# Has anyone noticed that Jerry Mathers is still alive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [May 30, 2004, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-noticed-that-jerry-mathers-is-still-alive/247744 "2004-05-30T02:28:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gentleman\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Gentleman\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gentleman_John)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-noticed-that-jerry-mathers-is-still-alive/247744/1 "2004-05-30T02:28:10Z")
:dubious: Although I am a guest on this forum, I am compelled to ask a question: When looking over one of the misc. facts that this URL lists (what are the lyrics to Louie Louie) I was hit with the answer provided in one of the first paragraphs. Has anyone noticed that Jerry Mathers is still alive? Under: What are the REAL lyrics to “Louie Louie”? The third paragraph: Jerry Mathers of Leave it to Beaver, who was blown apart in Vietnam (some people think he grew up to be Alice Cooper, but that’s just one of those silly myths), opined that another line is, “I shoot a wad into her hair.” The answer is really moot as the supporting information to that answer had Jerry Mathers of the “Leave it to Beaver” show dieing in Viet Nam… Here are the FACTS: Leave it to Beaver went on air on October 4th, 1957. When it ended in 1964, Jerry finished his high school education and graduated from the University of California, Berkley with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy. During this time Jerry cut two records for A & M Records and traveled with his band “Beaver and The Trappers” for three summers. After college, Jerry began a successful career in banking and real estate development, using his savings from his acting career. A member of the 22nd Air Force National Guard, Jerry dispelled all rumors of dying in Vietnam. Just trying to dispel some inaccurate information. Gentleman John… ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-noticed-that-jerry-mathers-is-still-alive/247744/2 "2004-05-30T02:37:33Z")
Bob Denver wasn’t electrocuted either. Cecil was attempting (and, IMO badly) to be humorous. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-noticed-that-jerry-mathers-is-still-alive/247744/3 "2004-05-30T03:02:38Z")
Cecil actually did it right. If you read the column, [What are the REAL lyrics to “Louie Louie”?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_316.html) He prefaced it with > [@](#): > > Funny you should bring this up, girls. It just so happens that I attended a seance last Sunday and had the opportunity to discuss this very topic with some of my friends from the afterlife. Note the word “afterlife” All bets would be off after that. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-noticed-that-jerry-mathers-is-still-alive/247744/4 "2004-05-30T04:44:00Z")
> [@Gentleman John](#): > > The third paragraph: Jerry Mathers of Leave it to Beaver, who was blown apart in Vietnam (some people think he grew up to be Alice Cooper, but that’s just one of those silly myths), opined that another line is, “I shoot a wad into her hair.” > > The answer is really moot as the supporting information to that answer had Jerry Mathers of the “Leave it to Beaver” show dieing in Viet Nam… Wait, back up the truck. You mean you read this column and only complain about the inaccuracy of reporting Jerry Mathers’ death? I must assume from this that you’re implicitly saying you have no problem with the assertions that Bob Denver and Paul McCartney are dead. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-noticed-that-jerry-mathers-is-still-alive/247744/5 "2004-05-30T06:12:51Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Cecil actually did it right. If you read the column, [What are the REAL lyrics to “Louie Louie”?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_316.html) > > He prefaced it with > Note the word “afterlife” > > All bets would be off after that. > > YMMV. I would tend to agree that one might think it obvious that, for a guy whose reputation is giving factual information, anything he wrote based on what he was told at a séance would necessarily be tounge in cheek. However, this very thread proves that some people just didn’t get the joke. I’d have thought the part about Paul McCartney said to be dead would have made it obvious he was joking, but obviously not to some. (McCartney was still well known; by 1982 most people likely wouldn’t have known if Mathers and Denver were alive or dead.) ---
**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-noticed-that-jerry-mathers-is-still-alive/247744/6 "2004-05-30T15:34:46Z")
I find it fascinating that the people who come here to enlighten us about this _always_ just mention Jerry Mathers. Nobody ever points out that McCartney and Denver are still alive. There must be some psychological reason for this, but I just don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-noticed-that-jerry-mathers-is-still-alive/247744/7 "2004-05-30T21:29:26Z")
