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Monk: Mr. Monk Goes to Mexico (2003)
It's a comedy folks! Lighten up!
During spring break in a Mexican town, a young man from a well off San Francisco family is offered a coupon for free sky diving. But his parachute doesn't open and he dies in the fall. But the medical examiner says that young man actually died of drowning as there is a pint of water in each lung. The mayor, friends with the boy's family, asks Monk to go to Mexico to investigate what actually happened.
Mexico makes a great setting for Monk's OCD and Sharona's partying instincts, which do get the best of her. At first Monk resists going, saying that the problem with Mexico is "it's not here". So he packs 18 bags of food, wipes, and bottled water he is familiar with - that also gets stolen from his car on the first day. It's not that they don't have bottled water in Mexico, they just don't have the brand that he drinks.
It was a great, extra quirky episode of Monk. Remember, this is not Law and Order. It's a comedy show with a murder mystery as a weekly topic, not the other way around.
Monk: Mr. Monk Goes Back to School (2003)
Mr. Monk gets vertigo
English teacher Beth Landow tells her married lover, science teacher Derek Kilby, that he must tell his wife about them and leave her or she will tell her. The next morning - Saturday - Kilby is proctoring the SAT when the body of Beth Landow hits Kilby's car from the observation tower and the car alarm goes off. The students get up from their desks and look out the window. Kilby doesn't make a move. Monk is asked to investigate the case by someone who works at the school, which just happens to be the same private high school that his late wife attended. To further investigate, Monk becomes a temporary English teacher, taking the place of the recently deceased Beth Landow.
You already know the "who" in this case, but what you don't know is the "how" - How did Kilby manage to kill Beth while he was proctoring the SAT across campus at the same time. This is what Monk has to figure out, and if you have seen enough murder mystery movies where the victim dies in tower such as the one shown in this episode, the clues are there. What makes it worthwhile is the comedy, such as Monk introducing himself to his new English class the first day and taking about half of that first class to write his name "Mr. Monk" when you consider his own exacting standards.
Monk: Mr. Monk and the Earthquake (2002)
Mr. Monk feels the earth move
Wealthy philanthropist Henry Rutherford is on the way out the door after breakfast when a earthquake hits. His young wife sees her chance and hits him over the head, then drags him next to a heavy piece of furniture and pushes it on top of him, killing him, thinking that everyone will just think the earthquake did it and she'll be in the clear and in the money.
The police have temporarily condemned Sharona's apartment building because of the quake, and so she goes to stay with her maneating, man stealing sister Gail. Oh, and Monk is staying there too as the trauma of the quake has made him temporarily lose the power of speech as he speaks only gibberish but thinks he is speaking English.
How does this involve Monk since nobody suspects that the wealthy old man was murdered? Rutherford was leaving a phone message for Sharona - they are both involved in restoring a church - when he saw his wife come at him to knock him out and cried out about what was happening, and as soon as Sharona gets back home and listens to her messages the jig will be up.
So Rutherford's widow and her boyfriend have to get into Sharona's apartment and get rid of that message. The easiest way they figure will be for the boyfriend to wine and dine Sharona, since she is always easy prey for a pretty face. How does this work out? Watch and find out.
Sharona is always blaming Monk for her relationships not working out, but she has some terrible judgment when it comes to men, absent of Monk, who often warns her about her bad choices. Among the worst is the killer in this episode, and then there are the married men hiding their wives and even a streaker on the more harmless end of the scale.
Monk: Mr. Monk Takes a Vacation (2002)
Mr. Monk takes an unwanted but eventful vacation
Monk is on vacation with Sharona and her son, mainly because he can't tolerate the idea of being without her at his side to calm his obsessions. While on the beach, Sharona's son, Benjy, is looking through binoculars and sees a murder on an upper floor of the hotel. Nobody else, of course, sees this.
Monk goes to the hotel management and encounters intense resistance from the hotel management who seems to want Monk, the murder question, and the body - if there is one - for that matter to just go away. But Monk finds an alliance in the person of Rita Bronwyn, house detective. Imagine Barnie Fife if he was a woman AND competent AND a fan of film noir - you'd have Rita. Many Monk episodes have the "who" quickly established, and it's the why and in particular the how that is in question. But here it is the who - victim and murderer - that Monk seeks.
