Jay North obit

Jay North, TV's Dennis the Menace, Dies at 73

 

He was not on the list.

Jay North, known to TV lovers as the star of "Dennis the Menace," died Sunday after many years of battling cancer. He was 73.

His passing was first announced by lifelong friend Jeannie Russell, who played Dennis' playmate Margaret Wade on the series.

Other former child stars, including "My Three Sons" actor Barry Livingston and "Lassie's" Jon Provost, chimed in to mourn the performer, with Provost calling him an "original and dear friend."

North was born August 3, 1951, in Hollywood. By age 8 (TV publicists encouraged him to say he was a year younger), he was known all over the country for playing mischievous Dennis on the TV version of the popular comic strip.

The show lasted from late 1959 until 1963, during which time his mom dutifully saved his earnings. He did later condemn the behavior of his aunt, whom he accused of physical and mental abuse, complicating his feelings toward his star-making turn on the show.

The show lost favor with viewers and North became a victim of having aged out of the business. Having made many TV guest spots, often cross-over promotion for "Dennis," as well as a handful of films, going forward, he struggled.

He appeared in "Zebra in the Kitchen" (1965) and "Maya" (1966), then had a long dry spell. During this period, he did dinner theater and voice work, including as a teen Bamm-Bamm on the animated "Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show" (1971-1972).

His final starring role was in the thriller "The Teacher" in 1974.

North enlisted in the Navy and did later make a few more acting appearances, including on "General Hospital" (1982).

The victim of one of the first widespread death hoaxes in 1988, he channeled that and other absurdities of having been a famous kid in an appearance in "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star" in 2003.

Married three times, he is survivied by his wife of 30-plus years, Cindy, and by three stepdaughters.

Actor

David Spade in Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003)

Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star

5.6

Jay North

2003

 

Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, and Yeardley Smith in The Simpsons (1989)

The Simpsons

8.7

TV Series

Jay North (voice)

1999

1 episode

 

Anne Bloom, Danny Breen, Mitchell Laurance, Stuart Pankin, and Lucy Webb in Not Necessarily the News (1982)

Not Necessarily the News

7.5

TV Series

Jay North

1987

1 episode

 

Dale Cummings, George Montgomery, and Jay North in Wild Wind (1985)

Wild Wind

4.5

Captain Schofield

1985

 

Gary Coleman in Scout's Honor (1980)

Scout's Honor

5.9

TV Movie

Grogan's Dad

1980

 

Fred Flintstone and Friends

6.6

TV Series

(voice)

1977

 

Angel Tompkins in The Teacher (1974)

The Teacher

4.7

Sean Roberts

1974

 

Jon Provost, Tommy Rettig, Lassie the Dog, and Lassie in Lassie (1954)

Lassie

6.5

TV Series

Jim

1973

1 episode

 

Lassie: Joyous Sound

5.3

TV Movie

Jim (Curly-Haired Surfer)

1973

 

The Flintstone Comedy Hour (1972)

The Flintstone Comedy Hour

6.4

TV Series

Bamm-Bamm Rubble

1972

2 episodes

 

The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show (1971)

The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show

5.6

TV Series

Bamm-Bamm Rubble (voice)

1971–1972

16 episodes

 

The Krofft Puppets in The Banana Splits Adventure Hour (1968)

The Banana Splits Adventure Hour

7.3

TV Series

Prince Turhan (voice)

1968–1970

9 episodes

 

Here Comes the Grump (1969)

Here Comes the Grump

7.3

TV Series

Terry Dexter (voice)

1969–1970

34 episodes

 

Arabian Knights (1968)

Arabian Knights

7.4

TV Series

Prince Turhan (voice)

1968–1969

18 episodes

 

Maya (1967)

Maya

7.6

TV Series

Terry Bowen

1967–1968

18 episodes

 

Jericho (1966)

Jericho

7.4

TV Series

Eric Hovstad

1966

1 episode

 

William Frawley, Don Grady, Stanley Livingston, and Fred MacMurray in My Three Sons (1960)

My Three Sons

7.1

TV Series

Dave Welch Jr.

Jeff Welch

1966

2 episodes

 

Maya (1966)

Maya

6.3

Terry Bowen

1966

 

Lucille Ball in The Lucy Show (1962)

The Lucy Show

7.2

TV Series

Wendell Mooney

1966

1 episode

 

Robert Vaughn, Leo G. Carroll, and David McCallum in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964)

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

7.7

TV Series

Bartlett Warshowsky

1965

1 episode

 

Andy Devine, Joyce Meadows, Martin Milner, and Jay North in Zebra in the Kitchen (1965)

Zebra in the Kitchen

5.3

Chris Carlyle

1965

 

John McIntire in Wagon Train (1957)

Wagon Train

7.5

TV Series

Tom Blake

1964

1 episode

 

Jay North in Dennis the Menace (1959)

Dennis the Menace

7.0

TV Series

Dennis Mitchell

1959–1963

146 episodes

 

