LOS ANGELES – Ken Osmond, who was best known for his role as Eddie Haskell on the comedy series “Leave It to Beaver,” has died.
“He was an incredibly kind and wonderful father,” Osmond’s son Eric said in a statement obtained by Fox News on Monday. “He had his family gathered around him when he passed. He was loved and will be very missed.”
Osmond, 76, died at his Los Angeles home on Monday, according to Variety. No other details about his death are currently known, Fox News reported.
The actor starred in “Leave It to Beaver” from 1957 to 1963. Per Variety, Osmond’s part as Haskell was only supposed to be a guest appearance, however, he did so well in his portrayal that he became a mainstay throughout the show’s six-season run.
Osmond joined the Los Angeles Police Department in 1970. He grew a mustache which helped to secure his anonymity. One of his assignments at LAPD included working as a motor officer.
On September 20, 1980, Osmond was shot five times during a foot pursuit of an auto theft suspect. His ballistic vest provided protection from four rounds. However, the fifith bullet ricocheted off of his belt buckle.
As a result, Osmond was placed on disability and eventually retired from the department in 1988, reported the Daily News of Los Angeles. The shooting was later dramatized in a November 1992 episode of the CBS series Top Cops.
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