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Jerry Mathers: See the ‘Leave It to Beaver’ Star Grow Up Before Your Eyes in 15 Photos
2 days ago
You can't turn on a classic TV network without bumping into a cute kid, and few of them came cuter than Jerry Mathers in Leave It to Beaver , the 1957 to 1963 family sitcom that delighted television audiences and secured both it and its star a place in our pop culture history.
He was born Gerald Patrick Mathers on June 2, 1948 in Sioux City, Iowa and began his acting career at the age of 2 when he served as the model in an ad for a department store, before making his TV debut in a commercial for PET Milk.
Then it was off to the movies for a few uncredited roles in Bob Hope's Son of Paleface (1952), Men of the Fighting Lady (1954), This is My Love (1954) and The Seven Little Foys (1955), before what was a fairly big break by being directed by Alfred Hitchcock — as a character with a name — in The Trouble with Harry (1955). He would shoot parts in another four movies and five anthology TV shows between 1952 and 1956 before the debut of Leave It to Beaver .
What follows is a look at Jerry Mathers, via a variety of images, through the years. It really is a remarkable journey.
Hugh Beaumont, best known as Ward Cleaver on 'Leave It to Beaver,' walked a fine line between being an actor and a preacher.
The Trouble with Harry (1955)
Jerry Mathers in 1955's The Trouble with Harry John Springer Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images
MOVIE: The Trouble with Harry ; RELEASE YEAR: 1955; DIRECTOR: Alfred Hitchcock; JERRY MATHERS' ROLE: Arnie Rogers; CO-STARRING: Edmun Gwenn, John Forsythe, Shirley MacLaine
That Certain Feeling (1956)
Bob Hope and Jerry Mathers in 1956's That Certain Feeling FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images)
MOVIE: That Certain Feeling ; RELEASE YEAR: 1956; DIRECTORS: Melvin Frank and Norman Panama; JERRY MATHERS' ROLE: Norman Taylor; CO-STARRING: Bob Hope, Eva Marie Saint, George Sanders, Pearl Bailey
MOVIE: The Shadow on the Window ; RELEASE YEAR: 1957: DIRECTOR: William Asher: JERRY MATHERS' ROLE: Petey Atlas; CO-STARRING: Philip Carey, Betty Garrett, John Drew Barrymore, Corey Allen
TV SHOW: Leave It to Beaver ; SEASONS/EPISODES: 6 Seasons, 234 Episodes; JERRY MATHERS' ROLE: Theordore "Beaver" Cleaver; CO-STARRING: Hugh Beaumont, Barbara Billingsley and Tony Dow
Leave It to Beaver would be revived in 1983 as the TV movie Still the Beaver , which reunited Jerry with the original cast (the exception being the late Hugh Beaumont). So successful was the film that it led to the Disney channel series The New Leave It to Beaver , which aired from 1983 to 1989 for a total of 101 episodes.
California Air National Guard (1966 to 1969)
Jerry Mathers when he was in the California Air National Guard US Air Force
Following the conclusion of Leave It to Beaver , Jerry Mathers began pursuing what he hoped would be a bit of a normal life. While he was attending high school with other kids, he also served in the California Air National Guard in Van Nuys, California from 1966 to 1969. He did not, it should be pointed out, ever get involved in military action.
Actor Jerry Mathers from Leave It To Beaver circa 1985 Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Jerry Mathers in 2000
Actress Susan Olsen, who starred as Cindy from "The Brady Bunch," poses with actor Jerry Mathers, who starred in "Leave It To Beaver," at the Holly Jolly Jubilee TV and Motion Picture Mothers 2000 Awards in Beverly Hills, CA Newsmakers
Jerry Mathers in 2010
Actors Tony Dow (L) and Jerry Mathers (R) arrive at the Paley Center for Media's PaleyFest: Rewind - "Leave It To Beaver" at The Paley Center for Media on June 21, 2010 Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic Entertainment
In this Q&A the star talks working with Alfred Hitchcock and Bob Hope, and what it was like being Beaver
Jerry Mathers in 2018
Actor Jerry Mathers (R) and his Wife Teresa Modnick (L) attend the 87th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade on November 25, 2018 Paul Archuleta/Getty Images
Jerry Mathers in 2023
Jerry Mathers attends the Thalians annual Winter Gala honoring Gary Sinise with the 2023 Mr. Wonderful Award at Brentwood Country Club on December 02, 2023 Michael Tullberg/Getty Images
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