1,000 Answer Call for ‘Beaver’ Movie Roles

Sporting Cub Scout uniforms and plaid shirts, more than 1,000 freckle-faced boys between 7 and 18 lined up outside Universal Studios on Saturday morning to audition for eight male roles in a new movie based on the 1950s sitcom “Leave It to Beaver.”

Los Angeles was the last stop in Universal’s nationwide search for the new Beaver as well as brother Wally and such pals as Lumpy Rutherford and Eddie Haskell. More than 5,000 eager potential Beavers in New York, Dallas, Orlando, and Chicago already have read for producers and casting directors in the hopes of playing characters from a series many of the boys have never even heard of, let alone seen.

Adam Karp, 9, of Sherman Oaks said he had never seen the “Leave It To Beaver” show, but had no problem reading for the part of Beaver.

“I just sort of ‘imaged’ him,” said Adam.

Northridge neighbor Andrew Davey, 10, agreed that being too young to remember the Cleavers posed no obstacle.

“I’ve already done a few commercials and been in some magazines. That’s why I thought I could do this,” said Andrew, one of many dead ringers for a young Jerry Mathers, who played Beaver Cleaver in the 1950s series.

Producers will make final decisions on the cast within 60 days and plan to begin shooting in May. Universal Pictures plans to release the film early next year, in time for the 40th anniversary of the television show.

In an attempt to add some contemporary ethnic flavor to the movie, producers expect the parts of some of Wally’s and Beaver’s friends will go to boys of different races. Producer Ben Myron said a diverse cast will make the movie more realistic.

“I don’t know many kids today that have all white friends,” said Myron. “So, if we find an African American kid to play the part of Whitey Whitney, we’ll just change the name.”

Myron said producers were attracted to the idea for a “Leave It To Beaver” movie because the television show was one of the few sitcoms that viewed the world through a child’s eyes. He said “The Wonder Years” was the only other show that came close.

For the starring role of Beaver, co-writer and producer Brian Levant said that the young actor’s looks are less important to than his being able embody all the warmth and innocence of the original character.

“Someone once asked young Jerry Mathers why he talked so fast, and he said it was because he didn’t want to be late for his Cub Scouts meeting. That’s the kind of kid we’re looking for,” Levant said.

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Hundreds of nervous mothers waited in the wings of the studio as their sons finished their auditions. Linda Davey said the casting calls are more stressful for the parents than for the kids.

“They just take it in stride and then forget about it,” said Davey as she waited for sons Nicholas and Andrew. “Us moms, we go crazy here.”

One father-and-son team, Rick and Aaron Lucchesi, who flew from Mesa, Ariz., for the casting call, kept their fingers crossed as they walked out the door.

“We just always called Aaron ‘The Beaver’ at home,” the elder Lucchesi said, “so when he heard about this on the radio, we had to come out and take a chance.”