> [@Rube E. Tewesday](#): > > Nobody ever points out that McCartney and Denver are still alive. Paul’s certainly still alive, but Denver’s been dead for almost 7 years. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-noticed-that-jerry-mathers-is-still-alive/247744/8 "2004-05-30T22:08:41Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > Paul’s certainly still alive, but Denver’s been dead for almost 7 years. Sure about that? [http://www.deadoraliveinfo.com/dead.nsf/dnames-nf/Denver+Bob](http://www.deadoraliveinfo.com/dead.nsf/dnames-nf/Denver+Bob) ---
**Author:** ![Santos\_L\_Halper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/santos_l_halper/32/1_2.png) [@Santos\_L\_Halper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santos_L_Halper)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-noticed-that-jerry-mathers-is-still-alive/247744/9 "2004-05-30T22:10:52Z")
**Tengu** must be thinking of _John_ Denver, who died in 1997… ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-noticed-that-jerry-mathers-is-still-alive/247744/10 "2004-05-30T23:11:11Z")
Considering the difference in tone between the Louie Louie column and the ones we see today, I have come to the conclusion that it’s **Cecil** who is dead and being replaced by a lookalike. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-noticed-that-jerry-mathers-is-still-alive/247744/11 "2004-05-30T23:28:48Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > Considering the difference in tone between the Louie Louie column and the ones we see today, I have come to the conclusion that it’s **Cecil** who is dead and **being replaced by a lookalike**. …which would put the kibosh on all those nay-sayers who still think Ed Zotti is Cecil. Ed became Cecil’s lackey-cum-editor in 1978. That column was written in 1982. As to Cecil being replaced by a “lookalike”—you mean he’s been spotted??? Where? When?? With all the cell phone cameras out there today, you’d think we’d get photos. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-noticed-that-jerry-mathers-is-still-alive/247744/12 "2004-05-31T16:28:20Z")
Ah, but I didn’t say that the lookalike looked like Cecil. My theory is that he’s the same lookalike who replaced Paul McCartney after he died in that car accident that they sing about in “A Day in the Life.” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2004, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-noticed-that-jerry-mathers-is-still-alive/247744/13 "2004-06-01T13:43:04Z")
> [@Santos L Halper](#): > > **Tengu** must be thinking of _John_ Denver, who died in 1997… Er. Yes I am. :o ---
**Author:** ![Santos\_L\_Halper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/santos_l_halper/32/1_2.png) [@Santos\_L\_Halper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santos_L_Halper)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2004, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-noticed-that-jerry-mathers-is-still-alive/247744/14 "2004-06-02T03:35:20Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > Er. Yes I am. Or perhaps **Denver Pyle** , who also died in 1997… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2004, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-noticed-that-jerry-mathers-is-still-alive/247744/15 "2004-06-04T18:21:46Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > …which would put the kibosh on all those nay-sayers who still think Ed Zotti is Cecil. Ed became Cecil’s lackey-cum-editor in 1978. That column was written in 1982. > > As to Cecil being replaced by a “lookalike”—you mean he’s been spotted??? Where? When?? With all the cell phone cameras out there today, you’d think we’d get photos. See, thats the trick. He never shows up when the film is developed :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Gentleman\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Gentleman\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gentleman_John)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2004, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-noticed-that-jerry-mathers-is-still-alive/247744/16 "2004-06-05T20:00:43Z")
Thank goodness that’s over… I think? I was really curious as to how long “Has anyone noticed that Jerry Mathers is still alive?” would take to run it’s unknown course. My apologies to all for overlooking the obvious. When I realized my error, alas, it was too late… I had already hit “Submit.” Kind-a-like putting toothpaste back into it’s tube. Thanks for being as kind as you folks did. John. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-noticed-that-jerry-mathers-is-still-alive/247744/17 "2004-06-06T00:10:47Z")
> [@Gentleman John](#): > > Thank goodness that’s over… > > I think? > > \ > Thanks for being as kind as you folks did. > > John. :smack: No problem. **But** ----if you _ever_ post in giant heavy letters again, we’ll have **Lynn** break your knees. :eek: