Entertainment
‘Dennis the Menace’ Actor Jay North Dead at 73
Actor Jay North
Dead at 73 …
Starred as ‘Dennis the Menace’ in ’60s Sitcom
Published
Jay North — a veteran actor who played the eponymous character in the 1960s sitcom “Dennis the Menace” — has died … TMZ has confirmed.
Laurie Jacobson — a longtime friend of North and wife to “Lassie” actor Jon Provost — tells TMZ … Jay passed away Sunday at his home in Lake Butler, Florida after a battle with colorectal cancer.
We’re told his health started to deteriorate over the past month, and he was surrounded by family — his wife Cindy and her daughters from a previous marriage, which we’re told he “adored” — when he passed.
Laurie says Cindy and her daughters “gave him a family he never had” since he was an only child who never knew his father.
We’re told Jay hadn’t seen his friends in some time because he needed to isolate in order to stay healthy due to his cancer … but, Laurie collected hundreds of letters from fans and gave them to him over Christmas — which she says he was thrilled about.
North rose to prominence during the late 1950s … appearing in bit parts on programs like “77 Sunset Strip,” “Rescue 8,” and “Sugarfoot” when he was less than 10 years old.
Jay gained national recognition in 1959 when he started playing Dennis Mitchell on “Dennis the Menace” … starring in all 146 episodes from 1959 to 1963. His hair was bleached platinum blonde for the part, and he was instructed to claim he was a year younger than he was in interviews.
North opened up about his struggles on set years after the show ended … claiming his aunt verbally and physically abused him when he messed up — even taking him away from prying eyes to beat him when he flubbed a line. He always made it clear his mother and others on set weren’t aware of the abuse at the time.
Jacobson adds, “He had a rough ride in Hollywood– he did not enjoy the experience — he was at a time very angry and bitter that the adults that surrounded him did nothing to help him or make his time easier.”
“Dennis the Menace” was canceled after four seasons … and, North transitioned to voice acting work in the late 1960s, early ’70s on projects like “Arabian Knights,” “Here Comes the Grump” and “The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show.”
TMZ Studios
By the late 1980s, North left acting behind … making limited cameos as himself in the years since on an episode of “The Simpsons” and in the David Spade movie “Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star.”
In more recent years, North worked as a correctional officer in Florida … reportedly helping troubled youth in the juvenile system. He also helped counsel former child stars via the group A Minor Consideration through the 1990s.
Despite his distaste for Hollywood, Jacobson says Jay did appreciate one perk he got from the industry — lifelong friends who were also child stars around the same time including Angela Cartwright, Jerry Mathers, Stan Livingston, Paul Petersen and Brandon Cruz, among others.
Jay was 73.
RIP
Rob Gronkowski
Spikes Idea Of Coaching
… Life’s Too Good!!!
Published
TMZSports.com
Rob Gronkowski won’t be spiking a headset on the New England sideline anytime soon … but if you ask him, the Patriots are better off with their current staff anyway!!
TMZ Sports caught up with Gronk and chopped it up about all things Pats … and he’s super excited about the direction of his old team this offseason.
Of course, New England brought back another franchise great – former linebacker Mike Vrabel – to take the reins … and Gronk thinks the team is making big moves.
“It’s special,” Gronkowski said of the hire. “It got the fans excited, it got the Kraft family excited as well.”
A big part of what’s goin’ well in Gronk’s eyes is free agency – he shouted out the signing of Stefon Diggs as a particularly big move.
“It’s really good for the New England Patriots because they need that number one wide receiver,” he said.
But seeing a fellow player like Vrabel return to coaching isn’t inspiring Gronk … he said his life is “too good” to ever consider going that route.
“I’m just not made for that coaching life, I’ve seen what they go through. It’s one of the most stressful jobs I would say in America,” Gronkowski admitted.
But a few lucky athletes may have a chance to play for Coach Gronk someday … if he ever has kids!!
Even if he’s never returning to the NFL, Rob said he’d consider a Pop Warner or high school gig if he ever starts a family of his own with partner Camille Kostek!!
-
Entertainment8 years agoThe final 6 ‘Game of Thrones’ episodes might feel like a full season
-
Politics8 years ago
Congress rolls out ‘Better Deal,’ new economic agenda
-
Entertainment8 years ago
New Season 8 Walking Dead trailer flashes forward in time
-
Entertainment8 years ago
Mod turns ‘Counter-Strike’ into a ‘Tekken’ clone with fighting chickens
-
Tech8 years ago
Microsoft Paint is finally dead, and the world Is a better place
-
Tech8 years ago
Hulu hires Google marketing veteran Kelly Campbell as CMO
-
Tech8 years ago
Ford’s 2018 Mustang GT can do 0-to-60 mph in under 4 seconds
-
Politics8 years ago
Illinois’ financial crisis could bring the state to a halt