Wally Cleaver, the older brother of Jerry Mathers’ Beaver Cleaver, was still in hospice care as of Tuesday, according to the actor and director.
This article was originally published on July 26, 2022, and has since been updated. NBC News published an obituary for Tony Dow prepared by Variety on Tuesday morning because the actor’s management firm had sent out erroneous information. While in hospice, Dow is still alive, according to this story.
Despite a statement from his management agency on Tuesday indicating he had died, Tony Dow, the actor and director best remembered for his role as Wally Cleaver in the legendary series “Leave It to Beaver,” is still alive, according to his family.
It was announced on Dow’s Facebook page this morning that “our beloved Tony passed away this morning,” however the message has already been taken down.
As of Thursday afternoon, Christopher Dow, the actor’s son, texted NBC News to say that his father was still “on hospice and in his final hours.”
Christopher Dow stated, “He’s surrounded by family and friends.” It means a lot that you’ve been thinking of us and praying for us at this trying time.
The uncertainty was blamed on miscommunication in a subsequent Facebook post by Dow’s management team.
Clara Bow’s stunt double and early stuntwoman mother was Dow’s first exposure to the world of acting. Despite being an Olympic diving champion in his youth, he had no prior experience in the entertainment industry until he went to an audition with a buddy and was cast as Wally.