In 1980, I was shot (three times) by a suspected car thief. Thankfully, two hit my bulletproof vest, and the third bullet hit my belt buckle - whew! I was ok, physically anyways. Twelve years after that, the shooting was featured in an episode of CBS's Top Cop.... The car theft suspect was later sentenced to death for another man's murder.
A month after the first shooting.. ... a bullet from a security guard came close enough to part my hair! I thought "Maybe this isn't the career for me..." I filed for a disability pension based on concerns that going back on the job would exacerbate depression triggered by the attacks. The pension was at first denied by the Board of Pension Commissioners, which was forced to grant it retroactively by a court ruling on appeal.
Backtracking a bit, I was born in Glendale, California.. My dad was a carpenter and prop maker and my mom was a "typical movie mother", wanting to get my brother and I into acting at an early age. Mom took us to classes for dance, diction, dialects, martial arts and equestrian riding. I got my first acting gig in a commercial at age 4.
Worked as an extra the next few years, a film in fact that featured Spencer Tracy and Gene Tierney.. had my first speaking part at the ripe ole age of 9 in a film with Jayne Wyman and Sterling Hayden.
At first, never any really longterm gigs, but I had bit parts in the TV shows Lassie, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriot, Wagon Train, Fury, Circus Boy....... yada.
At 16, I played a 16 yr old "Tommy" in an episode of Colt 45, then, hey, I was in an episode of Petticoat Junction!
My big break actually happened in 1957, when, at age 14, I went to a cattle call audition... after a series of call-backs, I eventually got the part... appeared in 97 of the series 235 episodes.
While this was, sure, great, I was also 'typecast', limited somewhat, for future roles in acting - it was yes, very good to/for me, but, kind of a death sentence to my career. The series ended in 1963, I did find some bit part roles here and there, but work was very hard to come by.
Bought my first house in 1968, got married the next year - we wanted to start a family, I needed a job, thus, the LAPD gig.
There were a lot of spirited accusations of, about me. In the early 70's it was reported I was actually Alice Cooper. It got so bad for Cooper, he actually had a t shirt made up with "I am not (enter my name here.")
Then, I guess due to a physical resemblance, it was reputed I was cast in adult film roles as "John Holmes", a real life porn star. One theater, while I was on the LAPD force, actually used my real name in a marque for "Behind the Green Door"... I went, protested, they finally agreed to take my name down. Didn't end there... when i was going for my disability hearing on the force, I was called in, had to disrobe to prove I wasn't John Holmes.
In 1983, I appeared on the Match Game - Hollywood Squares Hour.. later that year, they reprised the BIG show I was in............"Still ___ _______."
My wife and I had a couple of sons... Once I retired from the force, I had some rental properties and I would occasionally make personal appearances at film festivals, collector's shows and nostalgia conventions.
I coauthored a book of my life, "The life and times of America's Preeminent Bad Boy.
My best buddy on the Big TV show said "His motorcycle cop stories were truly classic."
Contrary to most beliefs, after I passed my son Eric wrote “He was an incredibly kind and wonderful father. He had his family gathered around him when he passed. He was loved and will be very missed,”
In my big role, I called 'the star', a kid younger than I, "Squirt." I'd meet Squirt's mom, and would say things like "Oh Good Afternoon Mrs. Cleaver, I was just telling Wallace how pleasant it would be for Theodore to accompany us to the movies.
Uh huh, Ken Osmond. Eddie Haskell himself. (June 7, 1943 – May 18, 2020)
“Leave It to Beaver” continues to captivate audiences with its timeless humor and relatable family dynamics. The show’s enduring popularity ensures that Ken Osmond’s portrayal of Eddie Haskell will be cherished for generations to come.
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