![]() In the 1980s, Ken came back to TV with a reunion mini-movie and then a cable-revived version of "Leave It to Beaver" entitled The New Leave It to Beaver (1983), which featured Barbara Billingsley, Tony Dow, Frank Bank and Jerry Mathers from the original 1950s cast. A long-time member of its vice squad, he was wounded three times during the line of duty, eventually retired and earned a medical disability pension from the police force. He grew a mustache to help secure his anonymity. He subsequently made a very un-Eddie-like career choice by joining the Los Angeles Police Department. After a hitch in the Army, he grabbed a few TV remnants that came his way on such lightweight comedy shows as "The Munsters" and "Petticoat Junction." Following a minor role in the youth-oriented flick C'mon, Let's Live a Little (1967) starring pop singers Bobby Vee and Jackie DeShannon, Osmond pretty much called it quits. ![]() In retrospect, a spin-off show starring the Eddie Haskell character could have been something to consider however, Osmond as a 20-year-old juvenile delinquent (his age when the show ended) might have been hard to swallow. A certifiable radar for trouble, he was the resident scene-stealer for six seasons until the show's demise in 1963, when things went downhill quickly. Cleaver!") while showing his true colors bullying poor Beaver (nicknaming him "squirt") or goading Wally on to break some family rule or curfew. As the two-faced buddy of teenager Wally Cleaver, Eddie was forever brown-nosing the Cleaver parents ("You look lovely today, Mrs. With his tight, curly blond locks, ugly sneer and intimidating stance, he became an instant sensation on the show, delightfully smudging up the squeaky-clean Cleaver name on occasion with his nasty antics. He went on to appear in the popular shows of the day including "Circus Boy," "Annie Oakley" and "Lassie." Both public and studio schooled, Ken nabbed the key role of Eddie Haskell at age 14. Other minor tyke film roles came for Osmond with So Big (1953), Good Morning, Miss Dove (1955) and Everything But the Truth (1956). Taking up athletic skills such as fencing and martial arts as well as diction classes, Ken and his brother Dayton Osmond made their film debuts as child extras in the Mayflower pilgrim tale Plymouth Adventure (1952) starring Spencer Tracy. He started appearing on film and TV prior to his sitcom success thanks to a typically insistent stage mother. Ken was born on Jin Glendale, California, to Pearl (Hand) and Thurman Osmond, a studio carpenter and propmaker, who were both originally from the American South. It did not careen out of control or disintegrate into alcohol and drugs. Unlike so many other tragic child stars who did not survive the transition into adulthood, Osmond's life remained quite balanced. So inextricably typed was he that he gave up on any semblance of a career within a short time after the series' cancellation. He has written for a variety of publications about soap operas and television including Variety, TV Insider, TV Guide Magazine, TV Insider Magazine, AOL TV, TODAY, Daytime TV (Australia), TV Soap (Australia), AARP, and Us Weekly.Forever tagged as the unctuous, trouble-making truant Eddie Haskell on the quintessential 50s family show Leave It to Beaver (1957), actor Ken Osmond did not manage much of a career after the stereotype. A few years later, he was recruited by Soap Opera Digest to join the magazine’s west coast staff, eventually becoming the publication’s West Coast Editor. Next, he landed a position on the production staff of B&B. Michael’s career in soaps began soon after college when he worked as a CBS page on the sets of Y&R and B&B. Michael also served as a creative consultant on the Pop TV series Queens of Drama. He’s a graduate of Boston University’s College of Communication and has been on the production staff of BB. Michael has contributed to books on soap operas including The Bold and the Beautiful a 10th Anniversary Celebration, Days of Our Lives Better Living, and two tomes published by People Magazine celebrating General Hospital’s 50th Anniversary and All My Children’s 41st /farewell. He’s the former West Coast Editor of Soap Opera Digest, a past Contributing Editor at Soaps In Depth Magazine and has been on staff at Inside TV, Soap Opera Update, Soap Opera Magazine, and In Touch. Bell, creator of both The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful. Bell, the authorized biography of the late William J. Michael wrote The Young and Restless Life of William J. He can often be found on a red carpet talking to your favorite daytime stars. As Senior West Coast Editor of Soap Hub, he’s on top of the latest news, casting, behind-the-scenes changes, and trends in the world of daytime drama. Michael Maloney is a veteran Los Angeles-based entertainment reporter.
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