The Untold Truth Of Ken Osmond's Sons
Leave It To Beaver star Ken Osmond — who played Eddie Haskell on the show — died on May 18, 2020 at 76 years old. Variety reported that the actor passed away in his Los Angeles home, surrounded by family. While the cause of his death is currently unknown, he reportedly struggled with respiratory problems.
Many are mourning the star's passing, including the Los Angeles Police Department, where he spent 18 years as part of the force. In 1980, during his time in law enforcement, Osmond was shot three times in an exchange of gunfire with a suspected car thief, who was later accused of murdering someone. Osmond only survived the incident due to a bulletproof vest that caught two bullets and a belt buckle that caught the third.
Per the Associated Press, Osmond faced clinical depression following the shooting and was discharged from the force as a result, ending his career as a cop. But that's when he made the transition back into acting, to the pleasure of his many fans. As it turns out, his return to the television screen was not just a career switch for him, it was also a chance for his two sons — Eric and Christian Osmond — to show off their own skills on set.
Ken Osmond's real-life sons played his children on TV
Both Osmond brothers — who are now 49 and 46, respectively — were only 12 when they first starred in Leave It To Beaver. Eric began in 1983, according to IMDb, and Christian three years later in 1986. While Christian jumped straight into the television series when he first started, Eric also got to play a part in the show's movie spinoff, Still the Beaver, before plunging into The New Leave It To Beaver TV series.
Perhaps because of their age differences, Eric stayed on the show for six years total, while Christian played his part for three. And both of their cameos were fitting — they played the sons of Eddie Haskell, who was played by their famous father Ken Osmond.
While that stint seemed to be the end of Christian's short-lived acting career, Eric followed his father's footsteps and remained in the television and film industry until recently. His latest recorded date as an actor was 2017, when he starred in the short film, Fluffy Land! As for Eric, he's taken on a much greater interest as a visual effects editor and assistant editor, taking part in Scooby-Doo! movies, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Captain America: The First Avenger, Thor, and many others.
It's clear the brothers will miss their father, who likely influenced their career choices. "He was an incredibly kind and wonderful father," Eric said in a statement, adding that his father "was loved and will be very missed."