And yes the result is even more ridiculous than normal, but this is a comedy show first and a murder mystery second.
Monk: Mr. Monk and the Airplane (2002)
A few homages to Tony Shalhoub's life and career
Monk thinks Sharona is picking her aunt up at the airport, but instead she is going to New Jersey to see her aunt. She has waited until the last possible moment to tell Monk so that he cannot spend days obsessing over the situation and must make the decision to either go with her or stay on the spot. He decides to go with her, even though this will be his first (successful) ride on a plane. Of course his obsessions about clean bathrooms, people being too close, and people coughing play into all of this.
But on top of that, Monk becomes convinced that a man on the plane and his wife are in fact the man and an imposter, mainly based on him seeing in the airport that the wife had to stand on her toes to hug her husband, and the woman on the plane does not. Thus Monk thinks there is a murder mystery afoot, and he drives everyone crazy trying to solve the case, or even convince the flight crew that a murder has been committed in the first place, since the body is on the airport grounds somewhere.
Tim Daly, a costar of Shaloub's when they were both on Wings, has a guest appearance involving a matter separate from the murder mystery. And Brooke Adams, Shaloub's actual wife, plays a flight attendant who is driven off the wagon and to drink by Monk's annoying behavior.
Monk: Mr. Monk Goes to the Theater (2003)
You have to be a good actor to play a bad actor convinceingly
Sharona's sister is starring in a play, and part of that play is her stabbing a guy who has escaped from jail. But Sharona's sister Gail ends up stabbing the actor with a real knife and he collapses to the floor dead. Gail is suspected of doing this deliberately since she and the actor had dated briefly, and she is held without bail. Monk is on the case.
A complicating factor is that Sharona's mother is coming to visit and Sharona has embellished her resume in regard to what her mother knows about her life, and that includes her mother thinking that Sharona is Monk's partner in detecting rather than his assistant.
The funniest part about this episode is Sharona and Monk reenacting the crime in the theater and the director wanting to employ Monk as an actor to fill in until his replacement for the dead actor can arrive due to Monk's perfect recall of a scene in a play. Actually performing the part before an audience plays into all of Monk's paranoias in a most hilarious way.
There is also a speed dating scene that makes it obvious that Monk is not ready to date again, although he is actually there as part of the investigation.
Monk: Mr. Monk Goes to the Circus (2003)
In the words of Dr. Evil's son...
...why not just shoot him? I've got a gun in my room.
And the victim is shot with a gun, but in the most public and elegant way possible. The assassin is a hooded ninja figure who does flips, lands in the restaurant, shoots the victim, and then somersaults out. Why??? And that question is never truly answered.
The ex-wife comes into focus as a suspect, but she has a big cast on her leg, her bones shattered from an accident during one of her acrobatic performances a few weeks ago. How could she possibly have committed the crime?
An interesting side plot is Sharona getting deeply offended by Monk's lack of empathy when she is frightened by a circus elephant and confesses to Monk her lifelong fear of elephants, only to be brushed off by him. She responds by sulking and not coming to work for a few days. Has she forgotten exactly who it is that she works for?
Monk: Mr. Monk and the Red-Headed Stranger (2002)
Too much celebrity worship and name dropping, not enough mystery
One of Willie Nelson's staffers may have embezzled some money and Willie threatens to fire the guy if the books don't balance by that night. Later in the afternoon, the same staffer sees a sign to not use the front door, to come around to the side door. When he does he is shot and killed - the audience does not see the actual killing. When the audience rejoins the scene there is a blind woman screaming murder and Willie Nelson bending over the body. Complications ensue.
Willie Nelson being slobbered over by Monk - a huge fan - takes up a good part of the proceedings as does Willy Nelson performing. Nelson is an OK actor - he's done several movies and he never embarrassed himself, but he's not Tom Hanks either. There are some humorous parts - Monk is invited to perform with the band on clarinet, and a streaker turns up a couple of times even though this is not 1974. I'd say this is one of Monk's blander season one episodes, but the quirky Monk humor keeps it at a 7/10.
