Writer of Pop Culture

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This Day in Pop Culture for October 4

It was on this day that the first episode of “Leave It to Beaver” aired on CBS and many years later the first “Afterschool Special” on ABC. Know what it was?

October 4, 2020

2–3 minutes

1957: Why Theodore Cleaver Went by the Name of Beaver

It was on this day in 1957 that the classic sitcom Leave it to Beaver debuted on CBS. (It would switch to ABC the next year and stay there until 1963.) But through that whole time, the show never explained why “Theodore” went by the name of “Beaver” until the very last episode. The show explained that when Theodore was born, his older brother had trouble saying his name and it came out like “Beaver”. The nickname stuck.

But that’s not the real reason. Turns out, one of the show’s creators knew a guy while he was in the Navy whose name really was Beaver. He thought that it was great and found a use for it for the TV series.

Jerry Mathers had the starring role as the inquisitive kid, Hugh Beaumont played his dad Ward, Barbara Billingsly as his mother June and Tony Dow as older brother Wally.

The Cleavers actually lived in two homes during the show’s run, but most people only remember the second one on Pine Street. It’s easy to do so since that same house has been featured on other shows and movies including Marcus Welby, M.D., The Burbs, Desperate Housewives, The Bill Engvall Show, The Young and the Restless and even the 1997 movie based on the TV series.

In 1983, the Cleaver family reunited (with the exception of Beaumont who had passed away) for the made-for-TV movie, Still the Beaver. Its popularity led to the sequel series, The New Leave It to Beaver which ran from 1984-1989.

1972: First ABC Afterschool Special is Aired

The Last of the Curlews was the very first ABC Afterschool Special to air on this day in 1972. Created by Hanna-Barbera, it was one the few animated specials to air during its 25-year run. The special ran about six times throughout the school year featuring hour-long made-for-TV movies that dealt with social and controversial issues in the day. Later, CBS followed suit with its’ own Afternoon Playhouse and NBC did as well with Special Treat. Later, ABC would air similar programming on Saturday mornings called Saturday Superstar Movie and the ABC Weekend Special. (Image: TVDB)