Martha Bronson (television character)

Infobox character
name = Aunt Martha


caption = Madge Kennedy as Aunt Martha.
real_name = Madge Bronson
portrayer = Madge Kennedy (television series, 1957-1963)
Barbara Billingsley (film adaptation of television series, 1997)
creator =Bob Mosher
Joe Connelly
species =
gender = Female
first = "Beaver's Short Pants"
last = "Leave It to Beaver" (1997 film adaptation of the television series)
cause =
age = Elderly, c. 65 at first appearance
occupation =
title =
alias =
family = Theodore, (brother, deceased)
June Cleaver (niece)
Peggy (niece)
Infant great niece (Peggy's daughter)
spouse = Unwed
children =
relatives =
footnotes =

Martha Bronson is a fictional recurring character in the American television sitcom "Leave It to Beaver". "Aunt Martha," as she is known in the series, appears in five of the show's 234 episodes and is mentioned occasionally but not seen. The character is portrayed by Madge Kennedy.

In the 1997 film adaptation of the series, "Leave It to Beaver", Aunt Martha is played by Barbara Billingsley. Billingsley portrayed June Cleaver in the original series.

Profile

Aunt Martha (Bronson) is June Cleaver's spinster aunt. June credits Martha with raising her and says Aunt Martha was practically the only mother she ever knew. June spent summers as a girl with her. Beaver was named for Aunt Martha's brother, Theodore, and, in one episode, Beaver receives her brother's heirloom ring. The boys call Martha their "umbrella aunt" because she once gave them umbrellas on their birthdays. Martha lives within a few hours of Mayfield at Riverside. In one episode, the boys take a train trip to her house, and, in another episode, Beaver visits her for the weekend.

Martha makes her first appearance in the first season episode, "Beaver's Short Pants" when she steps in to take care of Ward and the boys while June visits an out-of-town sister who has given birth. Martha's "old maid" mindset and way of doing things irks the rugged Cleaver males. Martha prepares milk toast for breakfast, for example, and eggplant for dinner. She insists on buying Beaver a short pants suit for school. Beaver wears the suit to school and is ridiculed by his classmates.

In another episode, Martha and her friend, Mrs. Hathaway, visit the Cleavers on short notice. The boys are forced to cancel plans to attend a carnival with their pals. In her final appearance, Martha presses her wish Beaver attend a hoity toity prep school on the east coast. Although Beaver gives the idea some consideration, he finally tells Martha he would rather attend Mayfield High with the friends he has known for years.

Episodes

*"Beaver's Prep School" (1963): Aunt Martha wants Beaver to attend a prep school on the east coast.
*"Beaver the Magician" (1959): Beaver visits his aunt after pretending to be turned into a rock.
*"The Visiting Aunts" (1958): Aunt Martha drops by, forcing the boys to cancel plans to attend a carnival.
*"Train Trip" (1958): Aunt Martha sees the boys off when they return home after paying her a visit.
*"Beaver's Short Pants" (1957): Aunt Martha buys Beaver a short pants suit for school.

References

*Applebaum, Irwyn. "The World According to Beaver." TV Books, 1984, 1998. (ISBN 1575000520).
*Bank, Frank. "Call Me Lumpy: my Leave It To Beaver days and other wild Hollywood life ". Addax, 2002. (ISBN-10: 1886110298), (ISBN-13: 978-1886110298).
*Colella, Jennifer. "The Leave It to Beaver Guide to Life: wholesome wisdom from the Cleavers!" Running Press, 2006. (ISBN-10: 0762427736), (ISBN-13: 9780762427734).
*"Leave It to Beaver: the complete first season". Universal Studios, 2005.
*"Leave It to Beaver: the complete second season". Universal Studios, 2006. (ISBN 1417074876)
*Mathers, Jerry. "...And Jerry Mather as "The Beaver"." Berkley Boulevard Books, 1998. (ISBN 0425163709)