June Cleaver's Go-To Pearls On Leave It To Beaver Were More Than Just A Classy Accessory

Ward Cleaver was one of the most iconic TV dads of the '50s and '60s, and his wife, June Cleaver, was just as wholesome. Played by Barbara Billingsley on "Leave It to Beaver" and "The New Leave It to Beaver," June was the embodiment of the 1950s fictional wife and mother: always patient, always ready with a snack, and never with a hair out of place. June Cleaver was portrayed as a modest woman who wore nice but sensible outfits and an ever-present pearl necklace. But the necklace had less to do with fashion (although it's a classic part of a perfect vintage '50s look) and more to do with a problem that arose while filming the classic TV series.

Unlike Princess Diana, who embraced the pearl jewelry trend, June Cleaver's pearl necklace did more than just make the TV mom look fashionable; it helped obscure a lighting issue that may have distracted viewers. As Billingsley explained to the Los Angeles Times, "The pearls happened because I have a big hollow here in my neck." As it turned out, the deep indent in Billingsley's neck was often highlighted by the film equipment of the time, no matter what they tried. To combat the problem, the show's costume department gave her the famous pearls to help hide the hollow. Of course, it created one strange element to the character, as Billingsley pointed out: "So no matter what I was doing — cleaning, cooking or answering the phone — I had those darn pearls on."

Almost as iconic as June Cleaver's pearls were her high heels — even today, when we imagine a mid-century American housewife, she's probably wearing high heels and pearls. But high heels weren't part of the original costume. Barbara Billingsley started the show in flats but, as her on-screen children grew older, producers worried about them being taller than Billingsley. To make them appear shorter, they gave Barbara Billingsley new footwear, replacing her flats with high heels.

Speaking with The Television Academy Foundation, Billingsley opened up about the frustration she felt when people would ask her about the now-iconic pearls and heels. She recalled, "Oprah Winfrey asked me this, and I thought 'God, I love you and I think your program is great. Couldn't you think of another question besides high heels and pearls?'"

And while Billingsley will always be remembered for playing the dutiful mother on "Leave It to Beaver," another iconic role showed her in a different light. Billingsley appears in the 1980 comedy "Airplane," where — wearing a pearl necklace — she says the legendary line, "Oh stewardess, I speak jive." At the time, Billingsley's career had stalled, and she had appeared in just two episodes of TV since "Leave It to Beaver" ended in 1963. But the movie put her back in the public eye. As she explained to The Television Academy Foundation, "I got fan mail... It started my whole career again." Just three years later, "The New Leave It to Beaver" debuted and ran for four seasons. And yes, her ubiquitous pearls were still part of her character's look.