One of television’s greatest elder brothers, Tony Dow, who played Wally Cleaver on Leave It to Beaver, passed away yesterday at the age of 77. Fans all over the world expressed their final farewell to him.
Wally, who was portrayed by Jerry Mathers as ‘the Beaver,’ was the responsible older sibling who was always giving his younger sibling some words of wisdom.
The core of the wholesome 1950s sitcom was their relationship, and Dow and Mathers also developed a true brotherly relationship.
‘Not only on TV, but in many other ways as well,’ my brother said. Mathers, now 74, paid tribute to his late co-star and friend after Dow passed away.
Tony was Mathers’ brother in many ways outside of television, the actor said in a Facebook post. He leaves a void in my heart that can never be replaced.
‘It was my joy and delight to be able to spend 65 years making memories with Tony because he was always the kindest, most giving, gentle, loving, truthful, and modest man.
Tony was incredibly appreciative of all the kindness and affection shown to us by our followers all across the world.’
After ‘Beaver,’ what?
Beaver aired from 1957 to 1963, and both of its stars matured throughout that time. It wasn’t a major ratings hit at the time, but it has since gained a reputation as a classic TV program because of its wholesome but hilarious portrayal of the ideal 1950s suburban America.
After the series concluded, Dow kept acting, but Mathers took a break to concentrate on high school. He enlisted in the US Air Force Reserve, where he eventually attained the rank of Sergeant.
Although Mathers did not see action in Vietnam, there was a rumor that he had been killed there in the late 1960s.
However, this was untrue. Mathers and Dow parodied their Beaver personas when performing on Saturday Night Live to mock the notion.
While Dow and Mathers were unable to escape the roles that made them famous, they were content to capitalize on Leave It to Beaver’s success throughout their respective careers.
They reprised their roles in the 1983 television film Still the Beaver, which resulted in the four-season revival series The New Leave It to Beaver.
In addition, former Beaver actors Ken Osmond, Frank Bank, and Barbara Billingsley made a comeback for the revival.
Later, Mathers made sporadic acting comebacks, playing supporting roles in several TV series. In 2007, Mathers made his Broadway debut in the show Hairspray.
1945 through 2022 for Tony Dow
Tony Dow said that he had been given a cancer diagnosis in May.
On July 26, the actor’s management team posted a notice on the actor’s Facebook page announcing his passing.
Later, his family made it clear that while he was still alive, he was receiving hospice care and was nearing the end of his life. A day later, Dow’s family formally announced his passing at the age of 77.
Their statement adds, ‘We recognize that the loss of this magnificent guy is shared by the world.’ ‘He loved so many people and offered so much to all of us. ‘It is rare when there is a person who is so universally liked like Tony,’ one fan stated.
Words are insufficient to describe how profoundly his absence will be felt by all of us, but we will all treasure the memories he left behind.
The earth may have lost a star today, but the sky got another, commented Mathers on Facebook, who would always remember his on-screen sibling with affection.
Dow’s demise makes Mathers the final remaining member of the core cast of Leave It to Beaver; Eddie Haskell’s actor, Ken Osmond, passed away in 2020. Hugh Beaumont passed away in 1982 at the age of 72, while Barbara Billingsley died in 2010 at the age of 94.
