It’s always disheartening to learn that one of your favorite actors from a beloved TV show has passed away. It’s even more heartbreaking when it’s somebody that you practically grew up with during your formative years. From Andy Griffith to Bob Denver, countless television stars who dominated the airwaves throughout yesteryear are sadly no longer with us. Fortunately, some iconic television personalities who gave us countless laughs and taught us valuable life lessons are still alive today.
In this video, we’ll be discussing the surviving cast members of Leave it To Beaver. The show focused on the Cleaver family. Who lived in an idyllic town called Mayfield – not to confused with The Andy Griffith Show’s similarly named Mayberry.
Leave it to Beaver ran from 1957 to 1963. Many of our viewers will likely have innumerable fond memories of watching the show as children. It during it’s initial run or years later in reruns. You might remember crowding around the television screen with your family, eagerly anticipating what silly and ever-so-wholesome antics the star of the show Beaver – played by Jerry Mathers – would get himself into. As you watched the show, It probably felt like you became a member of the Cleaver family. And developed an understanding and level of care for the actors and their respective roles.
Keep watching to learn which Leave it to Beaver actors are still alive today. While it’s true that many of the show’s stars have since passed away, you would surprised how many are still alive and kickin’. Join Facts Verse to learn more about the Last Surviving Leave It to Beaver Cast Members.
Rusty Stevens
Best known for his role as Larry Mondello, Beaver’s younger friend on Leave It To Beaver. Stevens appeared in 68 out of 234 episodes of the series between 1957 and 1960.
Stevens reportedly left the show in 1960 after his family relocated from Burbank, California, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
While that move might have played a part in things, Barbara Billingsley, the actress who played June Cleaver. Once told TV Archive that Stevens actually fired because of his overbearing stage mother and the grief that she caused for the show’s producers on the set.
In 1983, Stevern’s briefly reprised his role as Larry in the made-for-TV Leave it to Beaver reunion film Still the Beaver. Otherwise, Stevens has completely steered clear of acting.
Steven’s whereabouts currently are unknown, but you can’t blame the guy for wanting a bit of privacy. Likewise, his exact age is hard to pin down. We do know that he was born in 1948, so that would make him 73 or 74 years old.
Stephen Talbot
This actor, long-time PBS contributor, documentary producer, reporter, producer, and writer got his start in the entertainment industry as a child actor in the late 50s and early 60s. His best-known role was that of Beaver Cleaver’s friend Gilbert Bates.
Gilbert’s character was constantly getting Beaver into trouble. He was a somewhat insecure kid who was notorious for telling tall tales.
After Leave it to Beaver wrapped up, Talbot guest-starred on television shows like The Twilight Zone, Perry Mason, The Lucy Show, M Squad, and The Fugitive.
In 1960, he appeared in the film Because They’re Young.
After graduating from high school, Talbot studied English and film at Wesleyan University, where he actively participated in anti-Vietnam War protests. He began his filmmaking career first making films about the anti-war movements.
In the 80s, Talbot worked as a staff reporter and producer at KOED-TV, a PBS affiliate in San Francisco. He went on to produce two Peabody Award-winning documentaries, Broken Arrow and The Case of Dashiell Hammett, in addition to several other national PBS documentaries. He also contributed many feature news stories to the Macneil/Lehrer NewsHour.
At 73, Talbot now works as a senior producer for the Center of Investigative Reporting and for ITVS and the PBS long-running series Independent Lens.
Not to get too derailed, but if you’re enjoying this video so far, take a second to show us a little support by giving it a like and subscribing to the Facts Verse channel.
Tiger Fafara
Born in San Francisco in 1945, Tiger is the older brother of Stanley Fafara, the actor who played Whitey on Leave it to Beaver.
He and his brother hired on as a pair at an open casting call for the show. Tiger ended up landing the role of Tooey Brown, one of Wally Cleaver’s friends.
Besides Leave it to Beaver, Tiger also appeared in series such as Lassie, The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, The Donna Reed Show, and Private Secretary. He also had a relatively minor role in the 1955 film Good Morning Miss Dove.
Tiger left Leave it to Beaver in 1960 and stopped acting the following year. He briefly returned to acting in 1983 to reprise his role in the Leave it to Beaver reunion film Still The Beaver. He later appeared in the follow-up reboot series The New Leave it to Beaver from 1983 to 1987.
At 77, Fafara is now retired. Interestingly, his son Dez Fafara is a vocalist in the heavy metal bands Coal Chamber and DevilDriver.
Jeri Well
This former child actress is best known for her role as Judy Hensler on Leave It To Beaver. Well has also appeared in the film The Eddie Cantor Story
In 1983, after Leave it to Beaver was given the revival treatment. Well appeared on the game show Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour as a celebrity guest participant. In 1987, she reprised her role as Judy in The New Leave it to Beaver.
While she largely left acting behind after Leave it to Beaver ended, at 74, Well now works as a writer and Realtor with Prudential John Aaroe and Associates Realty in Studio City, California. Join Facts Verse to learn more about the Last Surviving Leave It to Beaver Cast Members.
