Tony Dow Dies: ‘Leave It To Beaver’ Actor Was 77

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Tony Dow, the actor who personified the role of America’s big brother as the elder sibling Wally Cleaver on the TV classic sitcom Leave It To Beaver, died today. He was 77, and had been battling cancer.

A statement on his Facebook page reads:

“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. 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. 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.”

Dow played the the amiable, protective Wally to Jerry Mathers’ Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver on the quintessential family sitcom of the late 1950s and early ’60s (the series ran in primetime from 1957 to 1963, and has played in syndication ever since). The two boys, whose weekly adventures and lighthearted trouble-making set the tone for sibling camaraderie of the era, were sons to June and Ward Cleaver (Barbara Billingsley and Hugh Beaumont). Wally was often Beaver’s protector against the elder boy’s best friend, the two-faced wiseguy Eddie Haskell (Ken Osmond).

Last week, Dow’s Facebook page noted the actor’s health battles, posting, “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 [wife] 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.”

Dow, who pivoted from acting in his later years to become a noted and successful sculptor, was born Tony Lee Dow in Hollywood, California, and initially set his sights on swimming and diving – he was a Junior Olympics diving champ before attending a casting call for the show that would be Leave It To Beaver.