Tony Dow Dead: 'Leave it to Beaver' Star Cause of Death Unclear

By Grace Vidania

Tony Dow, the actor most known for portraying Wally Cleaver, the older sibling, on the television sitcom Leave It To Beaver, passed away at the age of 77.

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."

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In May 2022, Tony was diagnosed with cancer. He has been in and out of the hospital with various issues and treatments, according to his Facebook page, his fight with the cancer has been "a rollercoaster of ups and downs." Despite the situation, "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."

On the classic family sitcom from the late 1950s and early 1960s, Dow portrayed the friendly, protective Wally opposite Jerry Mathers' Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver (the series ran in primetime from 1957 to 1963, and has played in syndication ever since). The two boys were the kids of June and Ward Cleaver, whose weekly escapades and playful mischief set the tone for sibling companionship of the time (Barbara Billingsley and Hugh Beaumont). Wally was often Beaver's protector against the elder boy's best friend, the two-faced wise guy Eddie Haskell.

Tony Lee Dow, who later switched from acting to becoming a well-known and successful sculptor, was born in Hollywood, California, and initially wanted to be a swimmer and diver. He won the Junior Olympics diving competition before going to a casting call for the program that would become "Leave It To Beaver."