Jay North, the former child actor who starred as the titular troublemaker on Dennis the Menace, has died. He was 73.
Following a years-long battle with cancer, the actor died peacefully at his home on Sunday morning, according to an announcement shared by his friend and Dennis the Menace co-star Jeannie Russell.
“Jeanne Russell just called us with terribly sad, but not unexpected news,” wrote Laurie Jacobson in a Facebook post. “Our dear friend JAY NORTH has been fighting cancer for a number of years and this morning at noon EST, Jay passed peacefully at home.”
She added, “As many of his fans know, he had a difficult journey in Hollywood and after…but he did not let it define his life. He had a heart as big as a mountain, loved his friends deeply. He called us frequently and ended every conversation with ‘I love you with all my heart.’ And we loved him with all of ours. A life-long friend of Jon’s, a brother to Jeanne and a dear friend to me, we will miss him terribly. He is out of pain now. His suffering is over. At last he is at peace.”
Born Aug. 3, 1951 in Hollywood, North was discovered after appearing on the Los Angeles children’s show Cartoon Express, which led to appearances on several NBC variety shows, as well as episodes of Wanted: Dead or Alive, 77 Sunset Strip and Colt .45.
Jay North with drawing of him by Hank Ketcham, on the set of ‘Dennis the Menace’ in 1960 (Everett Collection)
At 6, North won a nationwide casting search for his breakout role in the CBS sitcom adaptation of Hank Ketcham’s comic strip. During his time on Dennis the Menace, the child actor was abused by his aunt and uncle, which revealed during a 1993 feature adaptation of the series.
Over the years, North appeared on such shows as The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Lucy Show, My Three Sons, The Flinstones Comedy Hour, Lassie, General Hospital and The Simpsons, as well as movies like Zebra in the Kitchen (1965), Maya (1966), The Teacher (1974) and Dickie Robert: Former Child Star (2003).
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