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Barbara Billingsley

Actress

"People stopped me on the street and said 'I can’t live up to you.' Of course, they’re referring to June Cleaver. Barbara Billingsley is more apt to wear jeans and things like that."

About This Interview

Barbara Billingsley was interviewed for three hours in Santa Monica, CA. During her interview Ms. Billingsley spoke about her early film career at MGM and her eventual television roles in Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, Four Star Playhouse and Matinee Theatre. She also spoke in detail about her series roles on Professional Father and T he Brothers– two roles she played before her defining role as “June Cleaver” on the series, Leave it to Beaver and The New Leave it to Beaver.   The interview was conducted by Karen Herman on July 14, 2000.

Related To This Video

  • Shows
  • People
  • Topics
  • Genres

Shows

  • Amazing Stories
  • Climax!
  • Danny Thomas Show, The aka Make Room for Daddy
  • Empty Nest
  • Four Star Playhouse
  • Jim Henson's Muppet Babies
  • Leave it to Beaver
  • Matinee Theater
  • Mork & Mindy
  • Murphy Brown
  • New Leave it to Beaver, The
  • Professional Father
  • Roseanne
  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars aka Celebrity Playhouse
  • Tonight Show Starring Jay Leno, The

People

  • Candice Bergen
  • Jerry Mathers
  • William Self
  • Rod Serling

Topics

  • Pop Culture
  • Television Industry

Genres

  • Animation

Featured Content

Video: Embeddable clips from Barbara Billingsley's Archive interview:

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  • Highlights
  • Chapters
  • Shows
  • People
  • Topics
  • Genres

Highlights

  • Barbara Billingsley on "June Cleaver's" high heels and pearls (01m 01s)Barbara Billingsley on "June Cleaver's" high heels and pearls (01m 01s)
  • Barbara Billingsley on guesting on <i>Make Room for Daddy </i> in the episode "Danny's Date" (airdate: January 14, 1957)  as a tryout for the role of his new wife (01m 00s)Barbara Billingsley on guesting on Make Room for Daddy in the episode "Danny's Date" (airdate: January 14, 1957)  as a tryout for the role of his new wife (01m 00s)
  • Barbara Billingsley on her role in <i>Airplane</i>  as the jive-speaking woman (02m 59s)Barbara Billingsley on her role in Airplane as the jive-speaking woman (02m 59s)
  • Barbara Billinglsey on how she would like to be rememberedBarbara Billinglsey on how she would like to be remembered

Chapters

  • Chapter 1
  • On her early years growing up in Los Angeles; her education and interest in theater 
  • On being signed to a contract with MGM and her early impressions of television
  • On her first television work on Schlitz Playhouse of the Stars and Four Star Theater
  • Chapter 2
  • On her early TV roles in Four Star Playhouse, Matinee Theatre, and Climax!
  • On her regular role on Professional Fathe r
  • On her role on The Brothers and her tryout for a permanent role on Make Room for Daddy
  • On being cast for the pilot of Leave it to Beaver,"It's A Small World" which aired as a teleplay on the anthology series Studio 57
  • Chapter 3
  • On playing June Cleaver on Leave it to Beaver -- including many production and cast details
  • On working with the young actors on Leave it to Beaver
  • Chapter 4
  • On working with Richard Deacon, and  Leave it to Beaver producers Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher
  • On Leave it to Beaver storylines, the town of "Mayfield", and some of the shows writers and producers
  • On some classic episodes of Leave it to Beaver
  • Chapter 5
  • On the first episode of Leave it to Beaver; and having the distinction of being in every episode of the series; the show going off the air; the Blacklist era
  • On her role in Airplane as the jive-speaking woman
  • On starring in The New Leave it to Beave r
  • On guest starring on the Mork & Mindy episode "Cheerleader in Chains"
  • On voicing the nanny on Jim Henson's Muppet Babies
  • On guest starring on the Amazing Stories episode "The Remote Control Man"
  • Chapter 6
  • On some of her guest appearances in films and television series and her thoughts on the Leave it to Beaver feature film
  • On her advice to aspiring actors; her family; the legacy of Leave it to Beaver; and how she'd like to be remembered

