Tony Dow was beloved by generations for his role as older brother Wally Cleaver on the classic family sitcom “Leave It to Beaver.”
- Died: Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Who else died on July 27?)
- Details of death: Died from cancer at the age of 77.
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Wally Cleaver
Tony Dow was a Junior Olympic diving champion who had almost no acting experience when he auditioned and won the role of Wally Cleaver on “Leave It to Beaver.” The classic family sitcom ran from 1957 until 1963. The Cleavers were the quintessential American family with Dow playing the common-sense older brother to the mischievous Beaver and dealing with his trouble making best friend Eddie Haskell. After the series, Dow made appearances on “My Three Sons, “Love Boat,” “Square Pegs,” and “General Hospital.” He reprised his Wally character for the 1980s TV-Movie “Still the Beaver” and revival series “The New Leave It to Beaver.” He became a director overseeing multiple episodes of the sitcom “Coach,” and the sci-fi series “Babylon 5. Dow overcame clinical depression and made the self-help video “Beating the Blues.”
Notable Quote
“I realize there’s a perceived irony about this.” “You know, the fact that I was in a TV program that epitomized the supposed ideal world of the ’50s, and here I’m suffering from depression. But I’m just one of millions.” – He told the Baltimore Sun in 1993 in regards to his depression
Tributes to Tony Dow
Full Obituary: Variety