Monk: Mr. Monk and the Marathon Man (2002)
A possibly iconoclastic moment for Monk
A woman is strangled and then thrown out of her penthouse apartment to the pavement below. There are two prime suspects - her ex-husband and her married lover, the wealthy owner of a chain of furniture stores. Monk settles his attention on the married lover as having the greatest motive, but at the time the woman was killed the man was running a marathon, made every checkpoint, and finished the race.
Competitors are tracked by a computer chip. Monk thinks that perhaps the suspect gave his chip to another runner to carry so that he could duck out and commit the murder. But when Monk looks to see who the most likely accomplice could be - someone who hit checkpoints at the same time as the suspect - the only likely candidate is Tonday, Monk's lifelong idol of long distance running, a guy who is still entering and running marathons at age 63. Furthermore, investigation shows that Tonday is staying at a suite that is far more expensive than what he should be able to afford. What an iconoclastic possibility!
There's a real awkward moment when Monk and Sharona visit the offices of the people who run the marathon and ask some questions. All of the staff introduce themselves and shake hands with Monk as people do, but the last person to shake Monk's hand is a black man. When Monk breaks out a wipe to try and clean his hands the black staffer is insulted and so are the white staffers. They completely misunderstand Monk's color-blind OCD germ phobia and think it is boilerplate racism.
Monk: Mr. Monk and the Other Woman (2002)
Is Monk turning a page in his life?
A law office is broken into, a file torched, the attorney killed, and the legal secretary is killed as well when she wanders into the scene at the wrong time. The police immediately suspect Lawrence Grayson, the man whose file was burned in the break-in. Grayson makes no bones about the fact that he was on the outs with his attorney because he lost the case he had against a neighbor for building what he considered an oversized garage. The neighbor in question turns out to be a very pretty and classy woman, reminding Monk very much of his late wife Trudy. Will Monk let his strong attraction impact his objectivity, especially when Grayson turns up murdered, not far from the pretty neighbor's garage? Watch and find out.
In this episode, Monk discussed with his therapist why he has not tried to date in the years since his wife's death, and part of that is that Monk is still very much in love with his wife. Also in this episode, for once Sharona is not in love with a wrong guy who is part of the solution to the crime.
Monk: Mr. Monk and the Billionaire Mugger (2002)
Mr. Monk and the deadbeats
A self-made billionaire goes out for the evening, but then he arrives at his destination and dresses all in black, like a ninja, and attempts to mug a couple at knifepoint. The man the billionaire is trying to mug has a gun and kills the billionaire dead, thinking him to be a common thief. In the distance a policeman lurks, but as soon as the shots ring out the policeman runs for the hills. The press dub him "the fraidy cop". The police can't figure out who the patrolman is who bolted and ran, and they also can't figure out why a billionaire would risk his freedom and his life for forty bucks. They figure he was going through some middle age crisis and looking for a thrill and leave it at that. But, as usual, Monk says not so fast.
A side plot is that Sharona is having to get on Monk's case about not paying her regularly. It's not that Monk doesn't want to, it's just he's not aggressive about demanding payment from clients who can pay but won't. This results in Sharona leaving Monk's employ for a short while and him feeling lost as a result.
Monk: Mr. Monk Meets Dale the Whale (2002)
A whale of a tale
A judge is murdered in her home as she begs for help after calling 911 and she identifies her killer on the phone as eccentric Dale the Whale. When the police arrive they find that there was some stir fry on the stove although the judge had eaten out that night and brought part of what she could not eat home in a doggy bag. Why did she not eat that rather than cook an entirely different meal? Also, a passerby saw an extremely fat man stand on a chair and shut off the smoke alarm that was blaring from the cooking on the stove.
Dale the Whale is a very wealthy man who weighs over 800 pounds and is confined to his bed in his sprawling mansion. He could never manage to walk around somebody's house and kill them, although he does have a motive. Yet Monk believes this guy is the murderer. Complicating factor is that Dale sued Monk and his wife Trudy when she was alive for libel in an article she wrote. Dale took the "continue losing until they surrender" strategy, draining Monk and his wife of all of their assets. Thus Monk has every reason to hate Dale. Will it cloud his judgment? Watch and find out.