Shows

  • Amazing Stories
    • Barbara Billingsley on guest starring on the Amazing Stories episode "The Remote Control Man" (00m 58s)
  • Climax!
    • Barbara Billingsley on working in a Climax teleplay "The Thirteenth Chair" with Ethel Barrymore (01m 29s)
  • Danny Thomas Show, The aka Make Room for Daddy
    • Barbara Billingsley on guesting on Make Room for Daddy in the episode "Danny's Date" (airdate: January 14, 1957)  as a tryout for the role of his new wife (01m 00s)
  • Empty Nest
    • Barbara Billingsley on her guest appearance on Empty Nest episode "My Nurse is Back and There's Gonna Be Trouble" (airdate: December 14, 1991) (01m 02s)
  • Four Star Playhouse
    • Barbara Billingsley on her work on  Four Star Playhouse
  • Jim Henson's Muppet Babies
    • Barbara Billingsley on voicing the nanny on Jim Henson's Muppet Babies (03m 22s)
  • Leave it to Beaver
    • Barbara Billingsley on being cast for the pilot of Leave it to Beaver,"It's A Small World" which aired as a teleplay on the anthology series Studio 57 (04m 25s)
    • Barbara Billingsley on well-known aspects of Leave it to Beaver and her character "June Cleaver"  (10m 41s)
    • Barbara Billingsley on working with Hugh Beaumont on Leave it to Beaver (03m 21s)
    • Barbara Billingsley on the character of "Beaver Cleaver" and working with Jerry Mathers on Leave it to Beaver (03m 29s)
    • Barbara Billingsley on working with some of the younger actors on Leave it to Beaver (09m 09s)
    • Barbara Billingsley on Leave it to Beaver producers Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher (06m 40s)
    • Barbara Billingsley on Leave it to Beaver storylines, the town of "Mayfield", and some of the shows writers and producers (14m 50s)
    • Barbara Billingsley on some classic episodes of Leave it to Beaver (06m 09s)
    • Barbara Billingsley on the first episode of Leave it to Beaver; and having the distinction of being in every episode of the series (08m 51s)
  • Matinee Theater
    • Barbara Billingsley on appearing on Matinee Theatre live broadcasts (03m 04s)
  • Mork & Mindy
    • Barbara Billingsley on guest starring on the Mork & Mindy episode "Cheerleader in Chains" (00m 34s)
  • Murphy Brown
    • Barbara Billingsley on her guest appearance on the Murphy Brown episode "Crime Story" (00m 45s)
  • New Leave it to Beaver, The
    • Barbara Billingsley on reprising her role as June Cleaver in The New Leave it to Beaver (aka Still the Beaver) (08m 25s)
  • Professional Father
    • Barbara Billingsley on co-starring in Professional Father, her first series role (03m 28s)
  • Roseanne
    • Barbara Billingsley on guesting on the Roseanne episode "All About Rose" (01m 29s)
  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars aka Celebrity Playhouse
    • Barbara Billingsley on her work on Schlitz Playhouse of the Stars (06m 39s)
  • Tonight Show Starring Jay Leno, The
    • Barbara Billingsley on guesting on The Tonight Show starring Jay Leno
      (01m 12s)

People

  • Frank Bank
    • Barbara Billingsley on working with the young actors on Leave it to Beaver
      (08m 09s)
  • Ethel Barrymore
    • Barbara Billingsley on working in a Climax teleplay "The Thirteenth Chair" with Ethel Barrymore (01m 29s)
  • Hugh Beaumont
    • Barbara Billingsley on being cast for the pilot of Leave it to Beaver,"It's A Small World" which aired as a teleplay on the anthology series Studio 57 (04m 25s)
    • Barbara Billingsley on working with Hugh Beaumont on Leave it to Beaver (03m 21s)
  • Candice Bergen
    • Barbara Billingsley on her guest appearance on the Murphy Brown episode "Crime Story"
      (00m 45s)
  • Joe Connelly
    • Barbara Billingsley on Leave it to Beaver producers Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher (06m 40s)
  • Richard Deacon
    • Barbara Billingsley on Leave it to Beaver castmember Richard Deacon (00m 40s)
  • Tony Dow
    • Barbara Billingsley on working with the young actors on Leave it to Beaver
      (08m 09s)
  • Stanley Fafara
    • Barbara Billingsley on working with the young actors on Leave it to Beaver
      (08m 09s)
  • Katharine Hepburn
    • Barbara Billingsley on working with Katharine Hepburn while under contract with MGM (01m 07s)
  • Jay Leno
    • Barbara Billingsley on guesting on The Tonight Show starring Jay Leno
  • Jerry Mathers
    • Barbara Billingsley on being cast for the pilot of Leave it to Beaver,"It's A Small World" which aired as a teleplay on the anthology series Studio 57 (04m 25s)
    • Barbara Billingsley on the character of "Beaver Cleaver" and working with Jerry Mathers on Leave it to Beaver (03m 29s)
  • Bob Mosher
    • Barbara Billingsley on Leave it to Beaver producers Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher (06m 40s)
  • Ken Osmond
    • Barbara Billingsley on working with the young actors on Leave it to Beaver (08m 09s)
  • William Self
    • Barbara Billingsley on her work on Schlitz Playhouse of the Stars
      (06m 39s)
  • Rod Serling
    • Barbara Billingsley briefly on her friendship with Rod Serling (01m 14s)
  • Max Showalter
    • Barbara Billingsley on being cast for the pilot of Leave it to Beaver,"It's A Small World" which aired as a teleplay on the anthology series Studio 57 (04m 25s)

Topics

  • Pop Culture > Characters & Catchphrases
    • Barbara Billingsley on "June Cleaver's" high heels and pearls (01m 01s)
  • Television Industry > Industry Crossroads > Hollywood Blacklist (ca. 1950s)
    • Barbara Billingsley on the Blacklist (01m 35s)

Genres

  • Animation
    • Barbara Billingsley on voicing the nanny on Jim Henson's Muppet Babies (03m 22s)
  • Comedy Series
    • Barbara Billingsley on the legacy of Leave it to Beaver (03m 10s)
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Submitted by Frank on Tue, 2012-02-07 05:07.

Delightful interview.

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