Barbara Billingsley
Birthday: 22 December 1915, Los Angeles, California, USA
Birth Name: Barbara Lillian Combes
Height: 165 cm
Born Barbara Lillian Combes, she attended Los Angeles Junior College in the mid-1930s and then moved to New York City, where she worked as a model. In 1945, she received a contract from MGM, and she a ...Show More
[on comparing real-life families to the TV families]: I just wish that we could have more families l Show more
[on comparing real-life families to the TV families]: I just wish that we could have more families like those. Family is so important, and I just don't think we have enough people staying home with their babies and their children. Hide
[In 2003]: Because I have a big hollow in my neck and the necklace covered the spot perfectly. So no Show more
[In 2003]: Because I have a big hollow in my neck and the necklace covered the spot perfectly. So no matter what I was doing - cleaning, cooking or answering the phone - I had those darn pearls on, and there was a practical reason she wore high heels on the show. Hide
[on June Cleaver] She's been too good to me to play anything like that.
[on June Cleaver] She's been too good to me to play anything like that.
It's unbelievable, it's really become quite a career being June Cleaver. That really didn't bother m Show more
It's unbelievable, it's really become quite a career being June Cleaver. That really didn't bother me. I was right where I wanted to be. I was happy being June Cleaver all these years. Hide
A long time ago, I played a lot of these roles that were seemingly nice, but underneath the characte Show more
A long time ago, I played a lot of these roles that were seemingly nice, but underneath the character was really the murderer. So, I didn't have to do a lot of research for this character. I just had to understand what she was thinking and feeling. Hide
[When asked in 2000 if there was a difference between her and the June Cleaver character]: My sons s Show more
[When asked in 2000 if there was a difference between her and the June Cleaver character]: My sons say, no. Gradually what happened is the writer started writing about you, as well as the character they created originally. So you all become mixed up. Hide
[In 1991]: It was the ideal family, anybody would like to have a family like the Cleavers.
[In 1991]: It was the ideal family, anybody would like to have a family like the Cleavers.
Good grief, I think everybody would like a family like that. Wouldn't it be nice if you came home fr Show more
Good grief, I think everybody would like a family like that. Wouldn't it be nice if you came home from school and there was Mom standing there with her little apron and cooking waiting? Hide
[When she auditioned for June Cleaver]: Well, I was doing the script, and I don't think I could have Show more
[When she auditioned for June Cleaver]: Well, I was doing the script, and I don't think I could have changed it. But I loved it. Hide
Don't think your dreams don't come true, because they do. You'd better be careful what you wish for. Show more
Don't think your dreams don't come true, because they do. You'd better be careful what you wish for. And I truly and honestly - one day I am doing the beaver show and I said, 'This is the show I have always wanted to do.' Hide
Joe Connelly had seven children, and Bob Mosher had two, and they had a lot of material right there. Show more
Joe Connelly had seven children, and Bob Mosher had two, and they had a lot of material right there. Every show was taken from some kernel of truth, something that had happened to their children or a relative. Hide
June Cleaver didn't keep her house in perfect order, the prop man did it.
June Cleaver didn't keep her house in perfect order, the prop man did it.
[Who said in 2010 about the legacy of her June Cleaver character]: June Cleaver has always been a pa Show more
[Who said in 2010 about the legacy of her June Cleaver character]: June Cleaver has always been a part of my life and always will be. Hide
[When she was the only actress to do a revival of the Leave It to Beaver (1957) movie, in 1997]: Ton Show more
[When she was the only actress to do a revival of the Leave It to Beaver (1957) movie, in 1997]: Tony and Jerry didn't want to be in it. They were crazy. But it really didn't turn out very good. Hide
[In 1988]: We're the ideal family. At least it's what everyone thinks is ideal. It's the way everybo Show more
[In 1988]: We're the ideal family. At least it's what everyone thinks is ideal. It's the way everybody would like their family to be. Hide
[Of Hugh Beaumont]: I miss him very much, because we were so close. But Hugh was incapacitated after Show more
[Of Hugh Beaumont]: I miss him very much, because we were so close. But Hugh was incapacitated after his stroke. He could hardly walk and his speech was impaired. So, it's best his fans remember him from the early shows. Hide
[on her point of views about witches and the occult among many other matters]: I'm very interested i Show more
[on her point of views about witches and the occult among many other matters]: I'm very interested in the supernatural. Of course, I don't really think there could be witches - but I could be wrong. Hide
[In 1986]: I think it's great. I get invited to lecture about it, but I don't feel comfortable.
[In 1986]: I think it's great. I get invited to lecture about it, but I don't feel comfortable.
