Ken Osmond, who played the iconic role of Eddie Haskell on “Leave it to Beaver,” has passed away. The actor died May 19, 2020, in his home surrounded by family. His rep confirmed the news, and although no cause of death was announced, it was reported that the actor had been ill for some time.

“He was an incredibly kind and wonderful father,” his son Eric said in a statement. “He had his family gathered around him when he passed. He was loved and will be very missed.”

The 76-year-old was born and raised in Glendale, California, and from the time he was young, he always had the support of his family in his acting dreams. His mother initially got the star into acting, and he landed his first role working in commercials as an extra at the age of four. By the time he was nine, Osmond had received his first speaking role and started making guest appearances on TV shows.

Osmond was featured in films such as “Good Morning Miss Dove” and “Everything But the Truth.” Osmond auditioned in 1957 at the age of 14 and landed the role for Eddie Haskell on the widely popular family sitcom “Leave it to Beaver.” The part was originally intended to be a one-time guest appearance, but Osmond’s impressive portrayal of the character made him a staple character. He appeared in a total of 97 of the 235 episodes.

After “Leave it to Beaver” went off the air, Osmond continued to make appearances in TV series like “The Munsters” and “Lassie” before deciding to leave Hollywood to pursue a career with Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in 1970. Osmond told the Chicago Tribune in 1992 that it had been his dream since he was a child. After being struck by multiple bullets during a foot chase, Osmond retired from the force in 1980.

“Ken may have been a famous TV star,” Moore said in a statement, “but his real-life role as Los Angeles Police Officer was where he made his biggest impact,” LAPD Chief Michel Moor said in tribute statement. “After his successful run on one of the most popular shows of all time, he chose to protect and to serve the residents of Los Angeles, and I’m proud to have been able to call him a law enforcement partner.”