Jay North, the beloved actor who rose to fame as a child in the classic sitcom Dennis the Menace, has passed away at the age of 73.
The news was shared by his friend, writer and producer Laurie Jacobson, in a Facebook post. She shared that Jay North died peacefully at his home on Sunday afternoon, he was fighting with colon cancer for long time. Speaking with USA TODAY, Jacobson confirmed that it was North’s family who reached out to inform her and her husband, actor Jon Provost, of his passing.
Jay faced many challenges during and after his time in Hollywood,” Jacobson wrote. “But he never allowed those struggles to define him. He had a heart bigger than life, truly loved his friends, and never ended a call without saying, ‘I love you with all my heart.’ We loved him just as much.”
Jeannie Russell, who starred alongside North in Dennis the Menace, told The Hollywood Reporter that he passed away at his home in Lake Butler, Florida, after a fight with colon cancer.
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About Jay North
Jay North was born in Hollywood in August 1951, and by the time he was six, he was already stepping into the world of television. His mother, Dorothy, worked as a secretary at the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and helped arrange his appearance on his favorite local children’s program, Cartoon Express. It was there that talent agent Hazel MacMillan noticed him and offered to take him under her wing.
Soon after, North was juggling work as both a child model and actor. During the late 1950s, he landed small parts on several popular NBC variety shows, including The George Gobel Show, The Eddie Fisher Show, and The Milton Berle Show.
His career took a major turn in the summer of 1958 when production company Screen Gems launched a nationwide search to cast the lead role in a television version of Hank Ketcham’s comic strip Dennis the Menace. Although his first audition didn’t go as planned, North impressed during a second try and ultimately secured the role of Dennis Mitchell in 1959.
Before filming began on the first season of the series, he made appearances in various television shows and movies such as Wanted: Dead or Alive, 77 Sunset Strip, Rescue 8, The Miracle of the Hills, and The Big Operator.
Dennis the Menace made its debut on CBS in October 1959 and enjoyed a successful four-season run. While the show brought joy to millions of viewers, Jay North later opened up about the emotional struggles he faced behind the scenes.
In a 1993 interview with the Los Angeles Daily News, North shared that his time on set was overshadowed by personal pain. He revealed that his aunt, Marie Hopper—who acted as his guardian while his mother was at work—was both physically and emotionally abusive during those years.