Finola Hughes, Maurice Benard, Steve Burton, Genie Francis, Kelly Monaco, Laura Wright, Donnell Turner, Tanisha Harper, Josh Kelly, Eden McCoy, Josh Swickard, and Tabyana Ali in General Hospital (1963)

General Hospital

6.6

TV Series

Al Barker

1963

 

Red Skelton in The Red Skelton Hour (1951)

The Red Skelton Hour

8.1

TV Series

Rich Little Boy

Dennis 'the Menace' Mitchell

1960–1961

2 episodes

 

Pepe (1960)

Pepe

5.4

Dennis the Menace (as Jay 'Dennis the Menace' North)

1960

 

Shelley Fabares, Donna Reed, Carl Betz, and Paul Petersen in The Donna Reed Show (1958)

The Donna Reed Show

7.4

TV Series

Dennis Mitchell

1960

1 episode

 

The Detectives (1959)

The Detectives

7.4

TV Series

Bobby Cooper

1959

1 episode

 

The Big Operator (1959)

The Big Operator

6.4

Timmy Gibson

1959

 

The Miracle of the Hills (1959)

The Miracle of the Hills

7.1

Davey Leonard

1959

 

Sugarfoot (1957)

Sugarfoot

7.4

TV Series

Bobby

1959

1 episode

 

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1958)

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

7.8

TV Series

Fred Martin's Son

1959

1 episode

 

Lang Jeffries in Rescue 8 (1958)

Rescue 8

7.9

TV Series

Jimmy Mason

1959

1 episode

 

Edd Byrnes, Roger Smith, and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. in 77 Sunset Strip (1958)

77 Sunset Strip

7.7

TV Series

Timmy Wilson

1959

1 episode

 

Steve McQueen in Wanted: Dead or Alive (1958)

Wanted: Dead or Alive

8.0

TV Series

Laddie Stone

1958

1 episode

 

Soundtrack

David Spade in Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003)

Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star

5.6

Soundtrack ("Child Stars on Your Television")

2003

 

Maya (1967)

Maya

7.6

TV Series

performer: "Old MacDonald Had a Farm"

1967–1968

2 episodes

 

Jay North in Dennis the Menace (1959)

Dennis the Menace

7.0

TV Series

performer: "Silent Night, Holy Night"

performer: "Silent Night"

performer: "For Mr. Wilson's A Jolly Good Fellow"

1959–1961

4 episodes

 

Self

Stu's Show (2006)

Stu's Show

6.5

Podcast Series

Self - Guest

2011

1 episode

 

The Actor's Journey (2011)

The Actor's Journey

Video

Self

2011

 

The Actor's Journey for Kids (2011)

The Actor's Journey for Kids

Video

Self

2011

 

Adam West and Ralph Garman in Living in TV Land (2004)

Living in TV Land

6.1

TV Series

Self

2006

1 episode

 

E! True Hollywood Story (1996)

E! True Hollywood Story

6.5

TV Series

Self

2000

1 episode

 

Vicki Lawrence in Vicki! (1992)

Vicki!

5.8

TV Series

Self

1993

1 episode

 

Sally Jessy Raphael in Sally Jessy Raphael (1983)

Sally Jessy Raphael

4.4

TV Series

Self - Guest

1993

1 episode

 

Our Time

4.8

TV Series

Self

1985

1 episode

 

Merv Griffin in The Merv Griffin Show (1962)

The Merv Griffin Show

6.6

TV Series

Self

1967–1971

2 episodes

 

The Fantastic Plastic Machine (1969)

The Fantastic Plastic Machine

7.2

Narrator

1969

 

"Dating Game, The" Paul Lynde C. 1967

The Dating Game

5.7

TV Series

Self - Guest star contestant

1969

1 episode

 

It's Happening

7.6

TV Series

Self

Self - Celebrity Judge

1968

3 episodes

 

Paul Lynde in The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) (1965)

The Hollywood Squares (Daytime)

6.8

TV Series

Self - Panelist

1967

5 episodes

 

The 36th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

TV Special

Self

1962

 

Lucille Ball and Art Linkletter in The Linkletter Show (1952)

The Linkletter Show

6.8

TV Series

Self

1961

1 episode

 

Ernest Borgnine and Ben Alexander in About Faces (1959)

About Faces

5.7

TV Series

Self

1961

1 episode

 

Here's Hollywood (1960)

Here's Hollywood

8.6

TV Series

Self

1960

1 episode

 

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (1956)

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show

8.0

TV Series

Self

1960

2 episodes

 

I've Got a Secret (1952)

I've Got a Secret

7.9

TV Series

Self - Guest Star

1960

1 episode

 

Ed Sullivan in The Ed Sullivan Show (1948)

The Ed Sullivan Show

7.9

TV Series

Self

1960

1 episode

 

The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show (1956)

The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show

7.8

TV Series

Self - Actor

1959

2 episodes

 

Archive Footage

Ed Sullivan in The Best of the Ed Sullivan Show (1992)

The Best of the Ed Sullivan Show

8.1

TV Series

Self (archive footage)

1992

1 episode