School Play (11 Dec. 1958)

Beaver is excited to be cast as the canary, the lead character in his school play, until Ward's "pep" talk gives him stage fright.

Director:

Norman Tokar

Writers:

Joe Connelly (creator), Bob Mosher (creator),

Stars:

Barbara Billingsley, Hugh Beaumont, Tony Dow

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Barbara Billingsley	...	June Cleaver
Hugh Beaumont	...	Ward Cleaver
Tony Dow	...	Wally Cleaver
Jerry Mathers	...	Theodore Cleaver
Sue Randall	...	Miss Alice Landers
Dorothy Adams	...	Miss Wakeland
Stanley Fafara	...	Hubert Whitney
Jeri Weil	...	Judy Hensler
Robert 'Rusty' Stevens	...	Larry Mondello (as Rusty Stevens)
Linda Beardon	...	Girl

Storyline

Grant Avenue School is holding a performing arts festival, with each grade assigned a specific production. Beaver gets cast as the lead in the third grade production of "Flowers and Feathers". Beaver is to play a canary. Beaver is excited about his part and about the production. After the first rehearsal, Miss Wakeland, the director, doesn't think Beaver has what it takes to be a convincing canary, which he overhears. Although he doesn't tell his son so, Ward is also slightly embarrassed by Beaver's part, wishing his role had a bit more meat on it, or wishing the type of bird was a bit more majestic. June asks Ward to be a little more encouraging to the Beaver about the play and his role. Ward's words of encouragement the night of the play, in addition to Miss Wakeland's comments, have the effect of Beaver getting stage fright. Beaver refuses to go on. As Ward, June and Wally sit in the audience, they're sure that Beaver's stage fright will pass and that he'll be the best canary ever....

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Plot Keywords:

baseball cap

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Genres:

Comedy | Family

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 December 1958 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Republic Studios - 4024 Radford Avenue, North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gomalco Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although he is referred to in several episodes, this is the only one in which Larry Mondello's father is seen, backstage with Larry at the conclusion of the school play.

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Quotes

Ward Cleaver: Well - guess this is your big night, huh?
Theodore 'Beaver' Cleaver: Well, I guess so.
Ward Cleaver: Well, sure. You got a big part in the play. All your friends are gonna be there. Expect you got some butterflies in your stomache, huh?
Theodore 'Beaver' Cleaver: How would they get in there, Dad?

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Soundtracks

"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"
(uncredited)
Written by Jane Taylor

User Reviews

Beaver Is No Canary

"Don't try to be something you're not" was the message of this simple episode about the third grade staging a play.

Beaver gets the male lead role, which is nothing but a canary pretending to fly around for a bit. However, he isn't very good at it. The class nemesis and big pain-in-the-neck, "Judy Hensler," keeps telling Beaver he is no good and will get kicked out of the play. Beaver, however, seems excited about the role.

Ward isn't thrilled Beaver's playing a bird but, with prodding from June, gives his son a "pep talk" on the night of the play. He inadvertently says too many negative things....and the family winds up surprised at what they see at the play.