‘Leave It to Beaver’ child star recalls bond with TV parents on wholesome set

The set of “Leave It to Beaver” was just as squeaky clean as the 1950s sitcom.

“Hugh Beaumont was basically a very nice man, but he was also a minister,” Jerry Mathers, who starred as Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver, recently told People magazine about his TV dad.

“He kept everybody pretty much on the straight and narrow,” shared the former child star, noting that the crew consisted of people who “weren’t out drinking every night and coming in drunk.”

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The 77-year-old told the outlet that he later learned that almost everyone in the cast and crew was a parent.

“They knew how to be around kids,” he said.

Beaumont died in 1982 at age 73. Throughout most of his career, he worked as a lay minister in the Methodist Church, The New York Times reported. According to the outlet, he spent his later years in Minnesota.

It was not just his TV dad with whom Mathers shared a close bond. He told the outlet that his relationship with Barbara Billingsley, his on-screen mom, grew after the series ended.

“She did a lot of charity work,” he recalled. “Every once in a while, she’d call me up and say that maybe she was not feeling so well that day. Could I help her? And I’d go around different places that I’d never been before and help out with whatever organization she worked with.”

Billingsley passed away in 2010 at age 94. Mathers said his TV parents, along with the rest of the crew on “Leave It to Beaver,” made sure that the set was “a good time” and “a lot of fun” for all the child actors.

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“Hugh Beaumont and Barbara Billingsley were wonderful to Tony [Dow] and me,” he reflected. “They were actually kind and caring to everyone.”

“I go there, I see all my friends, all the light people [on the set] and all the different people, and they’re all friends of mine,” he said. “They’re happy to see me and all fool around and have a good time.”

“It was fun all the time,” said Mathers. “There wasn’t really any bad part to it.”

According to the outlet, Mathers was 8 years old when he joined the series. “Leave It to Beaver” ran from 1957 to 1963 and continues to run in syndication. Mathers still likes to tune in and look back at his childhood.

“We shot 234 episodes from 1957 to 1963, so there is quite a lot to see,” he said. “Watching the show brings back many happy memories for me.”

Mathers previously told Fox News Digital he remained close with his TV brother Tony Dow, who later found success as a sculptor. He died in 2022 at age 77.

It was not the only loss Mathers has faced in recent years. Ken Osmond, who played two-faced teenage scoundrel Eddie Haskell before leading a second career as a police officer, died in 2020 at age 76.

“Tony and I have always been very good friends,” said Mathers. “He was a wonderful person to work with… He was just a wonderful guy, and he taught me a lot of things. It was funny because I’m the oldest in my family and Tony was the baby of his. [But] it was exactly the opposite of what was on the show.”

“He was not only my brother on TV, but in many ways in life as well,” said Mathers at the time of Dow’s death. “Tony leaves an empty place in my heart that won’t be filled. “He was always the kindest, most generous, gentle, loving, sincere and humble man. It was my honor and privilege to be able to share memories together with him for 65 years.”

Earlier this month, Mathers reunited with his surviving co-stars at The Hollywood Show. He also likes to connect with fans on social media.

“It was so wonderful to be with my friends from ‘Leave It to Beaver’ – Stephen Talbot (Gilbert Bates), Jeri Weil (Judy Hensler), Luke Tiger Farfara (Tooey Brown) and Veronica Cartwright (Violet Rutherford) for a reunion,” Mathers told Fox News Digital in a statement.

“We took photos and signed autographs with the fans who were so gracious and happy to be with us,” he said.

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“Hard to believe it is almost 70 years since ‘Leave It to Beaver’ first aired on television. Our fans are so devoted, and many write to me that they record the show in the morning and watch it at night so they can have a peaceful sleep in this crazy world.”

“I am very grateful to be associated with such a heartfelt show that touches the lives of so many families in such a positive way,” Mathers added.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.