It is funny how memory works. You probably remember the theme song first—that jaunty, piano-driven tune about living the "good life." Then you remember the butler. Christopher Hewett, with his booming British baritone and posture so stiff it looked like he’d swallowed a yardstick, was the heart of Mr. Belvedere. But as we sit here in 2026, the world looks a lot different than it did when the Owens family was tackling "very special episodes" about AIDS or child molestation.
Honestly, the cast of Mr. Belvedere went through a lot more than just the usual sitcom cancellation blues.
Most people don't realize the show was actually a miracle of survival. It was canceled multiple times and constantly shuffled around the schedule. Yet, it stuck. It became a staple of 1980s nostalgia, even if the behind-the-scenes reality was occasionally more chaotic than a Wesley Owens prank.
The Passing of Two Patriarchs
We have to start with the news that hit fans hard recently. In January 2025, the world lost the legendary Bob Uecker. He was 90. For those who only knew him as the bumbling, sarcastic George Owens, you missed out on the fact that he was actually "Mr. Baseball." Uecker wasn't just an actor; he was the voice of the Milwaukee Brewers for over 50 years.
He actually died from small-cell lung cancer, a battle he kept relatively private until the end. Just a few months ago, in April 2025, the surviving cast of Mr. Belvedere did something they rarely do. They reunited.
Ilene Graff, Rob Stone, Tracy Wells, and Brice Beckham all flew to Milwaukee. They weren't there for a TV reboot or a convention. They were there to honor "Ueck" at a private celebration of life hosted by the Brewers. Seeing the "kids"—now all in their 50s—standing together without their TV dad or their butler was a gut-punch for anyone who grew up with the show.
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Then there’s the man himself: Christopher Hewett.
Hewett passed away much earlier, back in 2001, due to complications from diabetes. He was 80 years old. He was a devout Catholic and a lifelong bachelor who, despite playing the world’s most famous butler, actually found the "servant" typecasting to be a bit of a "terrible bondage."
He was a theater guy at heart. He once performed plays in London while the Blitz air bombings were literally happening outside. That’s the kind of steel he brought to the character of Lynn Belvedere. He wasn't just a guy in a suit; he was a force of nature who once famously stopped production because he—and this is a 100% true fact confirmed by the producers—accidentally sat on his own testicles. Twice.
Where the Owens Kids Are Now
If you’re looking for the typical "child star tragedy" story here, you’re going to be disappointed. For the most part, the Owens children turned out remarkably normal.
Rob Stone (Kevin Owens) basically traded the camera for the director's chair. He didn't want to be the "clumsy older brother" forever. He started Vienna Productions and moved into the world of high-end documentaries. We’re talking about films featuring guys like Martin Scorsese and Ron Howard. He’s also a musician. If you look him up now, he’s a polished, professional director who looks back on his sitcom days with a sort of distant, fond amusement.
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Then you’ve got Tracy Wells (Heather Owens). She’s not Tracy Wells anymore; she’s Tracy Tofte. She stepped away from the spotlight to dominate a completely different industry: Southern California real estate.
She’s a high-performing realtor at Keller Williams. It’s a bit of a trip to think that the girl who played the precocious, easily embarrassed Heather is now the person you’d call if you wanted to buy a multi-million dollar home in Santa Clarita. She’s been married for decades and has two kids. She seems to have navigated the transition from teen star to "regular person" better than almost anyone from that era.
Brice Beckham (Wesley Owens) was the youngest, the mischievous one. He didn't leave the industry, but he definitely moved to the fringes of it. He’s stayed active in the Los Angeles theater scene and has done a lot of voiceover work.
He also co-created and starred in a VH1 show called I Hate My 30s years ago. More recently, he’s been involved in experimental theater and the Namaste theater group. He’s still got that sharp, slightly sarcastic energy that made Wesley the best part of the show, but he’s using it for much weirder, more creative projects now.
The Mom Who Still Sings
Ilene Graff, who played Marsha Owens, is basically the glue that keeps the memory of the cast of Mr. Belvedere alive. She’s 76 now and still active. She’s a singer, a teacher, and a total sweetheart.
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She often does cabaret shows and has stayed very close with her TV children. In fact, if you follow her on social media, she’s usually the one posting the throwback photos or the "mini-reunion" lunch snaps. She was the one who really pushed for the cast to get together to honor Bob Uecker last year. She’s also a Grammy-nominated recording artist for her children’s albums.
The Stuff Nobody Tells You
There’s this weird myth that the cast hated each other. That’s just not true. They were close, but it was a weird set. Christopher Hewett was a perfectionist. On his first day, he walked onto the set and announced, "No gum chewing."
He was 6'3" and 280 pounds. Nobody argued with him.
Bob Uecker, meanwhile, spent his free time trying to annoy Hewett. He would make up fake, insulting stories about the Queen of England just to see Hewett’s face turn red. It was a classic "odd couple" dynamic that bled into their real-life friendship.
Uecker would also literally leave the set, hop into a helicopter, and fly to a baseball stadium to call a game, then fly back the next morning. The man’s energy was bottomless.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you're feeling the 80s itch and want to revisit the Owens household, here is how you should actually handle your nostalgia trip:
- Watch the "Very Special Episodes" First: Most people remember the jokes, but Mr. Belvedere was surprisingly dark for a sitcom. The episode "Danny" (Season 2, Episode 21) was one of the first times a sitcom tackled the AIDS crisis. It’s still powerful and worth a re-watch to see how they handled it with more grace than most modern shows.
- Look Up Rob Stone’s Documentaries: If you want to see what "Kevin" grew up to do, find his work on The History Channel or his film One Vision. It’s a great look at the art of directing.
- Check Out Ilene Graff’s Broadway Work: She wasn't just a TV mom. Her performances in Grease and Promises, Promises are legendary in the theater world.
- Follow the Milwaukee Brewers Archives: Since Bob Uecker's passing in 2025, the team has been releasing incredible archival footage of his calls and his time on the show. It’s the best way to honor the man who made George Owens so lovable.
The cast of Mr. Belvedere represents a specific slice of TV history—the era of the "lesson" sitcom. While the house in suburban Pittsburgh is gone and the journal entries have stopped, the fact that the cast still shows up for each other forty years later says everything you need to know about the "good life" they actually lived.