Eddie: The Life and Times of America's Preeminent Bad Boy

By: Ken Osmond, Christopher J. Lynch

Narrated by: Gary Fearon, Kelly Cruise

Length: 4 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Eddie Haskell was the bad kid who never went away.

When child actor Ken Osmond stepped onto the set of Leave It to Beaver in 1957, he not only entered our living rooms, he homesteaded a permanent place in the American pop culture. The poster child for sneaky, rotten kids everywhere, he was the reference point for cautious mothers to warn their children about. And everyone in America knew an Eddie Haskell at some point in his or her lives.

The amazing phenomenon of Ken Osmond’s character is still going strong over half a century after the show’s cancellation. Even today, the name Eddie Haskell remains firmly entrenched in the American lexicon. Political foes from both sides of the ideological spectrum love to accuse their opponents of "acting like Eddie Haskell", and when Kobi Bryant argues a referee’s call, tweets go out labeling him as an "Eddie Haskell". Psychology Today Magazine has published articles about recognizing and treating "Eddie Haskell Syndrome" and Matt Groening created Bart Simpson as his own version of “the son of Eddie Haskell".

Now it’s time to meet Ken Osmond, the man behind America’s preeminent bad boy. A man who, as co-star Jerry Mathers said, “...was the best actor on the program, because he was so diametrically opposed to the character he played." A devoted husband, father and patriot, he’s a man who’s been forever shadowed by Eddie Haskell, but whose own life was even more amazing than the character he portrayed.

©2014 Ken Osmond and Christopher J. Lynch (P)2018 Ken Osmond and Christopher J. Lynch

good

Loved it !! this story. the narrator is so fantastic it's like your really there!! good overall

Trip down memory lane

Fantastic book; the only bad part is I wish it was longer! I had no idea Ken Osmond lived such an interesting life.

You gotta love Eddie

Eddie Haskell, the myth, the man, the legend. You will love it. The book gives insight into our favorite villian, the guy everybody loved to hate.

WONDERFUL AND CANDID BOOK!

This is my first book review. This book is FANTASTIC...AMAZING! If you are a Leave it to Beaver fan, as I am, and love all their characters and especially Eddie, you will LOVE this book. It is more candid than ANY autobiography I have EVER read, not to mention ENTERTAINING and INTERESTING!!! It held my attention so much, that I got through it on only ONE sitting, which is very unusual for me. You will LOVE it!!!

Good evening Mrs Cleaver that's a lovely ....

I grew up in the 1960s but I remember Leave it to Beaver reruns forever. I was born in 1954 so I definitely relate to the characters I remember the clean cut guys and the letter sweaters and the whole collegiate look. It was a sweeter gentler time to be sure. as much as you want to say that the Leave it to Beaver show was homogenized I remember Ward's talks and some of the advice he gave to his sons. Imagine my surprise when Eddie Haskell turned out to be one of the clean cut guys in real life.He was a representative of what makes America great. he's the kind of upstanding citizen we don't make anymore. I remember my brother going to my elderly Neighbors and shoveling their walks never asking a cent. That's the kind of thing people did in those days. People didn't whine about their circumstances and you always knew who the adults were and who the children were. The book was very enjoyable read and he had some very interesting ways of introducing the chapters by asking an intriqiing question before the chapter began which you would solve by the end of the chapter. Eddie Haskell made Leave it to Beaver realistic and fun. Ken Osmond was nothing like Eddie and lived an exemplary life. He and his wife Sandy gave us two Sons to carry out their All American Legacy. a very easy enjoyable and eye opening read about America's bad boy.

Great Autobiography

Very good autobiography of Ken Osmond, recommended...with great narration by Gary Fearon & Kelly Cruise...Everybody who grew up in the early to mid sixties knows who Eddie Haskell is. He was the wise cracking, butt kissing (to Mrs. Cleaver) best friend of Wally Cleaver and a star on the hit TV show Leave It To Beaver... This was a great autobiography,
I knew Ken Osmond was an LAPD police officer for almost 20 years, and was even shot in the line of duty (but not killed),but I learned a whole bunch of other stuff that I did not know, also a lot of great excerpts from his wife of 49 years until his death in 2018.
So if you were a fan of the tv show I would highly recommend listening to this audiobook. Also it was well narrated.

A book that had to be written

I loved the Leave it to Beaver show and Eddie was my favorite character in the show. I also was familiar with the rumors that swirled around the Eddie Haskell character in the 1970s and 1980s and thought Ken’s explanation of those rumors was absolutely hilarious. That alone is worth the price of the book. I very much enjoyed the book and respect very much the life that Ken led as an actor, police officer, husband and father.

Leave it to Eddie to hit a home run with his story

Very informative about his life , the character and cast members. Despite his bad boy image Eddie made a good impact on some people's lives. RIP Ken.

Eddie Lives

Great time and very informative about an American cultural icon...
Star, hero and... like his father... A Good Man...

Enjoyed it -- especially the first half!!

I love LITB and it was great hearing what the filming process was like from Eddie's perspective!