UPDATE: On Tuesday afternoon, Tony Dow’s wife told TMZ that she “believed her husband was dead” and told his management team who announced his passing on his official Facebook account. The wife, Lauren, said as of Tuesday afternoon, he is “still alive and breathing while in hospice care” and she’s “distraught” over the error. The Facebook post has since been taken down.
Tony Dow, best known for his role as big brother Wally in the classic TV sitcom “Leave It to Beaver,” has died. He was 77.
His management team announced the news of his passing on his official Facebook page Tuesday morning.
“It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share with you the passing of our beloved Tony this morning,” the post read.
“Tony was a beautiful soul — kind, compassionate, funny and humble. It was truly a joy to just be around him. His gentle voice and unpretentious manner was immediately comforting and you could not help but love him. The world has lost an amazing human being, but we are all richer for the memories that he has left us.”
The post — written by Frank Bilotta and Renee James, who managed the star and called themselves “dear friends” — also thanked fans for their support.
“From the warm reminiscences of Wally Cleaver to those of us fortunate enough to know him personally — thank you Tony. 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. We will miss you.”
He is survived by his wife, Lauren, and two children.
A cause of death was not immediately given.
The actor, who played Wally Cleaver on the iconic ’50s sitcom, was remembered by co-star Jerry Mathers, who played the titular character, Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver.
“It is with the utmost sadness I learned this morning of my co-star and lifelong friend Tony Dow’s passing,” Mathers, 74, wrote on Facebook. “He was not only my brother on tv, but in many ways in life as well. Tony leaves an empty place in my heart that won’t be filled. He was always the kindest, most generous, gentle, loving, sincere, and humble man, that it was my honor and privilege to be able to share memories together with for 65 years.”
“Tony was so grateful for all of the love and support from our fans across the world,” Mathers continued. “My wife Teresa and I send our deepest condolences to his wife Lauren, his family and to all of those who knew and loved him. The world may have lost a star today, but the heavens gained another.”
Dow announced he was diagnosed with cancer on May 5. His wife shared the news and thanked fans for their prayers, but didn’t disclose the type of cancer Dow was battling, according to TMZ.
The Hollywood native’s health issues first surfaced in August 2021 when he was briefly hospitalized with pneumonia.
“Tony’s spirit is positive,” Lauren wrote on Facebook last year. “He gets his daily exercise by walking the corridors with his nurse. If he could only get rid of that darn cough. It’s going to take some time.”
She noted at the time that he had a “violent cough” that was “causing pains on the top of his head” at the time.
Dow starred as Wally, the older brother of Beaver (Mathers), during the show’s original run from 1957 to 1963 for six seasons.
He later reprised his role in the sitcom sequel, “The New Leave It to Beaver,” in 1983. The show aired for four seasons until 1989. The new series followed the Cleaver kids as adults dealing with their family issues.
Aside from “Leave It to Beaver,” Dow found success guest-starring on shows like “My Three Sons,” “Dr. Kildare,” “Lassie” and “The Greatest Show on Earth,” before taking on a recurring role on “Mr. Novak.” He also got behind the camera, having directed episodes of TV shows like “Coach,” “Babylon 5” and “Harry and the Hendersons.”
In 1965, he took a break from acting to serve in the National Guard for three years. He even tried his hand at writing and entered journalism school in the 1970s.
Dow also spent the decade with guest spots on “Adam-12,” “The Mod Squad” and “Love American Style.”
In the 1980s, he took on roles in the projects “Knight Rider,” “Square Pegs” and “Murder, She Wrote.”
The ’90s saw the filmmaker take some time behind the camera. He did some directing work on episodes for series such as “Babylon 5” and “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.”