Monk: Mr. Monk and the Psychic (2002)
Too many suspects
You see the crime occur. You see a man calling his wife who is hurrying along the road that she must hurry faster because their dog has been badly injured. You can see that the dog is fine - She is in the car with the man. The man has put some crates on the road where his wife will be coming from. She sees them at the last moment, swerves to escape them and goes off the cliff. The man returns home and calls his wife in as missing. The fly in the ointment here is that the man who caused his wife's death is a police commissioner.
Monk suspects the man when he has an emergency hand washing need and goes all the way into the commissioner's bedroom area to find a bathroom. When there he notices that the commissioner is already quite busy packing up his wife's things not long after her death.
The other mystery here is that a psychic wakes up in her car shortly after the woman's disappearance and finds the body of the commissioner's wife. Are these two in it together? Watch and find out.
Raffles (1939)
a production code era remake of a classic
David Niven is a gentleman thief who gets caught in a bind when a Scotland Yard inspector catches up with him. Olivia deHavilland costars as his romantic interest. Interesting premise, deeply flawed execution.
David Niven is perfectly cast in the role, but the pacing of the moving is painfully slow, and it just drags on and feels so much longer than its 75-ish minute length. I think the big problem is that Niven's character next to no reason for actually being a thief, so we're dragged along on escapades that don't really seem to have much point.
And then there is Olivia deHavilland, who was criminally underused in this film, to the point that she could have been completely written out and you wouldn't miss her. This movie had so much promise, and it just fell flat. I still prefer the 1930 film with Ronald Colman in the title role. It was a very fluid early talkie.
So Long at the Fair (1950)
a solid rewarding mystery
A brother and sister check into a Paris hotel days before the 1889 World's Fair kicks off. But the brother disappears overnight and nobody even remembers seeing him.
Perhaps an appropriate tagline would be: A solid, rewarding mystery with an exceedingly clever solution to a classic riddle. The gaslight theme isn't new at this point, and neither is the, "I know I see/saw this person but everyone else sees nothing" premise. However, the key to this intriguing mystery is that there is no mental illness and, believe it or not, no criminal activity. How, then, does someone disappear and why is everyone lying about it?
This movie helped launch the careers of both Simmons and Bogarde and I think they're both great in just about everything (if you haven't yet, check out Bogarde in a fantastic and similarly intriguing film, Libel, with Olivia de Havilland). There's very little chance you'll guess the reason and motive behind it all, but it makes perfect sense when it's finally revealed.
Women of Glamour (1937)
A rather unnecessary remake
A dissatisfied artist (Melvyn Douglas) finds new inspiration from a cynical, chance-met showgirl (Virginia Bruce). But will her modelling for him lead to more than just art?
This is a flat, light romantic drama, an anemic remake of Frank Capra's pre-Code Ladies of Leisure. Bruce has the impossible task of following in Barbara Stanwyck's footsteps, all of the pre-Code edges in the original version have been sanitized into blandness, and Capra's storytelling verve is sorely missing from this re-do. Douglas was the only element here that was an upgrade from the original, but even then there's still not much of a spark between our two leads.
Still the Beaver: Pet Peeves (1984)
Continues a LITB tradition of teaching responsible pet ownership
Wally brings home a pregnant Great Dane that was partial payment from a client, but his daughter is allergic, so he tries to give the dog away to Beaver. June puts the kabosh on that idea, but playing with the dog puts the idea of getting a pet into the heads of Beaver's sons, Kip and Oliver. They end up - without Beaver's knowledge - adopting a pet tarantula. This plan goes south when the tarantula ends up on Mary Ellen's shoulders. As a result, Beaver tells the boys that they can never have a pet, giving the death penalty to their dreams in that direction.
Meanwhile, Oliver has discovered an elephant at Miller's pond. He, Kip, and Kelly decide to hide him in their grandma June's garage and take care of him since they don't want him returned to a circus. This requires massive amounts of greens and peanut butter. How does this work out? Watch and find out.
This episode continues the tradition of the original LITB it promoting responsibility in conjunction with pet ownership and also getting a pet that fits the household needs. Apparently, even Wally at middle age is having trouble learning that latter lesson.
