Paul William Petersen, born on September 23, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, is an American singer and actor. He began his career at age 10 as a Mouseketeer on the television series Mickey Mouse Club. His breakthrough moment came when he landed the role of Jeff Stone in the ABC sitcom The Donna Reed Show, which aired from 1958 to 1966. This role catapulted him into stardom and became a significant part of American pop culture. His music career took off during his time on The Donna Reed Show. He released several successful singles, including "She Can't Find Her Keys" (1962) and "Amy" (1963). His most notable hit was "My Dad", which reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962. Paul Petersen also recorded for Motown, releasing hits like "Chained" (1967) and "A Little Bit For Sandy" (1968). He released several albums, including Lollipops & Roses (1962), Teenage Triangle (1963), and My Dad (1963), and More Teenage Triangle (1964). In 1977, Paul Petersen published his autobiography, titled Walt, Mickey and Me: Confessions of the First Ex-Mouseketeer. He was honored by the Young Artist Foundation with their Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement award in 1997 for his role in The Donna Reed Show.
