Ken Osmond, 'Leave It to Beaver' star who played Eddie Haskell, dies at 76

[F_Marturana]

Ken Osmond, 'Leave It to Beaver' star who played Eddie Haskell, dies at 76

He played Eddie Haskell on Leave it to Beaver. May he Rest In Peace.

 

[VonDerTann]

Former policeman, wounded in the line of duty.

And don’t we all have a little Eddie Haskell in each of us?

RIP, Ken.

 

[Limoncello4021]

We all knew an Eddie Haskell type when we were growing up. It was a household moniker. Leave it to Beaver was a great show with superb casting!

 

[F_Marturana]

I never knew that he was a police officer until I read the article.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

May he rest in peace.

 

[CelticWarlord]

The very first customized t-shirt I ever saw, long before they were as common as they are now (this was back in the late 60’s) was an Eddie Haskell one. I badly wanted to order it, the ad was in the back of a comic book, but I was only ten or twelve, had no money and no knowledge of how to go about these things. Eddie has been in the back of my mind ever since.

 

[JanR]

He was quite the character on Leave It To Beaver – a little bit mean, a whole lot arrogant, not all that competent, but also displaying a good heart on occasion. Reminds me of folks who try to cover up their insecurities by being blowhards. A good lesson from that show was the tolerance and understanding shown by Ward Cleaver when dealing with Eddie. And the Cleaver boys were still willing to be friends with him, in spite of his boasting and goofy behavior. They understood him, too.

That’s one reason why that show was so successful – ordinary people could identify and sympathize with its characters.

Then, there were those who accused the show of being an unrealistic portrayal of family life in America. True, it was idealized – but I see nothing wrong with that, as it set a great example.

 

[Irishmom2]

Yes, he was the perfect example when trying to explain about that type of person. If you said he was like Eddie Haskell, everyone knew what you meant. “Especially you, the lovely Mrs. Limoncello.”

Rest In Peace, Ken Osmond.

 

[signit]

I never knew that he was a police officer until I read the article.

And, a veteran of the Army Reserve.

 

[signit]

I was fortunate to have met him and Jerry Mathers at a show and they both gave me autographed pictures.

 

[Limoncello4021]

Yes, I love how he complimented Mrs. Cleaver–she always did a double take, wondering if he was flirting with her. As to Barbara Billingsley, remember her famous role in Airplane? So NOT Mrs. Cleaver :

 

[tomarin]

‘I speak jive.’

 

[Dr_Meinheimer]

“Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?”

“Ain’t no thang.”

 

[CaptFun]

“Eddie” was the best of a very good cast.

Saccharine sweet and a transparent flatterer to parents …

"HEL-o Mrs. Clever, Mr. Clever. I was just mentioning to Wallace and young Theodore here how lucky they are to have such generous, understanding parents as yourselves! (The boys are NOT now in LESS trouble due to Eddie’s “greeting”).

HEY Wally! Hi-Ya SQUIRT!

Mostly Eddie was just a happy mischief machine with a perpetual superiority complex. Though he did ENJOY secretly the fact that he was surrounded by chumps and fools he could easily (in his mind) charm and snow.

He could be good natured for a WHILE. Laughing at others’ jokes. Smiling. And even helping the Beaver once in a while (though usually betraying him for comic effect by the end of the show). He seemed to be using Wally, the stylish dressed moral SQUARE … as his danger brake pedal when in mid-scheme.

A mash up of Eddie scenes and episodes I remember –

A bilingual business associate of Ward’s visits with his young daughter … who speaks only Spanish.

Beaver nonetheless plays and talks with the bored girl. As she readies to leave … she quickly kisses him goodbye! Eddie and Wally SEE this! Later:

E: Hey squirt … who was that GIRL we saw ya kissing?
B: Huh? I … wasn’t kissing’ ANYBODY!
E: Don’t give us that … we SAW ya!
W: Yeah Beav … We SAW ya!
B: Well … I … I … I wasn’t kissin’ HER … she was kissin’ ME!
E: Well all RIGHT Chief! What’d ya say to er?
B: Mmm … nothin’. She only speaks Spanish!

In a rare show of generosity Eddie, as Beaver leaves, tells Wally they should help Beaver talk to the girl. Eddie is taking Spanish … and slowly concocts a sentence for him.

As he puts it together he looks sincere and big brotherly.
Loosely it translated to - Hi Maria! I like your face. Your eyes and mouth look just like … (Eddie tries to think of a final word, then brightly declares in Spanish) … a PIG’s! Both he and Wally laugh heartily.

But later, Eddie “helps” teach the sentence to Beaver in Wally’s absence. Beaver is elated.

The girl visits again. Beaver slowly manages the Spanish sentence … to Maria’s appreciation … until that final horrible WORD! She exits in tears. Beaver is mystified.

Ward and June figure out what’s happened and put WALLY on the spot for Eddie’s misbehavior.

June: Wally! How could you let Eddie DO that to Beaver?

Wally: Gosh Mom. Y’KNOW how Eddie is. Ya tell him t’stop and he’ll just do the OPPOSITE!

I know he’s kind of a RAT …

… but a guy’s gotta have a best FRIEND!

Another time BEAVER does something nice for Eddie … to Eddie’s confusion.

E: Wow. That was really cool. How come you aren’t like this all the time.

B: Cuz I don’t LIKE ya.

E: Huh?

B: Heck Eddie … NOBODY likes ya! Not even Wally.
And HE’s yer best FRIEND!

Thanks Ken Osmond for hours of delight. Eddie Haskell was like a versatile spice rack that made a good meal like a banquet.

RIP < but when I think of you … I hear something ripping and you making elaborate plans of escape for the guys.

 

[Jeanne_S]

Thanks for this post and the trip down memory lane.

 

[VonDerTann]

I hate to break it to you, Cap, but I’m pretty sure you are actually conflating 2 episodes - the kid who spoke only Spanish was Chuey, a boy, although your recitation of the words used is pretty accurate.

One thing I liked is that Eddie could do something downright decent once in a while but he often didn’t want people to know when he did. And as Wally once observed IIRC, “if you slug Eddie it won’t do any good, but if you tell him he’s a creep he’ll go home and think about it.”

IMHO Eddie stole the show, which was hard given the cast’s talent. And I’m sorry, I kinda still have a slight crush on June :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: (Eddie probably did too!)

 

[CaptFun]

Conflating! Better word than mash-up!

Beaver did get kissed by a girl once … and got caught I think.

Chuey! yeah!

Eddie made for the most interesting episodes I think.

GREAT supporting cast and guests week after week.
Very believable adventures punctuated by the drama of a kid’s perspective.

Irritating tattletale Judy, poor Larry Condello dealing with his hovering Mom and mean sister, Whitey, the nice teacher; Richard Deacon as Mr. Rutherford and Frank Banks as Lumpy. But Eddie Haskell is a name that evokes a stereotype that we all have met in a few people as we go through life.

Great job Ken. Miss ya.

 

[VonDerTann]

I was never wild about the Larry character because he was one dimensional. Eddie by contrast had several layers:
–Obsequious;
–Troublemaker; and
–Would occasionally do something nice.

As the show progressed, Wally & his friends became more the focal point of episodes and it seemed the producers realized they could do more with Wally & his oddball friends than they could with Beaver - who sort of grew out of the ‘cute kid’ character, as Wally became a teen heartthrob.

 

[Jeanne_S]

Wally was a babe,just sayin’

 

[F_Marturana]

Larry Mondello was one of the bratty children of Gooper and Mae in the film version of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.”

The “no-neck little monsters” referred to by Maggie.