Despite Jerry Mathers’ determination to join the war effort with the U.S. Marines, they declined his service.
The Vietnam War was bloody, with a growing American casualty list, and the military did not want to risk a famous American asset. In the end, he found a way to serve as a 146AW member of the California National Guard.
Jerry Mathers Was Doted on by Alfred Hitchcock
Jerry Mathers worked just a few stages down at the same studio where the television and film legend worked his magic. He was 9 when Hitchcock singled him out for a role in "The Trouble with Harry."
In an interview with Fox News, Mathers recalled, “I would see him when I had a little free time, and he would roll in a big Rolls Royce with a chauffeur.” Hitchcock was always attentive. “He would go, ‘How are you doing today? How’s the show going?’”
At the Audition for Beaver, Mathers Had Another Place to Be
The day Mathers made the cut for the iconic role, he was a 9-year-old boy with an important schedule. He had a Cub Scout meeting, and he didn’t want to be late!
Ironically, his impatient attitude regarding his priority, plus the adorability factor of a little boy in a Cub Scout uniform, got him the gig. Producers found his honesty charming and a perfect fit with the character. It turns out that staying true to yourself pays off!
The Media Reported Mathers Was Killed in Combat
Sadly, Private J. Mathers was killed in Vietnam in 1968. When the news broke, the press mistakenly attributed the death to the "Leave It to Beaver" actor. Oops!
The name was the same, but, of course, Mathers never made it to South Asia. After the report hit the news, perhaps the actor understood better why the Marines rejected him.
Other Media-Generated Buzz Created This Rumor
The actor who played the sneaky rascal, Eddie, was later rumored to have grown up to be Alice Cooper! How did this happen, you may be wondering? Well, in a 1970s interview, Alice Cooper said that he was like Eddie as a kid.
Fans thought he said he was Eddie when he was a kid, which would mean he was actually the actor Ken Osmond!