Remembering Beloved 'Leave It To Beaver' Actor Tony Dow: 2 Years After His Tragic Death

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[Note: Unless otherwise indicated, specific commentary and quotes from Tony Dow are from his direct interview with the author.]

Overview

It's been two years since the tragic death of beloved actor Tony Dow, best known for playing Wally Cleaver on the classic sitcom Leave It To Beaver, died at 77 years old.

A Closer Look

Tony Dow was born in Hollywood, California, in 1945 and began his career on television as older brother Wally Cleaver in Leave It To Beaver, which originally aired from 1957 to 1963.

Dow later made guest appearances on TV shows such as Never Too Young, Murder She Wrote, Charles in Charge, and The Mod Squad.

The actor reprised his character as Wally Cleaver in the TV-movie, Still the Beaver, and in The New Leave It To Beaver follow-up series.

Dow once explained the events that ultimately led to his being cast in the original Beaver series:

"I was a diver and I had a coach named Johnny Reily, who was a nine-times-national diving champion. We worked out at the Hollywood Athletic Club and there was a lifeguard there named Bill Bryant who was an actor. One day, he asked my Mom if I’d be interested in auditioning for a TV series pilot [Johnny Wildlife]. She said 'Ok,' and I put on my blue suit and went over to Columbia Studios and he proceeded to go in and meet with [studio executive] Harry Ackerman and I got the part… but I never acted, nor had any aspirations to act."

Dow also enjoyed a second career in directing, guiding episodes of The New Leave It To Beaver, Swamp Thing, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, Coach, and more.

In Retro Respect

Leave It To Beaver imbues everything good and what ideally is considered the representation of the traditional American family. Yet, too, at its very heart, the series showcases sincere love, representing every form of family however that has been defined over the years and today.

Leave It To Beaver displays several forms of family love and affection, whether it’s between son and mother, father and son, brother to brother, or even between friends. The show hails humanity and encourages respect and dignity for all, and the importance of having a sense of humor.

On and off screen, Tony Dow represented those wonderful elements as well.