Photo of John Eimen
John Eimen

John Eimen, a former child star known for his guest spot in "Leave it to Beaver," died Friday, Nov. 21, a representative confirmed. He was 76.

Eimen died at his home in Mukilteo, Washington, from prostate cancer, publicist Harlan Boll confirmed to USA TODAY. Eimen learned of his cancer diagnosis in September.

Between the late '50s and throughout the '60s, Eimen grew his portfolio, costarring in the children's sitcom "McKeever and the Colonel" as Cadet Monk Roberts. He also racked up guest appearances in shows like "The Twilight Zone." "Have Gun—Will Travel," "The Untouchables," "Wagon Train," "Petticoat Junction," "Bachelor Father," "The Rebel," "The Lloyd Bridges Show" and "Wendy and Me."

Eimen was discovered by an agent in his Los Angeles-area classroom before he was 10 years old. He began working at 6, marking his television debut as a classmate of Theodore Cleaver in the premiere episode of "Leave It to Beaver." He went on to guest star on the show intermittently throughout its run.

In addition to acting, Eimen was also a model. His young face, red-headed and freckled, gained national prominence when he appeared with a white milky mustache in national print advertising for the Carnation Company, a maker of dairy-related products.

Eimen transitioned to a career in music in adulthood, working as a guitarist and songwriter. He later moved to Japan, where he met his wife, Midori. He spent more than a decade teaching English and performing his music in clubs and on Japanese television.

Eimen moved back to the U.S. with his family in the mid-'90s, first settling in West Seattle and later relocating to Mukilteo, about 20 miles north of Seattle. He then began his final career chapter, spending 25 years as a flight attendant on international routes for a major U.S. airline, aided by his fluent Japanese, according to Boll. He retired from the airline at 71 in 2020.

Eimen is survived by his wife of 51 years and their two adult sons, Daniel and Chris Eimen.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: John Eimen, child actor from 'Leave it to Beaver,' dies at 76

Reporting by Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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