As a kid who grew up on classic TV reruns. Leave it to Beaver was one show my family watched in it's entirety. Wally and The Beaver seemed like kids I could hang out with and get in trouble with. And Eddie Haskell was one I never trusted.
Ken Osmond played Eddie Haskell to a tee. I can't imagine anyone be Eddie but him. Sadly (at the time of this posting) yesterday we lost Ken Osmond. He was a mere 76 years of age.
Osmond was born in Glendale California on June 7th, 1943. He started his career doing commercials as a child and at the age of nine he had his first speaking role in the movie So Big. He would continue working small roles in feature films such as Good Morning Miss Dove, and Everything But the Truth. Than would movie to the small screen in guest-starring appearances on television series, including Lassie, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Wagon Train, Fury, Circus Boy, and The Loretta Young Show.
Than in the fall of 1957 at the age of 14 he would take the role that he would take with him the rest of his life. Eddie Haskell on Leave it to Beaver. Originally intended to be just a one shot appearance. He was so good they had to write more for Eddie Haskell. He was so believable at his role that his character's name became a reference for some one who has a sycophantic behavior. Now that is how you make a lasting impression.
Sadly Ken Osmond was so iconic in this role that he became typecast and couldn't shake that role the rest of his career. After Leave it to Beaver ended He tried making guest appearances on shows like Petticoat Junction, The Munsters, Lassie, A Matter of Seconds. He also had roles in feature films C'mon Let's Live a Little (1967) and With Six You Get Eggroll (1968). But people couldn't think of he as anything but Eddie Haskell.
Ken Osmund was not bitter though saying, "I was very much typecast. It's a death sentence. In Hollywood you get typecast. I'm not complaining because Eddie's been too good to me, but I found work hard to come by. In 1968, I bought my first house, in '69 I got married, and we were going to start a family and I needed a job, so I went out and signed up for the LAPD."
In 1970 he joined the LAPD as a motorcycle cop and on September 20, 1980, Osmond was hit by five bullets while in a foot chase with a suspected car thief. While he was protected from four of the bullets by his bullet-resistant vest, with the fifth bullet ricocheting off his belt buckle. Osmond was placed on disability and in 1988 retired from the force.
In 1983 he would return to acting as guest celebrity on Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour. He would also reprise his role as Eddie Haskell in the made-of-tv movie Still the Beaver. The movie was such a success that it led to a whole new series The new Leave it to Beaver. In which Ken would get to play the Eddie Haskell father to Freddie Haskell and Edward "Bomber" Haskell Jr., who were played by Osmond's two real-life sons, Eric Osmond and Christian Osmond.
On May 18th 2020 Osmond died at his home in Los Angeles at age 76, from complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and peripheral artery disease.
Ken Osmond deserves a lot of respect for being on the LAPD. But to all of us he will always be Eddie Haskell. He brought us a lot of laughter and will live on in his performances as the obnoxious Eddie.
Rest In Peace Ken Osmond.
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