He worked with Shirley MacLaine and Bob Hope but is known for his ’50s TV show about a cute kid… who is he?
This former child star appeared in several films in the 1950s after starting out as a model. One movie starred Shirley MacLaine and a few other movies were with Bob Hope.
But it was a TV show in the late 1950s for which this actor will forever be remembered.
He played the outspoken child who lived in an idyllic suburb with kind parents. His statements were often quoted as his character became a pop culture phenomenon worldwide.
The star retained his role as a troublemaker for six years, appearing in all 234 episodes of the sitcom that originally aired from 1957 to 1963.
This star has also appeared in shows such as The Love Boat, Hardcastle And McCormick, Married… With Children and, most recently, the reality TV series The Weakest Link.
Last week he made a rare appearance in Los Angeles.
Can you guess who he is?
This former child star appeared in several films in the 1950s after starting out as a model. One movie starred Shirley MacLaine and a few other movies were with Bob Hope. But it was a TV show in the late 1950s for which this actor will forever be remembered. He played the outspoken boy who lived in an idyllic suburb
It’s Jerry Mathers.
The actor played Theodore ‘Beaver’ Cleaver in the hit show Leave It To Beaver.
The star was seen holding up a Leave It To Beaver poster as he headed out for a rare public sighting.
Beaver was the younger of two sons raised in the suburbs by parents June and Ward Cleaver, portrayed by Barbara Billingsley and Hugh Beaumont.
He also had a very busy film career.
His early films included This Is My Love (1954), Men of the Fighting Lady (1954), The Seven Little Foys (1955) and Alfred Hitchcock’s black comedy The Trouble with Harry (1955), in which he plays Arnie, the son of Shirley MacLaine’s character.
And he appeared on major TV shows.
In the 1990s, Mathers guest-starred in episodes of Parker Lewis Can’t Lose, Vengeance Unlimited, Diagnosis: Murder, and as himself in Married… with Children.
In 2001, he appeared in a special episode of Weakest Link.
In 2007, he made his Broadway debut with a leading role as Wilbur Turnblad in the musical Hairspray at the Neil Simon Theater.
In 1998 he released his memoir And Jerry Mathers as The Beaver.
Mathers also graduated from UC Berkeley and worked as a loan officer and DJ.
It’s Jerry Mathers. The actor played Theodore ‘Beaver’ Cleaver in the hit show Leave It To Beaver. Beaver was the younger of two sons raised in the suburbs by parents June and Ward Cleaver, portrayed by Barbara Billingsley and Hugh Beaumont
Mathers with Tony Dow (left) in the show Leave It To Beaver in 1957
Jerry has a fortune of $3 million, according to online databases, and is known as a shrewd businessman.
He became the first child actor to negotiate a share of profits from merchandise revenue tied to a show.
To this day, Leave It To Beaver is still making money thanks to its huge global audience – it has been broadcast in 80 countries and in 40 different languages.
Jerry has three children and has been married three times.
Jerry has had to mourn the loss of his television family.
His TV father Hugh Beaumont died in 1982, followed by Mrs Cleaver Barbara Billingsley in 2010.
Ken Osmond, who played troublemaker Eddie Haskell for six seasons, died in 2020, and last year Tony Dow, who played Beaver’s older brother Wally, passed away.
Jerry shared a touching tribute to his co-star and friend Dow last year.
“It is with the utmost sadness that I learned this morning of the passing of my co-star and lifelong friend Tony Dow,” Jerry wrote. “He was not only my brother on TV, but in many ways in life.
He also had a very busy film career. His early films included This Is My Love (1954), Men of the Fighting Lady (1954), The Seven Little Foys (1955) and Alfred Hitchcock’s black comedy The Trouble with Harry (1955), in which he plays Arnie, the son of Shirley MacLaine’s character
He wore a black top with belted jeans while holding a photo of the Leave it To Beaver cast
Here he was seen at a location sitting in a brown chair wearing his wedding ring
Jerry played the younger of two sons raised in the suburbs by parents June and Ward Cleaver, portrayed by Barbara Billingsley and Hugh Beaumont
Dow, who played Beaver’s older brother Wally, died last year. Jerry shared a touching tribute to his co-star and friend Dow last year. “He was not only my brother on TV, but in many ways in life,” he wrote
“Tony leaves an empty place in my heart that will not be filled. “He was always the kindest, most generous, gentle, loving, sincere and humble man with whom I had the pleasure of sharing memories for 65 years,” he continued.
“Tony was so grateful for all the love and support from our fans around the world,” he added. “My wife Teresa and I extend our deepest condolences to his wife Lauren, his family and to all who knew and loved him. The world may have lost a star today, but heaven gained another.”
Mathers has been married three times.
He met his first wife, Diana Platt, in college. They married in 1974 but divorced.
Mathers met his second wife, Rhonda Gehring, while touring in the production of So Long, Stanley.
They have three children: Noah, Mercedes and Gretchen. Mathers and Gehring divorced in 1997.
The star then married his third wife, Teresa Modnick, in 2011.