HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – Not a day goes by Henry Lane doesn’t remember his days as a Los Angeles Police Department officer, and therefore, not a day goes by when he doesn’t think of Ken Osmond. As his partner in the force and best friend, the two go hand in hand.

“I got this beautiful email from his sons thanking me for giving their father another 30 years,” Lane said.

The sons were referring to Lane saving his father’s life when he was a police officer for LAPD.

Before he became Lane’s best friend, Osmond played the best friend as the charming and mischievous Eddie Haskell in Leave It To Beaver. Born in Glendale and growing up on the Hollywood small screen, Osmond rose to fame on the iconic 50s and 60s TV show, which later got reprised in the 1980s revival series The New Leave It to Beaver.

While his character and image lived on in syndication and entertained new generations, Osmond went on to protect all generations on the streets of L.A. In 1970, he became an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department, with Lane as his partner.  

On their days off, Lane says he and Osmond spent their time relaxing and restoring old cars. It was one of the favorite hobbies, even later in life when they both retired. When they were at work, though, it was nonstop high adrenaline. And they lived it all together. From working security on films like Speed, to Osmond actually getting shot while on a foot chase with a suspected car thief, a dramatization seen in a 1992 episode of Top Cops.

Lane remembers the details of this chase like it was yesterday. He humbly shares the story of saving Osmond’s life that fateful night. Osmond was shot, and his partner came to his rescue. Lane even got a Medal of Valor for that incident.

Lane says he and Osmond remained close friends even after they both retired. They last saw each other last year for Osmond’s 76th birthday, at the American Legion in L.A.

“Every birthday he never missed calling me and I’d call him,” he said.

Good memories of a great friend. Osmond had a life well lived, with Lane happily alongside for most of it.