During his youth days, the man was a Junior Olympics diving champion. The pilots we did dealt with Japan going over the quotas of hunted whales and a company dumping toxic waste into the ocean But it didnt work out because the stock footage they were using couldnt be duplicated. Unsurprisingly, a generation crushed on Wally (Image via CBS/ABC) In a since-deleted post on his Facebook page, Dow's death was confirmed: "It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share with you the passing of our beloved Tony this morning. His family then said that he is still alive and probably in his "last hours" at his home in Topanga, California, where Hospice care is being given. The popular black-and-white sitcom, centered around the typical idealized family of the time, followed the adventures of mischievous young Beaver, his practical brother Wally, their devious friend Eddie Haskell, and their long-suffering but understanding parents played by Barbara Billingsley and Hugh Beaumont. It was way ahead of its time. He gave so much to us all and was loved by so many. Anthony Lee Dow was born in Hollywood on April 13, 1945, the son of John Stevens Dow, a designer and contractor, and Muriel Virginia (Montrose) Dow. But what set Leave It To Beaver apart was its perspective, where the comedy focused on life through the eyes of Jerry Mathers (as Theodore Beaver Cleaver), who was seven years old when the series began, and his older brother Wally (Tony Dow). At eleven, Tony landed his first TV role in a pilot, "Johnny Wildlife," followed by the opportunity to create the ever-popular big brother on "Leave it to Beaver", in production for six years. So there are probably some episodes I havent seen yet And there was no swearing on set at all, not even from the crew. Tony Dow, who became a star at 12 as Wally Cleaver, the barely teenage older brother on the popular 1950s and '60s comedy series "Leave It to Beaver," died on Wednesday at his home in Topanga,. That was a major problem. Tony Dow played "Wally" Clever on the classic TV show, "Leave it to Beaver." Youre no longer the cute little kid. He portrayed Wally Cleaver in the iconic television sitcom Leave It to Beaver from 1957 to 1963. The rest is history. Tony Dow, who played Wally Cleaver on the iconic American television sitcom Leave It To Beaver, died Wednesday, July 27th at the age of 77. Personal Life: Affair, Girlfriends, Wife, Kids But he found his passion when, in his 50s, he began doing sculpture, working primarily in burl wood and bronze. But my life was sort of consistently the same. As the show came to an end, Wally was about to start college while Beaver was ready for high school. His father, John, was a general contractor. She said: Tony was such a kind man. I met him when I was 6 years old. ', Aside from portraying Wally Cleaver, the title characters (Jerry Mathers) older and reliable brother, from 1957 to 1963, Dow appeared in many other TV series, including Adam-12, My Three Sons, Mod Squad, Emergency!, The Love Boat, Murder, She Wrote and Knight Rider. He later reprised his iconic sitcom role for 1983s TV reunion movie Still the Beaver and the Disney Channels 1980s sequel series, The New Leave It to Beaver, for which he wrote a 1986 episode. The son of a Hollywood stuntwoman, Dow was a swimmer and a junior diving champion who had appeared in two pilots for a Tarzan-like show that Ackerman produced but never made it to air. His gentle voice and unpretentious manner was immediately comforting and you could not help but love him. It was truly a joy to just be around him. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. When the show completed its original run on ABC in June 1963, his character had graduated from Mayfield High School and was headed for college. And I was with him so I felt at ease. Today, the proud husband and grandfather resides in the Santa Monica Mountains of Southern California where he continues to create sculptures. They shared a bedroom and an en suite bathroom in an immaculately kept two-story house in Mayfield, a fictional, walkable, crime-free and apparently all-white American suburb. He also served in the National Guard though he refused to carry a weapon of any kind and attended UCLA and Columbia University. A post on his official Facebook page from reps Frank Bilotta and Renee James said that Dow, who had been battling cancer, had died Tuesday morning, but that was deleted. She survives him, along with his son, Christopher; his brother, Dion; and a granddaughter. He moved into writing, producing and directing while continuing to act and helmed several episodes of Harry and the Hendersons, Coach, Babylon 5 and Honey I Shrunk the Kids and an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine., After Leave It to Beaver, Dow appeared on series including General Hospital, Mr. Dow famously played Wally Cleaver, the brother of the titular character, in the classic sitcom. In the early 2000s, Tony began to creating beautiful designs produced from burlwood. In his later years he was a director and a producer, did visual effects for film, owned a contracting business and had some success as a sculptor. I on the other hand was the eldest of my four siblings, so I actually was the Wally in my real family.. We had family vacations during the summers and I had my group of friends. FollowingLeave It to Beaver, Dow appeared on such series asDr. Kildare,My Three SonsandMr. Novak and played a character named Chet onNever Too Young, a Malibu-set soap opera tailored to teens. I put on my blue suit and went in. He was my coach, my mentor, my voice of reason, my best friend, my best man in my wedding, and