Film and TV actors are often recognized by specific roles but for Ken Osmond, a role he played as a teen stayed with him until his death. For TV audiences of the late 50s to early 60s, Osmond was the face of a fawning, trouble-making child. Osmond, beginning his career as a child, is one of Hollywood’s child actors who were unable to transition into a successful adult career.
Osmond died on May 18, 2020, a few weeks before his 77 birthday. Osmond is fondly remembered for playing the iconic character of Eddie Haskell. Here are 7 things you didn’t know about Leave It to Beaver‘s Ken Osmond.
1. The TV Shows You Remember Ken Osmond From
While most actors have several roles for which they’re known, Ken Osmond is famously remembered for playing Eddie Haskell. Osmond was cast after beating other teen actors in the audition. A 14-year-old Osmond began appearing on the CBS/ABC situation comedy Leave It to Beaver, which aired from October 1957 to June 1963. Osmond appeared in 97 of 235 episodes of the series.
2. Ken Osmond First Experiences Of Acting
Ken Osmond’s mother had a career in the film industry as a prop maker, giving her the needed exposure to want her children to have a career in the industry. Osmond began his career as a child actor when he was four, beginning with commercials. Osmond’s mother took Osmond and his brother to acting classes at the close of school to ensure they had the necessary skill to excel as an actor. At the school, Osmond was taught drama, dance, martial arts, dialects, dictions, as well as equestrian riding. It was at the school he got his first acting experience.
3. Ken Osmond’s Film Debut
As a child actor, Ken Osmond appeared in several productions in minor roles. The actor remembers being cast as a Child on Mayflower in the 1952 historical drama Plymouth Adventure. However, his first speaking role came the next year, in 1953, where he played a young Eugene in an uncredited role in Robert Wise’s Western drama So Big. Although Osmond appeared in a handful of movies in the 50s, he was uncredited for his role and appearances.
4. Ken Osmond Took A Break From Acting For One Reason
Ken Osmond may have enjoyed fame from playing Eddie Haskell, but it eventually led to him being typecast in Hollywood. Besides appearing as a guest in a few TV shows, Osmond was unable to find work as an actor. After his marriage in 1969, Osmond became desperate to find a job that would guarantee a consistent income flow.
In 1970, Osmond became a police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). He was a motorcycle police officer and had to grow a mustache to avoid being easily identified by civilians and fans. 10 years into the job as a police officer, in 1980, Osmond was shot three times by a suspected car thief. Osmond returned to acting in 1983.
5. Ken Osmond Was Twice Mistaken For Two Famous People
Ken Osmond was mistaken for Alice Cooper in the early 70s. The story broke out when the rock star granted an interview comparing himself to Eddie Haskell’s character. However, the college newspaper ran with the subject that Alice Cooper admitted he was the one who played the character and, therefore, was Ken Osmond.
In the same 70s, another report broke out that the popular adult film actor John Holmes was the grown-up child actor Ken Osmond. Again, the story spread easily because a magazine reported it. In retrospect, these mistaken identity cases were popular because it was the decade Osmond temporarily retired from acting. Disguised with a mustache as a police officer, Osmond seemed to have disappeared, making it easy for these stories to stick.
6. Ken Osmond Co-Starred With His Family
After Ken Osmond’s comeback to acting, he reprised his role as Eddie Haskell in Still the Beaver. The TV movie led to the revival of the 50s-60s situation comedy re-titled The New Leave It to Beaver. Osmond’s character, now grown, was a husband and father to two children. Osmond’s on-screen children were played by his real-life children, Eric Osmond and Christian Osmond. Eric played the character of Freddie Haskell, while Christian played Eddie “Bomber” Haskell Jr. The show aired its final episode on June 4, 1989.
7. Ken Osmond Played The Same Character On Different TV Shows
As a character that stuck with him for life, Ken Osmond appeared as Eddie Haskell in four different TV shows and made a cameo appearance in a movie. With the character established with Leave It to Beaver, Osmond reprised the role in The New Leave It to Beaver. Osmond appeared as a guest star on Parker Lewis Can’t Lose in 1991 and Hi Honey, I’m Home (1992) as Eddie Haskell. In 1997, in Andy Cadiff’s comedy film, Leave It to Beaver (1997), Ken Osmond, in a cameo appearance, was cast as Eddie Haskell Sr.Alice Cooper