Still the Beaver: Puppy Love (1986)
Kelly has a crush
Wally's daughter Kelly has hall monitor duty, and gets a little enthusiastic with her authority when it comes to a scofflaw who is twice her size. After school it looks like she is going to be pummeled by the ruffian and his sumo wrestler sister. But along comes Eddie Haskell's son, Freddie Haskell, and makes them leave her alone, getting out a couple of good insults against them in the process. Kelly is instantly smitten.
Kelly doesn't know what to do to get Freddie's attention, but when she asks her grandmother June about the situation - June does NOT know that the object of her affection is Freddie - she suggests that she write the boy a love letter. Freddie receives the love letter and can't believe that some girl feels this way about him. Her letter asks him to meet her at the soda fountain the next day and Freddie's imagination runs wild. How will this all turn out? Watch and find out.
Eric Osmond as Freddie Haskell sure has his dad's teen persona down. He's desperate yet displays swaggering overconfidence. And there's something I noticed about the porting of the show from the Disney channel to WTBS - The show is now able to shed some of its squeaky clean image. For example, there are quite a few hints that Eddie could be fooling around on his wife, Gert. For example, one of the things Kelly does before she writes a love letter to Freddie is to call up the Haskell home, assume it was Freddie who answered the phone, and give a quick anonymous "I Love You" and hang up. But it's Eddie on the other end who, in a panicked voice, says "I told you to never call me at home!". Who knows who he thought it was!
Lincoln (2012)
It would really help to have read "A Team of Rivals" before watching this...
... as many of the details about the personalities and machinations involved are clearly explained in that book.
Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln," released in 2012, stands as a masterful exploration of one of America's most revered leaders during a pivotal moment in history. Centered on the final months of Abraham Lincoln's presidency, the film delves deeply into the complexities of politics and personalities involved in the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment.
At its heart, Daniel Day-Lewis's portrayal of Abraham Lincoln is nothing short of extraordinary. Day-Lewis embodies Lincoln with a mesmerizing authenticity, capturing not only his physical presence but also his mannerisms and profound intellect. His performance humanizes Lincoln, showing his wit, compassion, and the burden of leadership during the Civil War.
The screenplay by Tony Kushner is a standout feature, drawing from Doris Kearns Goodwin's book "Team of Rivals" to craft a narrative that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant. The film focuses on Lincoln's strategic efforts to pass the Thirteenth Amendment, which would abolish slavery, amidst the tumultuous political landscape of the time. Kushner's script is rich in dialogue, filled with eloquence and historical depth, providing viewers with a window into the moral and ethical dilemmas faced by Lincoln and his contemporaries.
Spielberg's direction is deft and restrained, allowing the performances and the weight of history to take center stage. The cinematography and production design evoke the atmosphere of the 1860s with meticulous attention to detail, from the elaborate period costumes to the meticulously recreated settings of Washington, D. C.
Supporting performances by Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln, Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens, and David Strathairn as William Seward, among others, are uniformly excellent, adding layers of complexity to the narrative and enhancing the film's emotional impact.
"Lincoln" is not just a biographical drama but a profound meditation on power, justice, and the enduring struggle for equality. It resonates deeply with contemporary issues while reminding us of the moral imperatives that shaped America's history. By focusing on Lincoln's personal and political struggles, Spielberg and his team have crafted a film that is both enlightening and deeply moving, offering audiences a powerful and thought-provoking cinematic experience.
"Lincoln" is a triumph of filmmaking, anchored by Daniel Day-Lewis's transformative performance and Spielberg's assured direction. It stands as a testament to the enduring relevance of Abraham Lincoln's legacy and remains a landmark in historical cinema.
Still the Beaver: Steppin' Out (1985)
Freddie's first date
A school dance is coming up at Grant Ave. School, and Kip and Freddie are looking for dates. Kip gets a date with the girl he wanted to go with, but like his father before him, Freddie Haskell has a problem with women pertaining to his reputation as a creep. Freddie admits that his lack of courage in asking a girl out is because he only knows how to insult girls, not just talk to them. June suggests that Kip do for Freddie what Wally used to do for Eddie - Ask a girl out for him. Apparently this happens with Freddie's consent, but Kip has no luck. And then a possibility opens up - the girl Wally and Mary Ellen use as a babysitter is the right age and, more importantly, she doesn't go to Grant Ave. School and thus has never heard of Freddie Haskell.
