<P> In 1955, she won a co-starring role in the sitcom Professional Father, starring Stephen Dunne and Beverly Washburn . The series lasted one season . The following year, Billingsley had a recurring role on The Brothers (with Gale Gordon and Bob Sweeney), as well as an appearance with David Niven on his anthology series Four Star Playhouse . In 1957, she co--starred opposite Dean Stockwell and Natalie Trundy in The Careless Years, her first and only major role in film . </P> <P> Billingsley appeared in guest roles on The Pride of the Family, Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, Letter to Loretta, You Are There, and Cavalcade of America . She appeared on Make Room for Daddy on January 14, 1957, in the episode "Danny's Date", in which she played Mary Rogers . </P> <P> After Billingsley signed a contract with Universal Studios in 1957, she made her mark on TV as everyday mother June Cleaver on Leave It to Beaver, alongside other 1950s family sitcoms such as Father Knows Best, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Make Room For Daddy, and The Donna Reed Show . It debuted on CBS in 1957, to mediocre ratings . The show was picked up by ABC the following year and became a hit, airing for the next five seasons . The show was broadcast in over 100 countries . Also starring on Beaver were Hugh Beaumont, in the role of Ward Cleaver, June's husband and the kids' father, as well as child actors Tony Dow in the role of Wally Cleaver and Jerry Mathers as Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver . </P> <P> In the show, Billingsley often could be seen doing household chores wearing pearls and earrings . The pearls, which in real life were Billingsley's trademark, were, in turn, her idea to have her alter ego wear on television . The actress had what she termed "a hollow" on her neck and thought that wearing a strand of white pearls would lighten it up for the cameras . In later seasons, she started wearing high heels to compensate for the fact that the actors playing her sons were getting taller than she was . The pearl necklace was so closely associated with the character that an entire episode of the sequel series dealt with the necklace when it was lost . Billingsley had one regret about the show's lasting success: residual payments ended after six reruns in standard 1950s actors' contracts . </P>

Who played the mother in leave it to beaver