Gee, Wally! It's been almost 60 years since "Leave It to Beaver" premiered in —and it's hard to believe that Jerry Mathers, who played little Theodore Cleaver, is turning 69 on June 2. According to Biography , when Mathers first auditioned for the show, he told producers that he'd rather be at his Cub Scout meeting than the audition. Later, the producers said his candid attitude helped him score the role and become forever known as "The Beaver. After the show ended in , Mathers went on to join the United States Air Force Reserve, graduate from the University of California at Berkeley, become a successful banker, and advocate for diabetes awareness—he was even the first male Jenny Craig spokesperson!
Mathers even made his Broadway debut in the musical "Hairspray" as Wilbur Turnblad in His doctor, a personal friend, noticed the weight gain and repeatedly urged him get a physical. He resisted, saying he felt fine. A few days later he learned his blood sugar was over and he had full-blown type 2 diabetes. She said, 'You'll be dead in a few years unless you do something about it right now. Leave It to Beaver has never been off the air, Mathers said, and plays in 46 languages around the world.
The shows featured most of the original cast, including Mathers, who played a divorced, out-of-work dad. Next page: What's the cast up to now? Mathers' television mom, Barbara Billingsley June Cleaver , died last year at age I'd always call her on her birthday and she'd call me on mine. Mathers remains good friends with the rest of the cast, including Tony Dow big brother Wally , who became a sculptor after his Hollywood directing career wound down, and Ken Osmond the weasely Eddie Haskell , a retired Los Angeles police officer.
Frank Bank Wally's friend Lumpy Rutherford is now an investment adviser who handles some of Mathers' retirement accounts. The dancing and singing was physically demanding with two matinees a week. If he hadn't improved his health and lost weight he wouldn't have been able to accept the role, he said.
It's like the cherry on top of the soda. These days, he stays busy with acting work and personal appearances, where he talks about television in the s and how it has changed. Mathers married his companion of five years, Teresa Modnick, this year. It is his third marriage. He has three children: Noah, 33, who does sound work for television and movies; Mercedes, 29, who works in human resources for a reality television company; and Gretchen, 26, a school administrator.
A second book is in the works for Mathers his first, And Jerry Mathers as the Beaver , was published in , which will catch people up with his life as well as get the word out about diabetes. When the show ended she went on to star in other TV shows and movies but none eclipsed her role as Mrs. Before putting on her pearl necklace as Mrs. Cleaver in The only Cleaver family member not to be part of the reunion was Hugh Beaumont. The actor who played the Cleaver family patriarch, Ward Cleaver, died a year earlier.
He was June mixes up authors, too. You can see a string attached to the bee Beaver swats. Record players didn't work like that, Beaver.
These girls can't help but laugh with Beaver, too. Related nostalgia. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? Cancel Delete. Sign up with: Google Facebook Twitter Email. Upload a file: Or drag a file here to upload. Newest Oldest Top Comments. TBH 20 days ago. June was talking about Scarlet being born on Peachtree because that IS where her character was born and written into life. When an idea is Born someplace that means that is where it was thought up.
Like Reply Delete. Reply to username. Deleted 1 month ago. Anybody notice? It doesn't seem to have anything to do with the episode. KZADad 2 months ago. Another one not mentioned here: Eddie Haskell's dad George Haskell was prominent in season 1, then disappeared for several seasons.
He later came back in the episode where Eddie spent the night, but was called Frank Haskell. They later realized their mistake, and in future episodes was George Haskell again.
Error in the article. Beaver's age also gets adjusted in the series. Beaver's grade advances 6 years 2nd grade to 8th grade , but Wally's grade advances only 4 8th to 12th. The adjustment happens between seasons 4 and 5. Beaver is never in the 6th grade! He goes directly from 5th to 7th. And Wally gets "held back", repeating his Jr. The actors were only 3 years apart in real life, so this adjustment was probably needed to keep their ages believable in later seasons.
Draupadi 3 months ago. In season 6 the last season , episode 34, Beaver is graduating from grammar school 8th grade. What gives? TMiles 4 months ago. You forgot about the car changing in the middle of the opening credits. The very first time you see outside the house, you can see.
This car has vents in the trunk, making it a rear engine vehicle. Possible a Corvair.
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