The dance is well done, and anybody who remembers the awkwardness of that first date will be able to relate. On the humorous side, Kip and the ill fitting shoes that he insisted on buying for this occasion start a new dance craze among his fellow students.
Eddie Haskell gives some cringeworthy though well intentioned advice to Freddie concerning women as Freddie is on his way out the door to the dance that probably doesn't help matters.
Eric Osmond was very good in this rather rare Freddie centric episode. I always thought he was the best child actor in the show, probably because he had his own personal director and mentor in the person of his father Ken Osmond, who portrayed Eddie Haskell.
A 14-year-old Shannon Doherty appears as Freddie's date, and supposedly Christina Applegate appears as "Wendy", although her presence is not clear. I think that she is the first girl Kip asks out on Freddie's behalf, but it is such a quick scene it is hard to be sure.
1776 (1972)
The founding of this nation really was a miracle
1776," directed by Peter H. Hunt and released in 1972, is a unique and compelling musical adaptation of the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Set primarily in the Continental Congress in Philadelphia during the summer of 1776, the film offers a lively and often humorous portrayal of the Founding Fathers as they wrestle with the weighty decision of declaring independence from Great Britain.
The film's standout feature is its witty and engaging screenplay, adapted from the Broadway musical by Peter Stone. The dialogue is sharp and filled with clever wordplay, capturing the essence of the passionate debates and political maneuvering that characterized the birth of the United States. The songs, composed by Sherman Edwards, are both entertaining and historically informative, blending seamlessly into the narrative and providing insight into the characters' motivations.
William Daniels delivers a standout performance as John Adams, capturing the fiery determination and idealism of the future second President of the United States. His interactions with Howard Da Silva's Benjamin Franklin and Ken Howard's Thomas Jefferson are particularly memorable, showcasing the camaraderie and occasional tensions among these historical figures.
Despite its predominantly indoor setting and dialogue-heavy nature, the film manages to maintain visual interest through effective staging and cinematography. The period costumes and sets are meticulously designed, transporting viewers back to the turbulent days of the American Revolution.
"1776" is not merely a historical drama but also a reflection on the enduring principles of democracy and independence. It successfully blends entertainment with education, offering viewers a compelling look at a pivotal moment in American history while celebrating the human spirit and determination that shaped the nation.
In conclusion, "1776" is a must-see for history enthusiasts and fans of musical theater alike. Its engaging performances, witty script, and memorable songs make it a timeless portrayal of the events leading up to the birth of a nation.
Evenings for Sale (1932)
Charming movie with a great cast
This starts off with wealthy American widow Mary Boland heading off for Vienna with a headful of 'The Merry Widow'. Meanwhile broke aristocrat Herbert Marshall is contemplating suicide but ends up romancing Sari Maritza at a masked ball, even though she is engaged - sort of - to portly Bert Roach. Marshall is then given the chance of a job as a professional dance partner at a nightclub run by his family's ex-butler.
Marshall shows a very strong streak of pride when offered another job (these jobs - so plentiful!) by Maritza's father and instead becomes rather friendly with the by now lonely Boland who has turned up at the place. A fair number of confusions keep the plot going, and Boland's usual soulmate Charles Ruggles is on hand as Marshall's old batman and current savior.
Attractively put together, this one had some criticism because it wasn't Lubitsch, but the old boy was pretty busy in 1932.
Leave It to Beaver: Wally's Job (1958)
Ward divides and gets conquered
Ward takes note of the poor condition of the household trashcans and says that this weekend he'll likely have to repaint them. He and Wally make a deal for Wally to paint them for the price of fifty cents a trashcan. Along comes Eddie Haskell, who tells Wally that his dad paid somebody three dollars to paint their trashcans. So Wally suddenly doesn't see the urgency of the situation, and not so subtly drops the news that the going rate seems to be three dollars for painting two trashcans. Wally trying to renegotiate their deal angers Ward, and he ends up making a deal with Beaver to paint the cans for the original price - one dollar.
But Wally knew nothing about this new deal, and when he sees Beaver painting the cans the two get into a terrible fight with the result being no trashcans are painted. Does Ward ever get his trashcans painted? Yes he does, and not by himself or anybody he hired. The price? A rather expensive hat that cost much more than three dollars. To see what I mean by this, watch and find out.
