Former child actor Tony Dow, best known for playing big brother Wally Cleaver on Leave It To Beaver, was prematurely announced dead on July 26, 2022. He was not dead, but in hospice care. Unfortunately, the headlines are now true. He has actually passed on July 27, 2022. He was born April 13, 1945 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA. He passed away due to complications of cancer at age 77.
Like Ron Howard, William Shatner, and Leonard Nimoy, he turned from acting to directing.
As a director and a producer, he worked on several science fiction shows. Dow directed one episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, “Shield of Fire,” two episodes of Crusade, five episodes of Babylon 5, six episodes of Harry and the Hendersons, and five episodes of Swamp Thing.
Tony Dow produced two made-for-TV sci-fi movies, It Came from Outer Space II (1996), based on a Ray Bradbury story, and The Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space (1995).
Dow was a visual effects supervisor for Babylon 5, and served in the same role for Dr, Who: the Movie (1996) with Paul McGann as the eighth Doctor.
In the 1989 series The New Leave it to Beaver, he not only reprised his role as Wally Cleaver, but directed five episodes and wrote one of them.
Tony Dow was a sculptor who created abstract sculptures in bronze. His sculptures were displayed internationally.
Tony Dow was married twice and had one son. He and his first wife, Carol Marlow were married in 1969 and divorced in 1980. They had one son, Christopher Dow. He and his second wife, Lauren Shulkind were married in 1980.
He served in the Army National Guard, We thank him for his service.
Thank you, Anthony Lee Dow, for a life of creativity, well lived, and goodnight. May angels sing you to your rest.
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Susan Macdonald is the author of the children’s book “R is for Renaissance Faire”, as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in “Alternative Truths”, “Swords and Sorceress #30”, Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, “Cat Tails” “Under Western Stars”, and “Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid”. Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio’s web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.
