In Memoriam: Unpublished Exclusive Photo of Child Star Tony Dow

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TOPANGA, CALIF – Tony Dow is still dead. The featured cast member of the iconic 1950s sitcom “Leave it to Beaver” joined the ranks of Mark Twain and Generalissimo Francisco Franco on the list of deaths that were announced before the individual had died. On July 26th, 2022, a rep inadvertently leaked that Dow had passed, after a battle with cancer. His family had to intervene, expressing that he was still alive. Dow officially died on July 27th at his home in Topanga, California.

Exclusive Unpublished Photo: Tony Dow in Chicago, Circa 2018
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

Anthony Lee Dow was born in Los Angeles, and was only 12 years old when he won the role of the Wally Cleaver, brother to the title character on “Leave it to Beaver” (1957-63), growing up in front of millions of TV viewers. He continued to act after the series ended, mostly television, with the notable exception of “Kentucky Fried Movie” (1977), in which he parodied his Wally character.

Tony Dow & Jerry Mathers in ‘Leave it to Beaver’ Photo credit: CBS-TV

The popularity of a reunion film (“Still the Beaver,” 1983) led to Dow reprising his role as Wally in the syndicated “The New Leave it to Beaver Show” which had a healthy five year run. His also was a TV visual effects artist and director, and made his last acting appearance, appropriately, in “Dickie Roberts, Former Child Star” (2003).

Photographer Joe Arce of HollywoodChicago.com captured the above image of Tony Dow at “The Hollywood Show” pop culture convention in 2018.

By PATRICK McDONALD Editor and Film Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com