topic Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver) in TV and Movies

Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

drizzellla — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 17:43:58 GMT

Dear Fans/Friends of Tony:

Thank you for your patience in getting an update out to all of you. As we are sure you can imagine, this has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs as Tony continues his fight with cancer. Tony has been in and out of the hospital with various complications and treatments. He and Lauren have been trying to maintain a positive spirit, though at times this proves difficult. The outpouring of love and concern from all of you certainly helps to ease this, and for that we thank you. We will post again when there is more to report. Until then, keep the good thoughts coming.

Frank and Renee, Tony's Management Team

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

Spurt — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 18:13:59 GMT

@drizzellla

Thanks for the update on Tony....Ill say some prayers for Tony

I work from home and watch LEAVE IT TO BEAVER every morning on METV 7AM CT to 8 AM CT.....

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

ValuSkr — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 18:47:56 GMT

I always liked him. Sorry to hear he's in bad shape. Thanks for the update.

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

Effie54 — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 21:27:17 GMT

They don't say what type of cancer he has or has had.

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

sunshine45 — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 16:04:47 GMT

had the chance to meet him last year at a nostalgia convention.

he was great.....very down to earth and easy to chat with. his wife was very sweet also.

may he rest in peace......and thank you for so many wonderful memories tony!

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

drizzellla — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 16:36:59 GMT

We are so saddened to hear of Tony Dow's passing. The 'Leave It to Beaver' star was 77.

Tony Dow, the actor and director best known for playing the stalwart older brother Wally Cleaver to Jerry Mathers’ Beaver in the iconic series “Leave It to Beaver,” has died. He was 77.

His official Facebook page posted that he died Tuesday morning. “It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share with you the passing of our beloved Tony this morning. Tony was a beautiful soul – kind, compassionate, funny and humble,” read the message from his management team.

Dow and his wife Lauren announced in May that his cancer, which he had been diagnosed with years before, had returned.

Dow was born in Hollywood and his mother was an early stunt woman and double for Clara Bow. He was a Junior Olympics diving champion, but didn’t have much showbiz experience when he tagged along with a friend and ended up auditioning for and winning the role of Wally. “Leave it to Beaver” began airing in 1957 and ran until 1963. 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.

The show’s writers, Bob Mosher and Joe Connelly, based the characters on their own children, incorporating such details as Wally’s constant hair-combing they observed in their own teenagers. As the show came to an end, Wally was about to start college while Beaver was ready for high school.

Dow returned in the 1980s for the TV movie “Still the Beaver” and series “The New Leave It to Beaver,” for which he also directed five episodes and wrote one.

He moved into writing, producing and directing while continuing to act, and helmed several episodes of “Harry and the Hendersons,” “Coach,” “Babylon 5,” “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. Novak,” “Never Too Young,” “Lassie,” “Love, American Style,” “Square Pegs” and “The Love Boat,” on which he played himself. He also played himself in the 2003 comedy “Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star,” which featured cameos of dozens of former young actors, and appeared in the John Landis skit comedy feature “The Kentucky Fried Movie.”

Dow battled depression in his 20s, making the self-help video “Beating the Blues” to help others, and later survived two bouts of cancer. He also became a sculptor and started a construction company.

He is survived by his wife Lauren and two children.

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

sunshine45 — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 16:37:06 GMT

Tony Dow Died: Wally Cleaver on 'Leave It to Beaver' Was 77 - Variety

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

drizzellla — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 16:45:49 GMT

@Spurt wrote:
@drizzellla

Thanks for the update on Tony....Ill say some prayers for Tony

I work from home and watch LEAVE IT TO BEAVER every morning on METV 7AM CT to 8 AM CT.....

I happened to watch an episode today. Beaver lost the money for his haircut. So Wally gave Beaver a haircut. Was such a good episode. Sad that Tony passed.

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

SoCal Bred — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 16:53:21 GMT

So sad to hear of Tony Dow's passing (gee, Wally). Condolences to his family and friends. Rest in peace.

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

golding76 — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 17:03:44 GMT

This news has made me cry. How much I enjoyed Tony Dow and his matter-of-fact way of talking with his little brother. Tony's lips had a sort of puckered shape that had him enunciate in a distinctive way.

Loved the show!

May Tony rest in peace. He and the Cleaver household brought much joy to us.

[I was so upset that I had two typos.]

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

ValuSkr — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 17:05:40 GMT

So sad about Tony's passing; condolences to the Dow family.

Jerry Mathers (Beaver) seems to be the only one left; he's 74. Ken Osmond (Eddie), Frank Bank (Lumpy), and Stanley Farfara (Whitey) are all gone.

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

gidgetgh — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 17:20:17 GMT

I got a little choked up when I heard the news earlier. And I immediately thought of Jerry Mathers and felt for him.

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

Snoopp — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 18:42:12 GMT

So sad to hear this. I knew he was ill but didn't know how bad it was. I always liked him in Leave It To Beaver.

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

Icegoddess — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 20:52:51 GMT

My local news station has posted that his wife is stating that he is currently still living.

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

CANDLEQUEEN — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 20:59:08 GMT

@Icegoddess wrote:
My local news station has posted that his wife is stating that he is currently still living.

Yes, I just read where his wife said he is dying, but not dead yet. He is in hospice in his last stage of life....So very very sad!!!!

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

gidgetgh — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 21:17:02 GMT

Yep, Page Six just reported that he is not dead. His wife "made a mistake". O.....k....

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

drizzellla — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 21:11:14 GMT

I was wondering why his facebook page from early this morning had been taken down.

Glad to hear he hadn't died.

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

sunshine45 — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 21:14:16 GMT

@gidgetgh wrote:
Yep, Oage Six just reported that he is not dead. His wife "made a mistake". O.....k....

yes, very strange.....his wife contacted the person who runs his offical facebook page and told them he had passed away and wanted his fans notified. then his daughter in law contacted them and said he was not doing well, but has not passed and that they were "by his side."

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

ValuSkr — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 21:16:27 GMT

Thanks for the update. It's good to know he hasn't died as earlier reported. Maybe he'll get to read all the nice things that were said about him in the media.

Like Mark Twain's, the report of Tony's death was exaggerated - if not greatly.

Re: Update about Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver)

SoCal Bred — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 23:24:35 GMT

ABC7 reported that his wife Lauren contacted George Pennacchio and said that Tony was under hospice care and near death. His management team wrongfully announced his death in a facebook post which has now been deleted. Prayers for Tony and his dear family.