Tony Dow

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This article is about the American actor, film producer, and director. For the British director, see Tony Dow (director).
Tony Dow
Leave It to Beaver Tony Dow 1961.jpg
Dow in 1961
Born Anthony Lee Dow
(1945-04-13)April 13, 1945
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist.
Topanga, California, U.S.
Occupation
  • Actor
  • director
  • producer
  • sculptor
Years active 1949–2022
Spouse(s) <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • Carol Marlow (m. 1969; div. 1980)[1]
  • Lauren Shulkind (m. 1980)[2]
Children 1

Anthony Lee Dow (April 13, 1945 – July 27, 2022) was an American actor, film producer, director and sculptor. He portrayed Wally Cleaver in the iconic television sitcom Leave It to Beaver from 1957 to 1963. From 1983 to 1989, Dow reprised his role as Wally in a television movie and in The New Leave It to Beaver.

Early life

Dow was born in the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.[3] In his youth, he trained as a swimmer and was a Junior Olympics diving champion.[4]

Career

With a little stage acting and two television pilots as his only acting experience, Dow's career began when he went on an open casting call and landed the role of Wally Cleaver in Leave It to Beaver.[5][4][6] With the exception of the television pilot, for the show's entire run, from 1957 to 1963, he played the older son of June (played by Barbara Billingsley) and Ward (played by Hugh Beaumont) Cleaver, and the older brother of protagonist Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver (played by Jerry Mathers).

Dow (top) with his Leave It to Beaver co-stars (L–R): Hugh Beaumont, Barbara Billingsley and Jerry Mathers, circa 1959

After Leave it to Beaver, Dow appeared on other television shows, including My Three Sons, Dr. Kildare, The Greatest Show on Earth, Never Too Young, and on five episodes of Mr. Novak in three different roles. From 1965 to 1968, he served in the U.S. National Guard, interrupting his acting career. On his return to acting, he guest-starred on the television series Adam-12, Love, American Style, Knight Rider, Square Pegs, The Mod Squad, The Hardy Boys and Emergency!

During the 1970s, Dow continued acting while working in the construction industry, and studying journalism and filmmaking.[6] In 1977, he parodied his role as Wally from Leave it to Beaver in The Kentucky Fried Movie, with Jerry Zucker playing Beaver.[7]

From 1983 to 1989, Dow reprised his role as Wally Cleaver in a reunion television movie and a subsequent sequel series, The New Leave It to Beaver, for which Dow wrote an episode in 1986.[8] In 1987, he was honored by the Young Artist Foundation with its Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award for his role as Wally Cleaver.[9]

In 1989, Dow made his debut as a director with an episode of The New Lassie. It was followed by episodes of Get a Life, Harry and the Hendersons, Coach, Babylon 5, Crusade and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Dow served as the visual effects supervisor for Babylon 5. In 1996, he provided visual effects for the FOX television movie Doctor Who.[10][8]

Dow also co-produced The Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space in 1995, and It Came from Outer Space II in 1996.

In addition to acting, directing, producing and writing, Dow was also a sculptor, creating abstract bronze sculptures. He said about his work: "The figures are abstract and not meant to represent reality, but rather the truth of the interactions as I see and feel them. I find the wood in the hills of Topanga Canyon and each piece evolves from my subconscious. I produce limited editions of nine bronzes using the lost wax process from molds of the original burl sculpture."[11]

In December 2008, Dow was chosen as one of three sculptors to show at the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts exhibition, located in the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, France. He represented the United States delegation, which was composed of artists from the Karen Lynne Gallery. His abstract shown at the Parisian shopping mall was titled "Unarmed Warrior", a bronze figure of a woman holding a shield.[12]

Personal life

Dow married Carol Marlow in June 1969 and their marriage ended in 1978.[13] They had one child, born in 1973. In June 1980, Dow married Lauren Shulkind.[4]

In the 1990s, Dow revealed that he had suffered from clinical depression. He subsequently starred in self-help videos chronicling this battle, including the 1998 Beating the Blues.[14] Dow was also hospitalized with pneumonia in 2021.[15][16][17]

Death

In May 2022, Dow was diagnosed with liver cancer.[18] On July 26, 2022, after a premature report of Dow's death,[19] his family announced that he was at his home in Topanga, California. However, it was reported that he was in his "last hours" and under hospice care.[20][21] Dow died the following day, July 27, at the age of 77.[22][23][24]

Selected filmography

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Actor

Visual effects

Producer

Writer

  • The New Leave It to Beaver (one episode, 1986)[10]

Director

References

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External links

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  8. ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 8.16 8.17 8.18 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  12. ↑ "Tony Dow: From 'Leave It to Beaver' to the Louvre" Archived December 27, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. Los Angeles Times, November 11, 2008.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ GMA Archived July 26, 2022, at the Wayback Machine "Leave It to Beaver: 50 Years later". ABC News, September 19, 2007. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
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