But the role fans remember most was Cadet Monk Roberts in McKeever and the Colonel. Although the show only lasted one season, it left an impression. Eimen was delighted that so many still remembered it, noting the surprising amount of merchandise it inspired — even a board game.
As he grew older, Eimen gently stepped away from acting, drawn instead to music and theater. Studying at Valley Junior College, he found himself surrounded by peers he deeply admired — including Ed Begley Jr. and Michael Richards (“Kramer”), saying he was “in awe of him.” That environment helped him realize where he felt most at home artistically.
Music led him around the world — performing in supper clubs around Beverly Hills, playing in a garage band with Stanley Fafara (“Whitey” from Leave It to Beaver), and even backing Sonny and Cher on New Year’s Eve. And then life took a beautiful turn: a blind date with a Japanese student changed everything. Eimen traveled to Japan intending to stay for a month, but instead married Midori in a Shinto ceremony and lived there for 10 years.
Those years were full of reinvention. He taught English, performed weekly as a singer-guitarist, once appeared on Japanese TV, and even translated comic books for Kodansha. “As my Japanese got better, other opportunities came up,” he wrote.
Worked as a flight attendant
When the family returned to the U.S. in 1985, Eimen worked grueling jobs aboard factory trawlers in the Bering Sea before transitioning to a major law firm. Then a chance opportunity appeared — Northwest Airlines was hiring Japanese-speaking flight attendants. Eimen joined in 1995 and spent the next 25 years flying international routes.
He called that chapter one of the greatest blessings of his life, writing, “The most wonderful aspect of it has been that I’ve gone so many places on my days off with my family.”
Despite all his adventures, Eimen’s memories of his child-actor days remained overwhelmingly positive. He was grateful for the experiences and even more grateful that he avoided the darker paths many child stars faced. “I’m so happy that wasn’t me!!!” he reflected.
John Eimen is survived by his wife of 51 years, Midori; sons Daniel and Chris; and grandsons Lucas and Oliver. A memorial service is being planned.
For fans who grew up watching Leave It to Beaver and classic ’50s and ’60s TV, his passing marks the end of a chapter — but the warmth, innocence, and nostalgia he brought to screens lives on in every rerun.
