Of course, Eddie Haskell, who is not about to cede any of his territory to a mere upstart, capitalizes on Gilbert’s distinguishing physical characteristic, his big ears, and put him in his place by calling him "hydrant head. Even Wally has some trouble betting back Gilbert’s snappy answers for everything. Gilbert truly comes into his full fresh-mouthed glory during the fourth season when Larry Modnello leaves Mayfield. He was no Larry Mondello (my favorite of Beaver’s friends), but for me, Gilbert was a close second place. He was a real pest in his debut, but they became the best of friends later in the series. Gilbert is Beaver’s "Eddie," which is really too bad for Beaver, because Gilbert is generally a quieter, sneakier, and meaner kind of rat than the cockier Eddie, so that Beaver is usually less prepared for the trouble that inevitably comes when he follows Gilbert’s goading. One of Beaver’s best friends on Leave it to Beaver was Gilbert. The sheer brazen obnoxiousness of Eddie Haskell is burned into most of our memories, but as a junior wise guy, Gilbert Grover Bates has never quite gotten his due.
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