Posted on 06/02/2021 11:37:28 AM PDT by mylife
Jerry Mathers was born on June 2, 1948 in Sioux City, Iowa to Norm and Marilyn Mathers. His father was the principal of a high school and later became a school district executive in Los Angeles. Mathers grew up in Rock Rapids near Los Angeles, California. He has a younger sister, Susie Mathers McSweeney, and a younger brother Jimmy Mathers, who were both child actors.
Mathers did a commercial for a department store when he was a two-year-old. He also acted in a PET milk commercial with comedian Ed Wynn. This opened up opportunities for him to get roles in TV series and films.
Jerry Mathers debuted in films when he was four. In 1952, he appeared in the film ‘Son of Paleface’ and in 1954, he was seen in ‘Men of the Fighting Lady’ and ‘This Is My Love.’ He appeared in ‘The Seven Little Foys’ and Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘The Trouble with Harry’ in 1955. He played Norman Taylor in the 1956 film ‘That Certain Feeling’. In that year, he also played Freddie in the film ‘Bigger Than Life’.
While in high school he joined the United States Air Force Reserve and continued to serve there even after he graduated from high school in 1967. Later he rose to the rank of sergeant. In 1973, he attended the University of California, Berkeley and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy. After he graduated, he joined a bank as a commercial loan officer. He also started a real estate business with the royalty money he used to get every week. In 1978, he returned to show business and was featured in a comedy play ‘Boeing, Boeing’ in Kansas City. In 1981, he joined KEZY-AM radio in Anaheim, California as a disc jockey.
(Excerpt) Read more at thefamouspeople.com ...
Ward, I’d like to take the Beaver out to meet new friends.
I have a similar bio to yours and have never heard of it either.
Joining the Air Force Reserves while he was still in high school was a smart move. If he had not done that while he had the opportunity he very well could have been drafted and sent to Vietnam as a grunt. So many guys his age, born in 1948, are names on the Vietnam Wall in Washington D.C.
Happy Birthday, Beav, ya goof. LOL ... and if Lee ‘DeBrew’ sees this, happy birthday to you too!
I used to watch TV constantly back then. Quite a shock to be watching ‘Leave it to beaver’ in the latter episodes and then have it start back to the first season and hear Mathers’ voice jump 3 octaves.
Happy Birthday Jerry Mathers. Some good yuks on this thread. Fun times with the Beaver bump!
It was the Brady dad that was.
His wife never let him grow a moustache or a beard.
She liked a clean-shaven Beaver.
'Beaver' makes tracks to old hometown, Rock Rapids
Mathers was born June 2, 1948, in Sioux City, the son of Norman and Marilyn (Bright) Mathers. Jerry's father, a standout in sports for the East High Black Raiders, played basketball at Morningside College, but interrupted his education to fly 25 missions with the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II. Following the war, Norman Mathers earned his degree in history and physical education at Morningside.
He then married Marilyn and they moved to Rock Rapids, where Norman began his career as a teacher and a coach. They moved to California in 1949.
One of the best, and best written, shows on TV ever. Not necessarily intellectual, but Ward was pretty impressive at times. Started watching ten or so years ago. Really good messages, and instruction to parents on how to properly raise kids. Had an Eastern European girlfriend for a couple of years. She absolutely loved the show, always commenting as we watched “I want this life.” She also loved suburbs, proclaiming them to be the “Perfect Way of Life.” Interesting (to those who eschew them) how even non-middle class Americans can identify and appreciate solid traditional American values....
Beaver needs better friends.
Joining the Air Force Reserves while he was still in high school was a smart move. If he had not done that while he had the opportunity he very well could have been drafted and sent to Vietnam as a grunt. So many guys his age, born in 1948, are names on the Vietnam Wall in Washington D.C.
You got that right.......I knew and grew up with several of them.....;(
always a good actor, he was one of the best in his early Beaver years. we have all his episodes on DVD
We saw Jimmy on a Bewitched episode and Hub said there’s Beaver, I told him that wasn’t the Beav, that was his brother......he didn’t believe me. Had to look it up and show him........they really looked alike....;)
About 1981 a co-worker and I heard he was doing a personal appearance at Sho-Biz Pizza in Milan (like a Chucky Cheeze) one afternoon.
So we went out to get autographs and meet.
There we were 2 adult men standing in line with all these kids and their parents. I’m sure it made a funny visual. I still have the autograph record framed.
when i was ill, i rediscovered the Beav (and the Johnny Crawford on the Rifleman), two absolutely outstanding child actors
helped cheer me through to wellness again.
of course, Shirley Temple was also great!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.