Vault of Coolness: The good old days: When an unknown adult male and a young boy could bond over guns

Ah, the innocent 1950s--a simpler time when if a fella wanted to escape a roomful of pesky girls at a birthday party, he could wander through the house into a den and find a sympathetic adult male.

In "Leave It to Beaver" episode "Party Invitation," the Beav does just this, meeting the birthday girl's dad. Played by Lyle Talbot, this friendly figure offers him refuge away from the gals in his den.

And here's a great thing about that era: It was always a den, not a man cave. The man of the house didn't have to make a big show out of building a separate room for himself or taking over the garage and stuffing it with pinball machines and flat-screen TVs. No, each suburban house had a DEN, it was understood that the man would retire there after dinner, and he would pack it with cigars, animal heads, maybe a pennant from his alma mater...and guns!

Just look how Beaver and this man bond over a shared fascination of (possibly loaded) weapons!

"I think about this one when Mr. Campbell asks me to redo my quarterly report."

"Now, now, son. That's not a good idea.. You might get your jacket dirty."



"Now, Beaver, these are dangerous, which is I why I always keep them in this unlocked cabinet."

"I think of this one every time Myrna complains about my lodge meetings." 

 

I don't even think Ward has such a tender moment with the Beaver in this episode.

"Maybe Myrna and I could try one more time for a son."

File this in the Scenes You Would Never See Today folder.