The models had been working on a stage, in front of an audience. And that’s when I really started working, getting jobs. Most of the things I did, like the Ed Wynn Show and the Red Skelton Show, were all live TV with an audience.
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So, when they looked around, they looked to models.
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Yes, there were theaters here that did live performances, but very few. Los Angeles didn’t really have a very big backlog of child actors on the stage because there weren’t that many .
JERRY MATHERS LEAVE IT TO BEAVER TV
And live TV pretty much started in New York where they could get New York stage actors who were children. What people don’t realize is, TV was pretty new back then. Change, and maybe a half hour later, walk out with another lady and do the same thing. It was all very, very easy. And the lady would say, “Now, Jerry, turn around.” And I would turn a couple times and smile. I started modeling where you just hold a very nice lady’s hand and walk out in an outfit. I would go places, and my mom would take me. I don’t really remember, to be honest with you. How were you able to handle being in these adult situations, at that early age? What could this be? There’s a catch.” But the lady convinced her, no catch, and that doing this show wouldn’t be very hard, so Mom said all right, “He could do that.” I was wondering if he could model the two-year-old clothes.” I’m head of publicity for this particular department store, and we’re having a fashion show tomorrow. The lady said, “No, but I’ve noticed you’ve been trying our outfits on him, and they seem to fit him real good. And a lady came over to her and said, “Is this your son?” My mother went, “Oh, did he break something? Did he touch something? I’ll pay for it.”
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I was there along with her. She kind of took her eye off me for a second, and I wandered off just a little bit. So, my mom just happened to be walking through a department store, shopping for bargains. We grew up in the San Fernando Valley, in California. That’s where he met my mom, and they got married. Then we moved to California, where he got his master’s degree. I’m the oldest child, and I have a sister, Susie, and a brother, Jim. Well, I was born in Sioux City, Iowa, where my father grew up. Now, how did you get started in modeling and show business? So, she’s a very active person for her age. She’s in many charitable organizations and doing many things for the community. She’s just a wonderful woman, and she’s very, very busy. She’s president of the Motion Picture Mothers, which is for all the child actors’ mothers who are, like me, older, and also the ones who are on TV now. I read that your mom celebrated her 94th birthday last week. How is she doing?
JERRY MATHERS LEAVE IT TO BEAVER FOR FREE
This organization helps uninsured and financially struggling patients obtain prescription medicines for free or nearly free. In 2010, he was the national spokesperson for PhRMA and their Partnership for Prescription Assistance program. Jerry, who personally suffers with diabetes, has given back. Jerry was named the most recognized television star by People Magazine. From 1957 to 1963 he was a standard on American television, as so many of us sat and were entertained each week by this very talented young man. And still today, Leave It to Beaver can be seen all over the world. He has spent his entire life entertaining us all.
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And It was an added bonus to get to speak to his lovely wife Teresa Modnick Mathers. What a personal joy it was to interview Jerry Mathers, who played Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver in the hit series, Leave it to Beaver.