my hero. I was a junior diving champion and held a national record at 9. In David Spades comedy Dickie Roberts, Former Child Star, Mr. Dow sang in the front row of a glee club of former child stars. Leave It to Beaver, which also starred Barbara Billingsley and Hugh Beaumont as the boys polished, suburban-perfect parents, was on the air from 1957 to 1963, but it endured far longer, in endless reruns and as a pop culture touchstone for the baby boom generation. Wednesdays announcement continued, Our heart goes out to Tonys wife, Lauren, who will miss her soulmate of 42 yearsTo his son, Christopher, who will dearly miss his father, who was also his best friendto his daughter-in-law, Melissa, who loved him like her own fatherTo his Granddaughter, Tyla, who will undoubtedly carry on her Grandfathers kind soul, To his Brother Dion and Sister-in-Law, Judy, and to all of his extended family and friends. And thank you for the reflections of a simpler time, the laughter, the friendship and for the feeling that you were a big brother to us all. Tony also has exhibited at the Karen Lynne Gallery, Topanga Canyon Gallery and the Morgan Gallery. Dow was hired for the role in the show Johnny Wildlife about a wildlife photographer and his son. Tony Dow, who personified the role of America's big brother as the elder sibling Wally Cleaver on classic sitcom 'Leave It To Beaver, has died at 77. . "I was a junior diving champion and held a national record at 9. They actually asked our parents not to let us watch the show on TV so we wouldnt get a big head. In this world of innocence, where the boyhoods of Beaver and Tony Dow as Wally (who was 12 when the sitcom began) were the focus, Leave It To Beaver remains a defining comedy at a time when TV families were portrayed as perfect. But after starring in the feel-good family sitcom, Dow kept busy in Hollywood making guest appearances on a variety of TV shows. Dow's death was due to complications from liver cancer, according to The Washington Post. His most recent appearance was in the revival of anthology drama Suspense in 2016. Like other family-themed comedies of that time (Father Knows Best and The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, for example) love and understanding and a happy ending was the recipe for any situation. He was a Junior Olympics diving champion but didnt have much showbiz experience when he tagged along with a friend and ended up auditioning for and winning the role of Wally. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. Its hard to say goodbye when youve known someone that long. Wally is the perfect big brother, Mathers said in a 2006 interview for the Television Academy Foundation website The Interviews. Dow died Wednesday morning with his family at his sideat his home in Topanga. Mr. Dow said in the end that he was no longer troubled by the outcome of his early success. I was working out at the Hollywood athletic club and there was a . He was the best Dad anyone could ask for. As the seasons passed, Wally matured, capturing the attention of adolescent female viewers, but his attitude toward his brother remained largely unchanged. In his 20s, he began to suffer from clinical depression, which he described as a self-absorbing feeling of worthlessness, of hopelessness. Helped by psychotherapy and medication, he became a spokesman for the National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association. A few years later, we both entered the world of Show Business. He was later a director, producer and sculptor, but he never shook his association with the sitcom. So there are probably some episodes that I havent seen yet And there was no swearing on set at all, not even from the crew. The rest of the time we were shooting or rehearsing. I was a swimmer back then and a pretty good one, he said. Tony was a great friend, an incredible artist, a talented actor and director. That was an issue I was faced with. The update came several hours after a since-removed post on Dow's Facebook page stated that he had died at the age of 77. He appeared as a guest star on series like Dr. Dow: It was great. A post on his official Facebook page read: "We have received confirmation from Christopher, Tony's son, that. And he would never squeal on the Beav, unless he had to. I did High School U.S.A with Michael J. If you have anonymity, you can sit in the corner and pout and nobody cares, he said. After a Facebook post Tuesday morning that announced his death and another hours later that said he was still alive, he died on Wednesday. . I realize theres a perceived irony about this, Mr. Dow told The Chicago Tribune in 1993, acknowledging that his name and face were associated with one of the sunniest series in broadcast history. We were both swimmers and divers in those days and we shared the same diving coach, Award Winning Olympic Diver, Johnny Riley. But then they were going to recast Wally. But that changed, especially in the 80s. Exposed to creative parents and a home frequently filled with his parents eccentric and artistic friends, it was no surprise that Tony developed a love for art. However, Dow was more interested in swimming growing up and was a Junior Olympics diving champion, per Variety. He told my mom, Im going to this interview for a show where theyre looking for a father and son. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images. It was truly a joy to just be around him. You always hear stories about all these arguments on set. However, I ended up getting the part and he didnt, so that was unfortunate. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. I was working out at the .