Leave It To Beaver’s Tony Dow Obituaries Published After False Death Announcement By Reps

Leave It to Beaver's Tony Dow in 1961 (Image: ABC)

Obituaries and tributes poured out in support of the Leave It To Beaver actor Tony Dow yesterday when his representatives and family announced his death by mistake when the actor in fact remains alive.

His son Christopher Dow later clarified, however, that Dow is “at home, under hospice care, and in his last hours.” Last year, the actor had been briefly hospitalized with pneumonia. He also was diagnosed with cancer after surviving it years prior this past May.

This isn’t the first time a Hollywood celebrities has been on the receiving end of false death report. Abe Vigoda, an actor known for The Godfather and Barney Miller, was famously accidentally reported dead by People magazine in 1982 at the age of 60, kickstarting a running gag the actor played into for years after. Other figures from Taylor Swift to Steve Jobs were also erroneously reported to have died.

The Facebook announcement posted to Tony Dow’s official page prompted obituaries to run in major news outlets before the gaffe was announced. His co-star and onscreen younger brother in Leave It To Beaver, Jerry Mathers also wrote a tribute to him online.

“He was not only my brother TV, but in many ways in life as well,” Mathers wrote. “He was always the kindest most generous, gentle, loving, sincere, and humble man.”

This accident goes to show that we shouldn’t save kind words for our friends and idols until they pass away.

Since performing in Leave It To Beaver, Dow also served in the national guard, worked as a television writer, director and visual effects supervisor, and has been since living a quiet life in the Santa Monica Mountains where he delved deeper into his passion for sculpting.

He was profiled by The Arizona Republic in 2017 and reflected on starring in a classic hit show. “I’m much more appreciative of the show. I was not unappreciative, but I was always a little rebellious,” Dow said. “I learned it’s ok for me not to be assertive, especially now. I’m perfectly happy making sculpture and living where we live.”