LIFE

Wally, Beaver and the Crossdraw Kid

Patrick Curtis
The Crossdraw Kid appears in an episode of Leave it to Beaver, alongside Dow (on the right).


Once again, the fact that The Kid looked younger than his years would play a large part in the coming adventures. A dinner with his parents at their friend, producer Joe Connelly's house in the late 1950s, proved to be another important stepping stone to Crossdraw's future.

Mr. Connelly, along with his partner Bob Moser, created and were producing, "Leave It To Beaver," for Universal Television. During a conversation with Mr. Connelly, The Kid mentioned that he was studying cinema at college, and continuing with his less than stellar — but steady — acting career. Right on the spot, Mr. Connelly, who knew him all his life, said, "Kid, why don't you come to work for us; you can be our utility, jack-of-all trades guy on the set, and also play one of Wally's pals, when we need you. I'm sure we can work around your class schedule, and you'll really learn a thing or two about this business." He then looked him over long and hard and, shaking his head, said jokingly, "You're sure you're over 18?"

"Come on Kid, can't you make yourself a little smaller?" asked director of photography, Max Stengler, as Crossdraw hobbled around the set of the Cleaver's living room on his knees. One of his first utility jobs was to stand in for the kids on the show, when they needed him. Now, however small Crossdraw may have been at the time, he wasn't near the size of 11-year-old Jerry Mathers, The Beaver, even on his knees. Jerry's usual stand-in was a tiny, little woman, who was all of about four feet tall. For some reason, she wasn't there, so The Kid tried to shrink himself as small as possible, while the crew set the lights for the coming scene.

The Cleaver family from the TV show “Leave it to Beaver".

Strict laws govern the number of hours children can work on the set. They must go to school four hours a day, and can only work four hours. And their parents had to be on the set every minute. On a TV series, especially one featuring kids, it becomes very important that everyone cooperate to make sure the school hours are adhered to. Crossdraw, as an adult, didn't have these rules, so they worked him like a dog, doing anything anyone needed, and he loved every moment of it!

The rest of the older kids on the show: Kenny Osmond, who played Eddie Haskell, and Frank Bank who portrayed Lumpy Rutherford, were also good guys. The fact that they've all remained close for so many years is a tribute to the whole "Leave It To Beaver" Family, especially Hugh Beaumont and Barbara Billingsly, who played Ward and June Cleaver. More than anyone, these two made the Beaver set the magical place that it was.

They were all such a close show biz family that The Kid became briefly engaged to the lovely Linda Evans at a "Leave it to Beaver" Christmas party at Tony Dow's house. They met on the set of "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriett." The Kid's engagement present to his newly betrothed was a new breed of dog, a little, black Cockapoo puppy.

The dog hated him.

The Crossdraw Kid along with Linda Evans.

Crossdraw didn't spend all his time on his knees, staring into bright lights. Whenever they needed a young actor to say, "Can Wally come out and play, Mrs. Cleaver?" there was The Kid. When, at a school dance, cute Cheryl Holdridge, who played Julie Foster, would get mad at Wally and wanted to make him jealous, there was The Kid. When The Beaver got stuck in a giant, smoking soup cup on the top of a billboard, and they needed someone to heckle him, there was The Kid. When Lumpy got sick on an amusement park ride and needed an unwitting target, again, there was The Kid. After a while, they even gave his character sort of a name: "Buzz."

When Crossdraw wasn't in college; studying, or drilling with his Naval ROTC unit, he was working utility, playing Buzz, and learning the business of show business from the ground up. Joe Connelly had kept his promise. Crossdraw worked in the editing room; quietly sat in on script discussions, and became an apprentice to the script girl, and to assistant director, Dolph Zimmer. Slowly he was being trained to do something important, he just didn't know what it was going to be.

The education he received would last a lifetime, and helped ensure his future endeavors. So, he just worked hard, kept his eyes and ears open, and as you will see, his mouth shut!

On soundstage 16, next door to the "Beaver" stage, they were making a film entitled, "Wimpy," directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Now it wasn't really "Wimpy," they were secretly filming "Psycho," and it was a very closed set. It may have been closed to absolutely everyone, but that didn't stop the adventuresome scalawags from next door.

Tony, Jerry, Kenny, Frank and The Kid, were innocently playing catch with a beat-up old football, in the driveway between the stages, waiting for their chance. Moments later, two prop guys came out of the stage door. Jerry, who was the nearest, stuck the old football in the doorway so it wouldn't close.

One by one, the motley crew snuck onto the forbidden set. It would make a wonderful story to be able to recount how this band of ruffians arrived just as they were filming the terrifying shower scene with Janet Leigh. Unfortunately, this was not the case. They were, however, rehearsing a scene where actor Martin Balsam is suddenly stabbed in the head, as he climbs the stairs in the creepy old Bates' house.

The gang, standing in the shadows, quietly watched Mr. Hitchcock rehearse the scene several times. He then asked everyone to settle down and get ready to shoot. Next, the most incredible thing happened; Mr. Hitchcock turned, and walked right over to where the boys were sure they were well hidden. He looked them over one by one, then leaned down in front of Jerry, and said, "Mr. Mathers, don't you think it's time for you and your friends to go back to your own stage?"

He was right, and they did.

Tony Dow, left, and Jerry Mathers of the TV show “Leave it to Beaver”.

This was not the first or the last time the boys were asked to leave a closed set, but at least Mr. Hitchcock did it with dignity and a twinkle in his eye. Such was not the case when the studio was filming "The Ugly American," with Marlon Brando. Once again there was a "Closed Set" sign on the door. The boys did what they always did: they once again snuck onto the set, stood, way in the background and were very quiet and respectful.

Mr. Brando was filming a scene, and obviously didn't know his lines. He blew the scene, time and time again. The director, George Englund, finally yelled "Cut," for the 50th time, and asked everyone to take a break, causing Mr. Brando to stalk off the set and run right into the boys.

Now, here's where it gets interesting: In Frank Bank's book, "Call Me Lumpy," he writes that Mr. Brando stormed up to Tony Dow, who was closer to him than the rest of the guys, and totally out of control, yelled, "Get theses (expletive) kids out of here. What do you think you're doing? This is a closed set, can't you read?"

Tony turned to him and calmly replied with an expletive of his own.

And with that, the boys deliberately and slowly walked out.

In Jerry Mathers' book, "... And Jerry Mathers as The Beaver," he recounts that it was Frank Bank who replied to Mr. Brando. Crossdraw, for the life of him, can't remember who said what to whom. But, he's very sure of one thing: He never said one single, solitary word — for a change.