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Whatever happened to Larry Mondello?
Say hello to Ivishnu!
Leave It to Beaver set the standard for finales. It was the 39th episode of the show's sixth and final series. It was also the first time a primetime sitcom had a special final episode, acknowledging that it was all coming to an end.
This final episode, "Family Scrapbook" utilized a "clip show" format, repurposing footage from earlier episodes to serve as the Cleaver family's memories. The flashbacks time jumped throughout the family's history, and neatly summarized the show's appeal, while touching on some of its more important moments. One such flashback featured a fan-favorite character, as the show looked back on "Larry Hides Out."
Larry Mondello is mentioned in Leave It to Beaver's premiere, but he doesn't show up until the show's eighth episode. By the time "Larry Hides Out" debuted, the character becomes even more fleshed-out, as we learn what's going on at the Mondello house, and how his upbringing might affect who Larry is.
But what happens to Larry after the finale? When the cameras stopped rolling, was he stuck in time? Or did Larry continue living and growing in the writers' minds?
Luckily, we don't have to guess! All our questions were answered in 1983's Still the Beaver, a nostalgic trip back reunion of some of TV's greatest characters. While the movie and its subsequent spin-off series focused primarily on Wally and Beaver, it makes some stops along the way to fill in the blanks about the supporting cast of characters, as well.
The character who changed the most, out of everyone, was Larry Mondello. According to Still the Beaver, Larry went through an incredible spiritual awakening following the events of Leave It to Beaver. Rather than continuing to coax Beaver into mischief, Larry has pivoted to devotion.
In Still the Beaver, Larry Mondello isn't even Larry Mondello anymore. He's changed his name to Ivishnu, which (supposedly) means "Spirit of Life." He uses this new moniker to preach Eastern spiritualism.
If Larry wins over three converts, then he earns a mattress at the ashram!
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What happened to the genuine search for the actor playing Larry Mondello. I thought that was a story in itself.
