Cameron Finley
Cameron Finley (born August 30, 1987) is an American former child actor and molecular biologist. While receiving accolades for his work in Hope Floats, Baywatch, One True Love, and Perfect Game, he is most known for his role as Theodore 'Beaver' Cleaver in the 1997 film Leave It to Beaver based upon the television series by the same name.
Also recorded as Joseph Cameron Finley
Cameron Finley
- Name
- Cameron Finley
- Born
- 30 August 1987
- Birthplace
- Garland, Texas, U.S.
- Occupation
- * Molecular biologist
- Nationality
- United States
- Education
- University of California and San Diego
- Languages
- English
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Cameron Finley (born August 30, 1987) is an American former child actor and molecular biologist. While receiving accolades for his work in Hope Floats, Baywatch, One True Love, and Perfect Game, he is most known for his role as Theodore 'Beaver' Cleaver in the 1997 film Leave It to Beaver based upon the television series by the same name.
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Cameron Finley (born 1987) is an actor and molecular biologist, of American nationality. The actor was born in Garland. Cameron Finley was educated at University of California, San Diego. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Cameron Finley • Born — 30 August 1987 • Birthplace — Garland, Texas, U.S. • Years Active — 1993–2000 • Occupation — * Molecular biologist • former child actor
Background
Background
Finley was born in Garland, Texas, the son of Lexa Iann (née Aulgur), a spiritual healer, and Charles David "Chuck" Finley, a software developer. He has two siblings, Taz and Stopher. When he was three, he was taken by his parents to an acting seminar near his home. He continued acting until the age of 13, at which time he chose to quit acting so he could go to school full-time and "be a normal kid". Finley attended Moorpark High School. He graduated in 2010 from UC San Diego with a degree in molecular biology. He currently resides in Brooklyn, NY.
Career
Career
Finley starred in his first national commercial, for Shell Oil, when he was three years old and living with his family in the Dallas suburb of Garland, Texas. He also featured in commercials for such companies as Taco Bell, Shout, and Brink's Security. Finley acted in the films What's Eating Gilbert Grape, A Perfect World, 8 Seconds, and appeared as a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on three occasions. In 1997, after beating out more than 5,000 other boys in a nationwide search, Finley played the title character in the Leave It to Beaver film. He then appeared in Hope Floats as Travis, a sad child who dresses up as a dozen different characters ranging from Barney the Dinosaur to Charlie Chaplin. In 1995 Finley was one of the 3,000 actors that auditioned for the role of young Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Finley also starred in the 2000 direct-to-video Disney movie Perfect Game, in which he played Kanin, a boy driven by the ghost of his deceased father to show that he can play baseball as well as anyone on the championship Little League team. Since leaving acting in 2000, Cameron graduated from high school and went to study at the University of California, San Diego. He has worked as a researcher in molecular biology, and has published a number of academic research articles in his field.
Television
Television
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1994 — Heaven & Hell: North & South, Book III — Gus — TV miniseries • 1995 — A — Drew #1 — TV miniseries • 1995 — Coach — Angry Child — Episode: "Is It Hot in Here, or Is It Me?: Part 2" • 1995 — Walker, Texas Ranger — Little Phil / Zack Jamison — 2 episodes • 1995 — Deadly Family Secreets — Timothy Pick — TV film • 1996 — Don't Look Back — Jeremy — TV film • 1996 — Touched by an Angel — Matt — Episode: "The Violin Lesson" • 1998 — The — Spencer Lionheart — Voice, main role • 1998 — Ghosts of Fear Street — Mickey — Television film • 1998-99 — Baywatch — Tanner Sloan — Recurring role • 1999 — Three Secrets — Spencer — TV film • 1999 — Streets of Laredo — Ben Parker — TV miniseries • 2000 — One True Love — Corey — TV film • 2000 — Perfect Game — Kanin 'Canine' Crosby — TV film • 2000 — Time Share — Max Weiland — TV film • 2000 — Static Shock — Second Boy — Voice, episode: "Child's Play"
Film
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1993 — What's Eating Gilbert Grape — Doug Carver • 1993 — A — Bob Fielder Jr. • 1994 — 8 Seconds — Young Lane Frost • 1995 — Takedown • 1997 — Leave It to Beaver — Theodore 'Beaver' Cleaver • 1998 — Hope Floats — Travis
Awards and nominations
• 1998, won Lone Star Film & Television Awards 'Rising Star Actor' • 1998, The Hollywood Reporter YoungStar Awards nomination for 'Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Comedy Film' for Leave It to Beaver • 1998, The Hollywood Reporter YoungStar Awards nomination for 'Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Comedy Film' for Hope Floats • 1998, Young Artist Awards nomination for 'Best Performance in a Feature Film - Young Actor Age Ten or Under' for Leave It to Beaver • 1999, Young Artist Awards nomination for 'Best Performance in a Feature Film - Young Actor Age Ten or Under' for Hope Floats • 2000, Young Artist Awards nomination for 'Best Performance in a TV Drama Series - Supporting Young Actor' for Baywatch • 2001, Young Artist Awards nomination for 'Best Performance in a TV Movie (Drama) - Supporting Young Actor' for One True Love • 2001, Won 'Best Child Actor' at International Family Film Festival (formerly Santa Clarita International Film Festival) for Perfect Game
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Cameron Finley bio. The New York Times.
- 2.Cameron Finley filmography. The New York Times.
- 3.Cameron Finley Biography (1987-).
- 4.Cameron Finley Biography – Yahoo! Movies.
- 5.Caro, Mark. Leave It to Cameron. Star-News via Chicago Tribune. 5D. August 22, 1997.
- 6.Boy Gets 'Beaver' Title Role. The Day. A14. May 27, 1996.
- 7.Universal Leaves 'Beaver' Role To Texas Boy. Orlando Sentinel. Associated Press. 29. June 7, 1996.
- 8.Gire, Dann. Acting, laser tags, whatever; when you're 10, anything's possible. Daily Herald. 28 (Time Out). August 22, 1997.
- 9.Words of wisdom from Garland's Cameron Finley. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 1 (Life & Arts). August 22, 1997.
- 10.Finding Anakin - auditions for Star Wars Episode I. YouTube cbignore.
- 11.Hettrick, Scott. A Kid's Idea Of A Perfect Game. South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Los Angeles Times Syndicate. 13. June 9, 2000.
- 12.J Cameron Finley's research while affiliated with University of California, San Diego and other places, ResearchGate.net, accessed 18 May 2020
- 13.Sumner, Jane. Awards spangled up in fun. Dallas Morning News. July 11, 1999.
- 14.Nominations for the 3rd Annual The Hollywood Reporter YoungStar Awards. Business Wire. September 17, 1998.
- 15.Young Artist Awards. Nineteenth Annual Youth in Film Awards, 1996-1997.
- 16.Young Artist Awards. 20th Annual Youth in Film Awards, 1997-1998.
- 17.Young Artist Awards. Twentyfirst Annual Young Artist Awards, 1998-1999.
- 18.Young Artist Awards. Twenty-Second Annual Young Artist Awards, 1999-2000.
- 19.Santa Clarita International Film Festival. International Family Film Festival 2001 Winners.
References
Citations
References
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