Jerry Mathers is best known to fans as the Beaver in the hit sitcom ‘Leave it to Beaver.’ He played the role of Theodore ‘Beaver’ Cleaver from 1957 to 1963.

In 1983, Mathers reprised his role in the television reunion film Still the Beaver, which also featured the majority of the original Leave It to Beaver cast. The success of the television film led to the development of a sequel series of the same title. The series began airing on the Disney Channel in 1984, then went on to be picked up by TBS, where it was retitled The New Leave it to Beaver and ran until 1989.

Mathers has since continued his career in films and television roles. In the 1990s, he guest starred on episodes of hit series like Parker Lewis Can’t Lose, and as himself on Married…with Children. In 1998, Mathers released his memoirs, And Jerry Mathers as the Beaver. On June 5, 2007, he made his Broadway debut with a starring role as Wilbur Turnblad in the Tony winning best musical Hairspray at the Neil Simon Theater.