Veronica Cartwright
This three-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee is best known for her work in science fiction and horror films.
As a child, she appeared in supporting roles in films such as The Birds and The Children’s Hour.
On Leave it To Beaver, she played Violet Rutherford in three episodes of the series. She later played the character Peggy Macintosh in a 1963 episode. Cartwright also starred in minor roles as a child in shows such as Make Room For Daddy, Route 66, The Twilight Zone, and the Eleventh Hour.
As an adult, Cartwright has continued to make regular appearances in television shows, including ER, The X-Files, Judging Amy, Law & Order, Six Feet Under, and The Closer.
On the big screen, Cartwright has appeared in films such as 1978s Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 1983s The Right Stuff, 1987s The Witches of Eastwick, 2007s The Invasion, and 2014s The Town that Dreaded Sundown.
Most recently, the 73-year-old actress has appeared in the 2020 romcom Breaking Fast and in a 2021 episode of The Resident. Join Facts Verse to learn more about the Last Surviving Leave It to Beaver Cast Members.
Buddy Hart
Nathaniel Buddy Hart got his big break acting playing the character Chester Anderson. One of Wally’s friends, on Leave it to Beaver, although his first acting role was in The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin. Some of his other acting roles include turns on Gunsmoke, The Twilight Zone, and Father Knows Best.
Nowadays he’s known as Buddy Joe Hooker and is considered to be one of the entertainment industries hardest working and most prolific stunt professionals.
As a Hollywood stuntman, Hart developed a reputation for being the go-to car chase coordinator after working with films such as To Live and Die in LA and Jade. His impressive resume includes work on films such as The Godfather Part III, The Outsiders, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Meet Joe Black, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Join Facts Verse to learn more about the Last Surviving Leave It to Beaver Cast Members.
At 78. Hart continues to work in show business alongside his stunt-performer wife Gayle and their twin sons.
Tony Dow
Dow’s biggest and most well-known acting role of his career was playing the Beaver’s older brother Wally on Leave It To Beaver.
He won the role in an open casting call with having next to no acting experience.
After Leave it to Beaver ended, Dow appeared in shows like My Three Sons, The Greatest Show on Earth, Dr. Kildere, Mr.. Novak, and Never Too Young.
He then served in the National Guard from 1965 to 1958. After which he returned to acting, appearing in television series like Love American Style, Adam-12, Knight Rider, The Hardy Boys, and Emergency.
In the 70s, Dow continued acting, albeit sporadically, while working in the construction industry. During this time, he also studied filmmaking and journalism.
From 1983 to 1989, Dow reprised his role as Wally on The New Leave it to Beaver. His most recent acting credit was for appearing in the 2003 film Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star. Since then, he has been seen promoting Leave it to Beaver on MeTV.
Behind the camera, Dow has worked as a director on shows such as Babylon 5, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Coach.
In May of 2022, Dow revealed that he had been diagnosed with cancer for the second time. In the statement, he did not disclose what variety of cancer he had. The actor just celebrated his 77th birthday on April 13, 2022.
Jerry Mathers
Last but not least we have the actor who played Leave it to Beaver’s title character, Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver.
Mathers was just barely ten years old when he first started appearing on Leave it to Beaver. Now, he’s 74.
Jerry began his career modeling for a department store when he was 2. After appearing in a commercial for PET Milk alongside vaudeville legendary comic Ed Wynn. Mathers landed early roles in films such as 1954s This is My Love and 1955s The Seven Little Foys.
As the Beaver, Mathers appeared in all 234 episodes of the series. Near the end of his run on the show. Mathers recorded two musical singles on 45s, Don’t Cha Cry and Wind-Up Toy.
After Leave It To Beaver, Mathers Joined the United States Army Air Force Reserve. He later worked as a loan officer and disc jokey at KEZY radio in Anaheim, California.
In 1983, he reprised his role as the Beaver in Still the Beaver and the subsequent reboot series The New Leave it To Beaver which ran until 1989.
Since then, Mathers has continued appearing in shows like Diagnosis Murder, Married…With Children, and Vengeance Unlimited.
In 2007, he made his Broadway debut in the starring role of Wilbur in Hairspray. In 2018 and 2019, Mathers was seen promoting Leave it to Beaver on MeTV.
At 74, Mathers is currently enjoying his golden years with his third wife, Teresa Madnick, in Santa Clarita, California.
Who was your favorite character on Leave it to Beaver and were you surprised to learn that any of the show’s original cast members are still alive? Let us know in the comments.
Before you move on to watching another one of our facts-filled videos. Take a moment to show us a little support by giving this video a like and by subscribing to the Facts Verse channel. Tap the bell to turn on notifications. That way, you can keep up with all of our latest and upcoming content as soon as it drops.
As always, thanks for watching. We’ll see you soon with more videos covering some of your favorite Hollywood films, television shows, and stars.
