The Real Reason Jeri Weil Quit Acting After Leave It To Beaver

"Leave it to Beaver" wasn't Weil's first acting gig. She made her acting debut in the 1953 film "Because of You," and secured small roles in several other feature films and TV shows until she was cast to play Judy Hensler in the premier episode of "Leave it to Beaver," "Beaver Gets Spelled." This wasn't the first time that Weil and Mathers had worked together, however. In an interview with "Baby Boomers Talk Radio," Weil revealed that she and Mathers worked on an episode of "Hallmark Hall of Fame" (13:20 mark). 

But Weil wouldn't stay in acting long. In the podcast interview, she talks of how her "womanhood began to show," prompting the show's producers to urge her to bind her breasts so that she could retain her youthful appearance. She complained of being "taped down," a situation that the actress said "left a bad taste in her mouth" (19:20 mark). 

Weil made a career for herself as a real estate agent. Her mother had been in the business for years and encouraged her to follow in her footsteps. She admits that she made considerably more money in her adult profession, though it hasn't been as fun as her early years in acting. Being a part of the small screen before actors were paid for rerun royalties, Weil wasn't able to capitalize financially too much on her TV work. She jokes that her last royalty check was for a little more than a quarter, though the show's reruns being played in Europe prompted Universal to send her a check for around $500 several years ago.

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