Leave It to Beaver (TV Series) Beaver and Violet (1960) User Reviews

Embarrassed and Mortified

[MichaelMartinDeSapio · 9/10 · 30 November 2015]

In this highly amusing third-season entry, Beaver is embarrassed when Fred Rutherford snaps a photo of his daughter Violet kissing him (Beaver) on the cheek during a picnic. His embarrassment turns to mortification when the photo appears on the cover of Ward's company newsletter.

Part of the reason I like this episode is that it offers us a good dose of Whitey Whitney, my personal favorite among Beaver's friends; he becomes a confidant to Beaver after the photo incident and promises not to tell anyone about it. He suggests to Beaver that the kiss means that Violet is in love with him. Beaver and Whitey teeter between disgust and barely concealed curiosity about the new emotion of love. There is tart dialogue from all concerned: Particularly funny is Wally's comment that they hope Fred doesn't wear his shorts and Hawaiian shirt at the picnic "or people will think he's our father." On LITB, adults are not immune from acting foolishly, and Fred comes off as particularly buffoonish.

In sum, an LITB episode that successfully mines the embarrassments of childhood.

As I recall, boys were never fans of violets; just fans of blowing the seeds off of a dandelion.

[pensman · 8/10 · 31 August 2017]

Fred Rutherford stops by in the morning because it was such a nice day, Fred walked over rather than have Ward pick him up and take him to the office. On his walk over some kid called Fred skinhead, and to Fred that's a sign the neighborhood is being taken over by the wrong element. Fred asks if Ward and June would like to have a picnic day at Friends Lake; Fred had other choices—better business connections—but they had excuses. Fred knows how to make Ward's day.

When Ward gets home from the office he tells the boys they are going on a picnic with the Rutherfords tomorrow. The boys are OK with the idea until Ward mentions Violet is coming. Beaver still hates girls. Wally tells Beaver not to worry, Beaver can throw bugs at her.

Next morning Fred is there packing everyone into the car. The car is a little overcrowded and Violet has to sit on Beaver's lap. Can anything be worse? Yes, Whitey and Richard see Beaver in the car.

Wally and Beaver are fishing when Violet comes over to tell the boys their mommie and daddy want them. Even Wally asks Violet if she can tone done the "cuteness." Wally and Beaver arrive at the picnic area and Fred has been taking pictures. When Fred is taking a picture of Beaver and Violet, Fred tells Violet to kiss Beaver on the cheek. A look of horror appears on Beaver's face and he runs off; Violet runs off in the other direction. This reaction perplexes Fred but the other parents understand.

Ward comes from the office a few days later with a copy of the office magazine that has the picture of Beaver and Violet on the cover. Ward hides the magazine from Beaver but Beaver finds it in the trash; he always looks for good things in the trash.

June tells Ward she just can't understand why a little boy would object to a picture of a little girl kissing him; Ward says it's a natural protection that boy's age out of as they grow up. Beaver has Whitey come over to the house and Beaver shows him the picture. Whitey says the picture means Violet is in love with Beaver. Neither knows what to do about the situation. Wally comes to the room to tell Beaver he has a call from Violet. Beaver says to say he's not home and he's not going to be home for the rest of his life. June doesn't understand why Beaver doesn't want to talk to her. It's actually amazing as to how often June is clueless when it comes to understanding boys and hers in particular.

Next morning June notices Beaver seems off and she asks Wally if he knows what's going on; but Wally isn't speaking to the Beaver after he threw dirty socks on Wally's clean shirts. Finally, June has an inspiration, maybe Beaver saw the magazine. Ward figures he couldn't have, he threw it in the trash. At school Beaver is trying to ditch Violet, he even figures to stay after school until everyone is gone; but Violet has been waiting for him. Violet saw the magazine picture and tells Beaver she would rather kiss a dead lizard than kiss Beaver again; Beaver is like all boys: he is mean and dirty. Beaver is impressed; he tells Violet she isn't so bad after all for being a girl. Violet says that Beaver isn't so bad for being a boy.

One of the fun episodes that definitely brings back the days when boys used to taunt girls for having cooties. I really never knew exactly what that meant as the only cootie I was aware of was a game called Cootie where you played to be the first to assemble your plastic cootie. Hasbro makes an updated version where the cootie is a much friendlier looking bug.

Apparently, the writers couldn't keep the Rutherford family in their heads. At times Fred refers to an older boy or boys who we never meet, and Violet drops in and out of the family and then just disappears. Lumpy keeps changing his age and grades until he is a member of Wally's class as school. Must have been interesting at the Rutherford's trying to figure out who was in their family.

10*

[vitoscotti · 10/10 · 12 May 2021]

This episode is a wonderful showcase for the Rutherfords. But, where's Lumpy? Fun to see episodes that feature the lake from "The Andy Griffith Show". Canned laughter seemed amped up high and a tad obnoxious.

THE FAMOUS PHOTO SCANDAL!

[tcchelsey · 10/10 · 14 April 2024]

Truly, by the third season, everything clicked for the series. The writing, the acting, and the gang even took a side trip to a lake. Some of the best episodes were filmed on location, in this case the famous Andy Griffith lake at Franklin Canyon near Beverly Hills.

It's picnic time, and old Fred Rutherford invites co-worked Ward and the family to a quaint picnic at Friends(?) Lake --where everything goes wrong. Yet another exercise in Murphy's Law. It all starts when everyone SQUEEEEZES into Fred's car, and Violet Rutherford (Veronica Cartwright) has to sit on Beave's lap!

Worse... Fred happens to have a camera around his neck and takes a quickie photo of Violet kissing stunned Beave --which goes viral in the office magazine! To tell you the truth, the photo ain't bad and kind of looks like a classic calandar or magazine sketch.

Nevertheless...

An exercise in pure embarrassment that many of us kids could relate to. Applause to producers and writers Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher who nailed this one. Top directing by series regular David Butler, who probably had a couple of chuckles himself, remembering the films he directed with Shirley Temple.

The episode also holds the distinction of featuring two distinguished actresses; Veronica Cartwright (sister of Angela), who would gain fame in a few years in Alfred Hitchcock's THE BIRDS. Since Hitch worked at Universal, he may have spotted her playing Fred's daughter and decided to cast her. An excellent child actress. Not to forget the "First lady of Star Trek," Mjel Barnett who played the famous computer voice for years, also in the cartoon series. This was the only time she appeared on the show as Fred's wife.

Special honor to Whitey (Stanley Fafara) who always had some of the best lines and wild expressions. We all loved this little guy.

SEASON 3 remastered Universal dvd box set. Thank you so much to METV for running this classic.

An Embarrassment For Beaver

[StrictlyConfidential · 6/10 · 26 March 2021]

(*June Cleaver quote*) - "Ward, you didn't kiss me good-bye."

The Cleavers join the Rutherfords for a friendly, little picnic up at Friends Lake on a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon.

Fred Rutherford is taking pictures and he happens to pose a snapshot of his daughter, Violet kissing Beaver on the cheek.

Wait'll you see what happens when the result of this photography ends up on the cover of Ward's company magazine.