Miss Canfield is a fiction

Fiction

Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...

al character in the American television sitcom Leave It to Beaver

Leave It to Beaver

Leave It to Beaver is an American television situation comedy about an inquisitive but often naïve boy named Theodore "The Beaver" Cleaver and his adventures at home, in school, and around his suburban neighborhood...

. Miss Canfield is portrayed by Diane Brewster

Diane Brewster

Diane Brewster was an American television actress most noted for playing three distinctively different roles in US TV series of the 1950s and 60s: confidence trickster Samantha Crawford in Maverick; pretty young second-grade teacher Miss Canfield in Leave It to Beaver; and doomed wife Helen...

.

The character appeared in four first season episodes. Brewster then left the series without explanation. Sue Randall stepped in to play Beaver's teacher, Alice Landers, over the following seasons.

Miss Canfield's portrayer Diane Brewster also appeared in the show's pilot "It's a Small World"

It's a Small World (Leave It to Beaver episode)

"It's a Small World" is the pilot episode from the iconic American television series Leave It to Beaver . The pilot was first televised April 23, 1957 on a syndicated anthology series, Studio 57, without a laugh track nor the series' well known theme song, "The Toy Parade"...

as Miss Simms, a secretary at the Franklin Milk Company.

Overview

Miss Canfield is a young and attractive, no-nonsense schoolteacher who is leading a second grade class for the first time at Grant Avenue Grammar School when the show debuts in 1957. She has a good relationship with her students and her colleague, Mrs. Rayburn.

In the premiere episode, Miss Canfield sends a note home with Beaver, who believes he is going to be expelled. He is relieved when to discover the note contains only a request to have him play Smokey Bear in a school pageant. In another episode, Beaver develops a crush on Miss Canfield, and, at the urging of his classmates, puts a spring snake in her desk to prove he's not a teacher's pet. In "Part-Time Genius", Miss Canfield tells the Cleavers that Beaver's IQ test results indicate he's a genius. It proves to be a false alarm, however. In her last appearance, Miss Canfield discovers a dog hidden inside Beaver's jacket.

Miss Canfield was a warm and attractive character, a patient and understanding teacher. Her first name is never revealed on the show.

Episodes

• "Beaver and Poncho" (1958)
• "Part-Time Genius" (1958)
• "Beaver's Crush" (1957)
• "Beaver Gets 'Spelled'" (1957, as Diana Brewster)
• "It's a Small World" (pilot, 1957): Brewster appeared as a secretary, Miss Simms.