Gerald Patrick "Jerry" Mathers is an American television, film, and stage actor. Mathers is best known for his role in the television sitcom series Leave It to Beaver , in which he played Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver, the younger son of archetypal suburban couple June and Ward Cleaver , and the brother of Wally Cleaver . Mathers was born in Sioux City, Iowa, the son of a high school principal. His acting career began early. In a commercial for PET Milk, at age 2, he walked into a barroom wearing diapers, six guns, cowboy boots and a big cowboy hat. Vaudeville comedian Ed Wynn was behind the bar... and several cowboy actors began portraying a bar fight. At this point, Mathers walks through the fighting cowboys and one of them picks him up and they all say, "Why are you here?" Mathers responds, "I’m the toughest hombre in these parts. You better have my brand," while he pounds on the bar. His early movies included This is My Love , Men of the Fighting Lady , The Seven Little Foys and The Trouble with Harry .
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