Jerry Mathers as Beaver Cleaver Leave It to Beaver gave us situational comedy from a child’s point of view, and Jerry Mathers (“The Beaver”) delivered the laughs with endearing naiveté. Rumor has it that during casting, 8-year-old Mathers told the show’s producers that he would rather be at his Cub Scout meeting — a chuckle-worthy statement that ultimately secured his spot in the cast. Leave It to Beaver never won any awards, though its relatable charm won the hearts of American suburbia, and Mathers’ portrayal as The Beaver remains an iconic symbol of unabashed youth.
Gerald Patrick “Jerry” Mathers, born June 2, 1948, in Sioux City, Iowa, was already an experienced actor by the time he auditioned for the role of Beaver Cleaver. When he was just 2 years old, he appeared in a department-store ad, and by 1955, he’d appeared in films alongside acting greats like Bob Hope, James Cagney and Shirley MacLaine.
Jerry Mathers A primetime hit, Leave It to Beaver ran from 1957 to 1963. Most episodes followed the mischievous antics of Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver, often accompanied by his older brother Wally (Tony Dow). His middle-class parents June and Ward Cleaver were portrayed by Barbara Billingsley and Hugh Beaumont.
When the show was over, Mathers attended high school in Sherman Oaks, Calif. While there, he joined the Air Force Reserve, eventually becoming a sergeant. He later received a philosophy degree from the University of California, Berkeley. After college, Mathers successfully pursued careers in real estate and banking, though he eventually returned to acting.
In 1983, he rejoined most of the Leave It to Beaver cast to make the CBS film Still the Beaver, which was later adapted as a Disney Channel television series. Mathers has been married three times and has three children. He serves as the national spokesman for the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, and travels often to speak at a variety of conferences. He enjoys making personal appearances, interacting with fans as often as possible.