Tony Dow, who played Wally Cleaver on ‘Leave It to Beaver,’ dead at 77

A famous older brother from television has passed away: Tony Dow, who is best remembered for his role as Wally Cleaver in the venerable sitcom Leave It to Beaver, has passed away at the age of 77 after a battle with cancer.

Dow’s death was mistakenly publicised on his official Facebook page by the actor’s management team, which led to yesterday’s premature reporting of the news.

The actor was still alive, but Dow’s family made it clear that he was in his “final hours.”

In a statement, his son Christopher Dow said, “This is a terrible moment. “Dad is receiving hospice care at home and is in his final hours. Along with numerous friends who have stopped by, my wife and I are by his side. He has a strong will.

According to the actor’s wife Lauren Dow, there was a “miscommunication” when she “inferred” that the actor had passed away to those close to her.

Following official confirmation from the actor’s family this afternoon, Dow’s management posted an update on his Facebook account saying the actor had passed away.

Their statement adds, “We recognise 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.

Born in Hollywood on April 13, 1945, Dow rose to fame at an early age after landing a role in Leave It to Beaver, one of the most popular and memorable sitcoms of the time.

Dow portrayed Wally Cleaver, the son of Ward and June Cleaver and the All-American older brother of the main character Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver (played by Jerry Mathers).

In May, Dow revealed that he had been given a cancer diagnosis.

His wife Lauren Shulkind said in a Facebook post, “He is handling this reality so valiantly, but it is terribly terrible.

In an interview with the Television Academy Foundation in 2006, Mathers declared that Wally was the ideal big brother. “He is a champion in both basketball and football. He follows all the rules exactly. Huge letterman, he is. On every assignment, he receives As. Each one adores him.

According to the Washington Post, Dow initially had no interest in acting and instead concentrated on sports. However, after a buddy invited him to go with him to an audition for the TV show Johnny Wildlife, Dow was eventually placed in the show.