Still the Beaver: It's a Small World (1987)
A special 30th anniversary episode
This "episode" kicked off the third season (the second on WTBS Superstation) on a special different night of Oct. 4, 1987 to commemorate the exact 30th anniversary date of the debut of the original Leave it to Beaver series (this pilot, "A Small World" had never been shown publicly). Barbara Billingsley, Jerry Mathers, Tony Dow, and Kipp Marcus all participated in the introduction of this pilot.
The pilot has to do with Beaver and Wally falsely believing that the local dairy is running a contest such that if you bring in 1000 lids from their milk bottles that the dairy will give you a bike as a prize. The result humorously showed the ingenuity of children and the inanity of adults when faced with said children.
Paul Sullivan - the initial Wally - does OK as the big brother, but he demonstrates a meaner side towards Beaver that Tony Dow did not in that role, and ultimately Tony Dow was just born to play that part. The only reason Paul Sullivan did not have the series role is because he shot up so fast during the summer of 1957 that he would have towered over Showalter - or Beaumont for that matter - and a new actor for the role of Wally had to be found on short notice.
Richard Deacon and Diane Brewster were in the cast, but not in the roles we are accustomed to seeing them in. In the series, of course, RIchard Deacon is Fred Rutherford, the blow hard know-it -all colleague of Ward's and Diane Brewster is Beaver's second grade teacher, Miss Canfield. Deacon died before The New Leave it to Beaver aired, so a different actor plays Fred Rutherford in the series. Diane Brewster continued in the series as Miss Canfield, although in the revival series she is the principal.
As for the Eddie Haskell prototype, Frankie Bennett, he really had no stage presence, and there is no "hook" into any interaction with the Cleaver household since he is a grade older than Wally and definitely not Wally's best friend. The show was wise to refactor this character into something completely different and ultimately iconic.
The complete pilot is on the bonus disc of the DVD set for Leave It To Beaver produced by Shout Factory.
Leave It to Beaver: It's a Small World (1957)
When it came to the cast, it was a small world!
It's a weekend and June is wondering what is keeping Beaver from coming home from dancing school. It turns out it is an involved story involving guys who work for the power company trying to chase a bat away with a broom. It really means nothing as far as the plot goes, but it does establish Beaver as a kid that lacks focus...who grows into an adult who lacks focus...but I digress.
Beaver has been told by underhanded Frankie Bennett that there is a contest at the local dairy such that if you collect 1000 milk bottle tops you get a brand new bike. This is not true - It was just Frankie giving Beaver "the business". When Beaver shares this news with Wally, Beaver and Wally go all over town collecting bottle tops - sometimes in sneaky ways. They then roll their wagon full of bottle tops to the dairy and request their prize. Every executive at the dairy has never heard of this contest, but they also don't want to admit that they don't know anything about this contest and thus seem out of the loop and not in the know. Thus Beaver and Wally get their new bike for winning a non-existent contest. Complications do ensue when the dairy finally realizes they've been had.
Barbara Billingsley is more reserved than usual as June in the pilot, and they've given her a softer hairdo to match her mood. Max Showalter does an admirable job as Ward Cleaver, but Hugh Beaumont just fit that role like a glove. Of course Jerry Mathers was always The Beaver - The pilot and then the show are built around his antics.
Paul Sullivan - the initial Wally - does OK as the big brother, but he demonstrates a meaner side towards Beaver that Tony Dow did not in that role, and ultimately Tony Dow was just born to play that part. The only reason Paul Sullivan did not have the series role is because he shot up so fast during the summer of 1957 that he would have towered over Showalter - or Beaumont for that matter - and a new actor for the role of Wally had to be found on short notice.
Richard Deacon and Diane Brewster were in the cast, but not in the roles we are accustomed to seeing them in. In the series, of course, RIchard Deacon is Fred Rutherford, the blow hard know-it -all colleague of Ward's and Diane Brewster is Beaver's second grade teacher, Miss Canfield.
As for the Eddie Haskell prototype, Frankie Bennett, he really has no stage presence, and there is no "hook" into any interaction with the Cleaver household since he is a grade older than Wally and definitely not Wally's best friend. The show was wise to refactor this character into something completely different and ultimately iconic.