User Reviews

Wally's relationship with Julie Foster is threatened when she is seen going around with a new guy in school named Wayne Gregory, a well-dressed Latin-type with a dapper mustache. When in the cafeteria Eddie and Lumpy overhear Julie bemoaning Wally as "immature," it's obvious that Julie has tired of Wally and fallen for Wayne! Shaken by the immaturity charge, Wally makes a blatant attempt to compete with Wayne by growing a mustache of his own, much to the chagrin of his mother and the amusement of his younger brother. Wally shows up at school after spring break with his new facial adornment and soon discovers that his classmates have trouble taking him seriously. Embarrassed and self-conscious, Wally runs home after school and shaves the mustache off. Ward and Wally have one of their man-to-man talks; where women are concerned it's best to just be yourself. The winsome Julie returns to Wally in the end, because guys like Wayne Gregory are superficially charming but ultimately flash-in-the-pan.

The episode holds no surprises - except for the surprise that Tony Dow actually looks pretty good with a mustache! - but as usual we have an entertaining half hour with a solid moral lesson. Some details I enjoyed in this episode were the portrayal of Wayne, a superficial dandy who is clearly not meant to have our sympathy; Eddie's bad-boy smile stealing onto his face at the last split second of a scene fade-out; and Wally's history teacher's classy attitude when Wally shows up in class with the mustache. I also liked that Wally's class was studying 17th-century Italy. Now that's an interesting subject!

Wally is heading out to see Julie Foster, again. June will call to let Julie know Wally is headed over but she isn't at home; she's out on a date. Trouble in Wally-World paradise? Where was Wally last night since Julie wasn't home? Since she wasn't there he went to see a movie with Eddie and Lumpy.

At school, Eddie and Lumpy give Wally the bad news; she has a new beau, some transfer from some Eastern school. Vassar offers Lumpy. After hearing the girls speak about the new boy, Wayne Gregory, and his debonair moustache, and how Wally is being dumped, they vow not to ruin Wally's day. Eddie beats Lumpy to Wally with the news.

Wally needs advice from dad. Ward's been practical all over the world, even Las Vegas; did he ever grow a mustache. No, but while in the Seabees he grew a beard. Wally suggests he might try growing a mustache, during the week that they're on vacation.

It's not coming in very fast. Beaver's jokes aren't helping. But hair by disapproving June hair, something is beginning to show. The now hirsute Wally is off to school, but according to Beaver, he's no Caesar Romero. Perhaps now he can compete with Wayne Gregory, but the girls break into laughter. Eddie and Lumpy add to the business. Mr. Barnes has to get the class from Mr. Cleaver to 17th Century Italy. Wally zips home and runs upstairs, maybe he's being chased by a gang who think he's Hitler offers Beaver.

Wally is shaving. Wayne Gregory has no problem carrying off a moustache, why not Wally Cleaver. Ward suggests that perhaps it just isn't who Wally really is. He's back, no more an imitation, just the genuine article. Julie Foster has been waiting for Wally; and she's willing to move forward. While growing the moustache for her was a sweet gesture, she pleads for him not to do it again. Paradise is restored to Wally-World.

I can recall that in my mother's high school yearbook, several boys had pictures sporting moustaches; but they all looked like they were old, even 30ish. But in all my years teaching, 42 of them, I never once saw a high school picture of a kid with a moustache, even during the 60's and 70's. Most of my adult life I have had one, no real reason for it. But when I shave my moustache off, my wife asks for it to be grown back and quickly. I guess I do have a face for it.

At various times, I have even grown a beard. And when I would shave it off, invariably some student during class would shout, Hey, Mr. B. grew a moustache. Go figure.

Wally is on his way to giggly and immature Julie Foster's house for an impromptu date on his end. No need for him to call because he's sure Julie's not only available but not busy; before leaving the house, Wally asks that Beaver call to tell Jules that he's on the way over. Since Beaver gives him a hard time, June calls and finds out Julie is out on a date!

Wally finds out the next day that Julie is dating one of the many transfer students of Mayfield High, old looking Wayne Gregory. Julie is overheard by Eddie and Lumpy telling her besties that while Wayne is suave and says neat stuff, Wally is predictable and immature. Best friend Eddie makes it his business to tell Wally this fact with what looked like a satisfied smirk on his face.

With a convenient week off from school coming up, Wally decides to fight fire with fire by growing his own mustache. Oddly enough, Wally doesn't see any other students (no malt shop or movies with a date, no Metzger's field or palling around with the guys) from the high school. He simply spends the entire week looking at his reflection and admiring his new and growing facial hair.

When Wally returns to school, the entire student body is shocked to see Wally decked out in a full on suite and mustache; it's safe to say Wally gets teased the entire day and laughed at by his girl Julie.

When Wally finally gets home from school after his tortuous day, he races upstairs to shave off his shame barely speaking to his mother and brother. It's a good thing that Ward goes to work at the same as the boys and gets home at the very same time because June would probably worry herself into a tizzy over what's going on in her kid's lives.

After finding out that somethings wrong with Wally from June, Ward heads upstairs to find out that Wally's mustache and suite failed to bring Julie Foster to her knees. Julie later dumps Wayne and she and Wally head over to the malt shop for some good clean fun.