[In 1993]: It's a terrible blow, but you can't wallow in your grief. When Roy died, my agent made me Show more
[In 1993]: It's a terrible blow, but you can't wallow in your grief. When Roy died, my agent made me work all the time. And six months later, they called me to start the series." Hide
[on her comeback role as playing June Cleaver after an over 20 year absence]: Life has changed a lot Show more
[on her comeback role as playing June Cleaver after an over 20 year absence]: Life has changed a lot in that time. But I still think the basic things are the same. Look at what they're doing on 'The Cosby Show.' Cosby is doing a lot of the same things we did 25 years ago. Hide
[on the death of Hugh Beaumont]: No father on television was ever better than Hugh.
[on the death of Hugh Beaumont]: No father on television was ever better than Hugh.
[Of Roseanne Barr]: You know, the first time I saw, 'Roseanne,' I thought, 'Ugh! I hate the messy ho Show more
[Of Roseanne Barr]: You know, the first time I saw, 'Roseanne,' I thought, 'Ugh! I hate the messy house.' And she herself is this big, sloppy woman. But she gives out some pretty good wisdom to her children. There's something there, a warmth and a love that we had in a different way. Hide
[Of Jerry Mathers who played "The Beaver"]: Jerry told me it had been a dream of his always to be ab Show more
[Of Jerry Mathers who played "The Beaver"]: Jerry told me it had been a dream of his always to be able to go to New York and be in a Broadway show. So all we have to do is decide what we want to do. You have to have a dream. Hide
[In 2000]: She was a loving, happy, stay-at-home mom, which I think is great, I'm not for every woma Show more
[In 2000]: She was a loving, happy, stay-at-home mom, which I think is great, I'm not for every woman having to be out in the workplace. My mother was. I had two children at home and I was working. But I think one who stays home, if she's doing a good job, it is the best job she'll ever have, and the most important. And I think our children need the mothers home. Hide
[In 1994]: I was going to do another series with Buddy Ebsen for the same producers, but somehow it Show more
[In 1994]: I was going to do another series with Buddy Ebsen for the same producers, but somehow it didn't materialize. A couple of months later I got a call to go to the studio to do this pilot show. And it was Beaver. Hide
[on "Leave It to Beaver"] It was a very happy experience for me, and very timely. There was never a Show more
[on "Leave It to Beaver"] It was a very happy experience for me, and very timely. There was never a fight on the set in seven years. Hide
[In 1987]: I was widowed and spending all my time raising my kids.
[In 1987]: I was widowed and spending all my time raising my kids.
[In 2007]: They were always good kids, Tony had an exhibit of his artwork and sold 18 pieces. Pretty Show more
[In 2007]: They were always good kids, Tony had an exhibit of his artwork and sold 18 pieces. Pretty darn good, isn't it?" Hide
[In 2008]: Some of those clothes came from Penny's. They weren't expensive clothes.
[In 2008]: Some of those clothes came from Penny's. They weren't expensive clothes.
Husband Roy died on a Saturday, while we were gardening. The Thursday before, I was up for the part Show more
Husband Roy died on a Saturday, while we were gardening. The Thursday before, I was up for the part of the mother in a series Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher were working on. Then Roy died, and nothing came of that series. But two months later, when they started on Leave It To Beaver, they remembered me and asked me to read for the part of June. I've always thought that they felt sorry for me. Hide
[In 1997]: She was the ideal mother. Some people think she was weakish, but I don't. She was the lov Show more
[In 1997]: She was the ideal mother. Some people think she was weakish, but I don't. She was the love in that family. She set a good example for what a wife could be. I had two boys at home when I did the show. I think the character became kind of like me and vice versa. I've never known where one started and where one stopped. Hide
[In 1992]: They like to have that kind of family, the kids would, I think. Today [as you know] mothe Show more
[In 1992]: They like to have that kind of family, the kids would, I think. Today [as you know] mothers work. I was working, but not June Cleaver and because they work, things some things have to slip, and I think it's better to let the house go than the children. Hide
[Who said she wasn't June Cleaver in real-life]: It doesn't bother me that I'm June Cleaver. It's be Show more
[Who said she wasn't June Cleaver in real-life]: It doesn't bother me that I'm June Cleaver. It's been a good career. I don't know where June starts and Barbara ends. Our lives are so similar. I don't know why she's so popular, maybe it's because she had such a clean kitchen. Hide
[About being a housewife]: I know I'm typecasted. Have I ever been striding for a career, but I love Show more
[About being a housewife]: I know I'm typecasted. Have I ever been striding for a career, but I loved having a family and I loved having a husband, I liked that one. Hide
[In 1984]: America is ready for us again. I like to remind you for 234 episodes. Audiences saw the C Show more
[In 1984]: America is ready for us again. I like to remind you for 234 episodes. Audiences saw the Cleavers as their second family. Beaver and Wally were their brothers, Eddie Haskell was their best friend and June was their mother. Oh, she may have been neat, neat, neat, but June was supposed to be a rolemodel. I always liked her. Hide
[In 1989]: Television moms have taken a turn for the real.
[In 1989]: Television moms have taken a turn for the real.
Barbara Billingsley's FILMOGRAPHY
as Actor (108)
Barbara Billingsley'S roles
