Leave It To Beaver

[fiftiesflashback]

Greetings! I've enjoyed this show my entire life. How did Theodore get the nick-name "Beaver"?

[boechsner]

When Beaver was a baby, Wally was just a couple years old. When Wally tried pronouncing Theodore it came out sounding like Beaver. Thus Beaver forever became his nickname.

This was explained in the first episode that aired on CBS, Beaver Gets 'Spelled, on October 4, 1957. It was not the first episode made, that would be Captain Jack, which didn't air until a week later on October 11, 1957.

[Kristina]

This was also explained in the last episode when the whole family is taking a look back at photographs.