintstone, is here seen as Mrs. Thompson. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Still securely ensconced in a Saturday-night time slot, Leave It to Beaver satisfies its ever-growing fan base with 39 new episodes in its fourth season on the air. Joining the familiar cast of regulars is child actor Richard Correll as Beaver's new pal Richard, a replacement of sorts for the departing Larry Mondello. This season includes two of the series' most moving and realistic episodes. In the season opener "Beaver Won't Eat," Beaver (Jerry Mathers) and his mom June (Barbara Billingsley) form a closer bond than ever before -- and it's a plate of Brussels sprouts that causes it all. And in "Beaver's House Guest," Barry J. Gordon (A Thousand Clowns) guests as Beaver's friend Chopper, who desperately tries to convince everyone that he really, truly enjoys being a child of divorce. Elsewhere, the "creepy" Eddie Haskell (Ken Osmond) unexpectedly evokes the sympathy of the viewers when he is two-timed by a conniving female in "Eddie's Double Cross"; Beav must face the unimaginable horror of forever losing his favorite schoolteacher in "Miss Landers' Fiancé"; a youthful kleptomaniac gets Beav in Dutch in "Beaver and Kenneth"; and Wally's oafish pal Lumpy Rutherford (Frank Bank) learns the hard way that dating the "Teacher's Daughter" is not a guaranteed method of improving one's grades ("Yes, F. It's the lowest grade they allow me to give.") Also: Eddie and Lumpy inadvertently get Wally kicked off the track team in "Wally's Track Meet," then advertently get Beaver in trouble with dad Ward (Hugh Beaumont) by cleverly changing a "D minus" into a "B plus" in "Beaver's Report Card"; Beav stirs up trouble on his own by being trapped into a dare in "The School Picture"; and Wally offers his services as "Substitute Father" when Beav is hauled before the principal for swearing in school (no, we don't hear the words!). By far the season's funniest and most famous episode is "In the Soup," which, of course, is the one in which Beaver climbs onto an elaborate billboard and manages to get himself stuck in a gigantic soup bowl! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

For months, Wally has been carrying on a secret pen-pal correspondence with Kitty Bannerman (Bernadette Withers), the daughter of one of June's best friends. Impressed by Kitty's stories of her opulent lifestyle, Wally has been stretching the truth to the breaking point, telling Kitty that he is not only wealthy, but also the most popular kid in school. Alas, Wally's tissue of lies is about to be disintegrated -- June (Barbara Billingsley) has arranged for Kitty to pay a visit to Mayfield! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Beaver's efforts to get rich quick by raising chinchillas has resulted in a very messy garage. Rather than get angry, Ward (Hugh Beaumont) calmly requests that Beaver (Jerry Mathers) and Wally (Tony Dow) clean up the garage. Putting off the chore for several days, the boys finally get around to the cleaning, working as quickly as possible. In their haste, our heroes leave a few nails on the floor, one of which punctures a tire on their dad's car. The trick now is to repair the damage without getting clobbered by their dad! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

While Wally (Tony Dow) studies all weekend for a difficult history test, Eddie (Ken Osmond) and Lumpy (Frank Bank) scheme to use an easier (and less scrupulous) method, writing up crib sheets on the school's bathroom towel dispenser. Come the day of the test, and the "cheat sheets" are confiscated by the teacher. Hoping to avoid the consequences, Eddie and Lumpy point to Wally's high score and insist that he was responsible for writing up the crib notes! Carol Sydes (aka Cindy Carol) makes her first appearance in the recurring role of Alma Hanson. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Beaver (Jerry Mathers) is among the charter members of the Bloody Five, an exclusive boy's club -- so exclusive that Beaver's pal Larry Mondello (Rusty Stevens) is not permitted entry. In a pique, Larry informs Beaver that he's forming his own, "neater" club, which already has a huge waiting list Fascinated by Larry's word-pictures, Beav quits the Bloody Five in favor of his pal's new organization, little suspecting that the membership consists of one person: Larry Mondello. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Ward hires Andy Hadlock (Wendell Holmes), a "reformed" alcoholic, to paint the Cleaver house. To avoid any embarrassing situations with their sons Beaver (Jerry Mathers) and Wally (Tony Dow), Ward and June (Barbara Billingsley) decide to keep Andy's drinking problem a secret, and to hope that he won't fall off the wagon. Unfortunately, well-meaning Beaver takes such a liking to Andy that he gives him a present -- a bottle of his dad's brandy. This remarkable episode should put to rest the notion that Leave It to Beaver never dealt with controversial story material. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

During a boy-girl raffle at a school picnic, Wally (Tony Dow) draws the name of his classmate Alma Hanson (Carol Sydes). Sizing up Wally as a "good catch," Alma's mother (played by Jean Vander Pyl, best known to cartoon fans as the voice of Wilma Flintstone) does everything in her power to keep Wally and Alma together. After a while, Wally begins to feel trapped, whereupon his dad, Ward (Hugh Beaumont), comes up with a plan to rescue his son from Mrs. Hanson's clutches -- with ironic results. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

High school "letter man" Wally (Tony Dow) lends his school sweater to a girl named Frances (Ann Barnes). Several days pass, and Wally asks for his sweater back, but Frances is evasive. What Wally doesn't know -- but will soon find out -- is that the wily Frances is showing off Wally's sweater to her friends, claiming that she and he are "devoted" to one another. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Beaver (Jerry Mathers) and Larry (Rusty Stevens) find a wallet containing 89 dollars. Turning it over to the police, the boys are told the money is theirs if no one claims it in 30 days. After nearly a month's worth of fantasizing about what he will do with his windfall, Beaver must console himself to the fact that the wallet's owner has indeed materialized. Well, at least he'll get a handsome reward for recovering the wallet -- or will he? ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi