All About ‘Leave It to Beaver’ Star Jerry Mathers’ Mother, Marilyn: Still Alive at 98
Marilyn Mathers may not be a household name, but anyone who grew up watching Leave It to Beaver owes a quiet thanks to the woman who raised its beloved star. While her son, Jerry Mathers, became America’s favorite boy-next-door as Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver, Marilyn was the steady presence behind the scenes, guiding him through childhood fame with a grace and calm that’s rare in the world of show business. The Mathers matriarch turned 98 on May 14, and is still very close with her 77-year-old son.
Jerry had his mother on his YouTube Channel to talk about the early days of his acting career, including how she decided to get him started at age two. She said that Jerry was actually discovered at a department store, while she was shopping for clothes. A woman approached them and asked if she would like to have Jerry model in a Christmas catalog as she thought he was “so cute.”
Marilyn said that after taking Jerry for a quick meeting with the modeling agency, they called and asked them to meet with a photographer on the weekend at Wilshire Boulevard. She shared that she took Little Golden Books with her everywhere when they had to wait so while they waited, she read to him and he kept calm, watching the kids work.
On Jerry’s turn, she said, “He marched right up to the long white paper, he marched right up there to the mark and put his hand in the jacket pocket and the photographer took pictures of that.” The photographer said that Jerry was terrific and asked who his agent was, and Marilyn admitted that he didn’t have one. So, the photographer got him an agent and started working with him for catalogs. She added, “It just went on from there! That’s how his career started.”
Jerry once shared with Fox News about his mom, “She took really good care of me. I know some other child stars had very tough lives, but I had a very good time. I never had any problems with it. I loved going to the studio. It was a fun place with a lot of fun people.”
Over the years, Marilyn has also carved out a meaningful role for herself in Hollywood’s extended family. She’s a longtime member of Motion Picture Mothers, a nonprofit that supports mothers of child actors. In fact, she’s held leadership roles including treasurer and president, helping to organize charity events and provide community support to families navigating the entertainment industry. She may have stayed behind the curtain, but Marilyn Mathers is a star in her own right and it is wonderful that she is still with us.
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