Tony Dow
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| Tony Dow | |
 Tony Dow, circa 1963 |
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| Birth name | Tony Lee Dow |
| Born | April 13, 1945 (age 61) Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA, USA |
| Spouse(s) | Carol M. Marlow Lauren C. Shulkind |
| Official site | None |
| Notable roles | Wallace Cleaver in Leave it to Beaver (TV) |
Tony Lee Dow (born April 13, 1945 in Hollywood, California), is an American film producer, director and TV child actor of the 1950s and 1960s.
Dow is best known for his role in the early TV sit-com Leave it to Beaver (1957-1963), in which he starred as Wallace "Wally" Cleaver in a somewhat idealized family. His steady girlfriend on the show was Mary-Ellen Rogers whom he often romanced in maltshops. His character was crafted as having the attributes of the all-American sports-minded big brother.
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[edit] Biography
Dow's mother, Muriel Montrose, was a stuntwoman in early Westerns, Clara Bow's movie double and a Mack Sennett Bathing Beauty. In his youth, Dow was a junior Olympics diving champion.
[edit] Career
Tony Dow won the role of Wally Cleaver in a casting call with almost no previous acting experience.
Dow's post-Beaver years were busy with roles on a number of TV shows, including the serials Never Too Young and General Hospital and guest spots on many 60's episodic shows such as Mr. Novak and Dr. Kildare.
Dow eventually went into the construction business in addition to studying journalism and filmmaking.
In recent years he has acted occasionally (most notably in Beaver reunions), and has become quite successful behind the scenes as a producer and director. Recently Dow has directed episodes of USA Network's series Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family.
Tony Dow continues, in many cases with Jerry Mathers, to make public appearances acknowledging his Leave it to Beaver heritage.
[edit] Personal life
In 1965 he joined the National Guard, serving until 1968.
In the 70s, he attended journalism school while working in contracting and construction.
He graduated from Van Nuys High School in 1963.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he re-teamed with Leave It to Beaver co-star Jerry Mathers and performed in dinner theatres.
Tony Dow's son, Christopher T. Dow, by Carol Marlow, was born on March 26, 1973.
[edit] Select filmography
- See the complete Tony Dow filmography at IMDB
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Leave it to Beaver 1957-1963 (TV) |
Wallace Cleaver |
| 1965 | Never Too Young 1965-1966 (TV) |
Chet |
| 1975 | General Hospital (TV) |
Ross Jeanelle |
| 1977 | The Kentucky Fried Movie | Wally (Courtroom segment) |
| 1983 | High School USA (TV) |
Principal Pete Kinney |
| 1985 | Still the Beaver 1985-1989 (TV) |
Wallace Cleaver |
| 1987 | Back to the Beach | Judge #1 |
| 1995 | The Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space |
Producer |
| 2003 | Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star | Himself |
[edit] External links
- Tony Dow at the Internet Movie Database
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