Barbara Billingsley
Actress
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 The 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.
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Watch Interview Highlights
![Barbara Billingsley on "June Cleaver's" high heels and pearls](http://www.emmytvlegends.org/files/imagecache/interview_carousel_thumb/header-thumbs/1mBckvk1WsE.jpg "Barbara Billingsley on "June Cleaver's" high heels and pearls"){kind=small}
![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](http://www.emmytvlegends.org/files/imagecache/interview_carousel_thumb/header-thumbs/abrrn8Si7A0.jpg "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"){kind=small}
Watch By Chapter
- 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 Father
- 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 Beaver
- 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
