Tony Dow will always be known as America’s favorite big brother, Wally Cleaver on Leave It to Beaver, but his real life was pretty interesting, too. A teen heartthrob in the ’50s and ’60s, he went on to become an artist and director while remaining close to the TV family that made him a star. Dow passed away on July 27, 2022 at the age of 77; in honor of his life and career, let’s learn some fun facts about him.
1. He was a champion diver
Gene Trindl/Everett Collection
As a kid, Dow trained seriously as a diver, and even became a Junior Olympics diving champion. That discipline and physical presence made him a natural in front of the camera, even though he had almost no acting experience when he auditioned for Leave It to Beaver. Dow only went to the open casting call for fun, not expecting to land a role, but ended up winning over producers, being cast as Wally Cleaver despite limited credits to his name.
2. His mother was a stuntwoman
Gene Trindl/Everett Collection
Dow wasn’t the first in his family to work in Hollywood. His mother, Muriel Virginia Montrose, had a fascinating career of her own as a stuntwoman in early Westerns. She even doubled for silent film legend Clara Bow and was one of Mack Sennett’s famous Bathing Beauties. With a stuntwoman mom and a dad who worked as a designer and contractor, Dow’s upbringing was rooted in creativity.
3. He showed his art at the Louvre
Everett Collection
After decades in front of and behind the camera, Dow found his most unexpected calling as a sculptor. He worked in wood and bronze, creating abstract, emotional pieces that caught the eye of critics and collectors. One of his proudest achievements came in 2008, when he was invited to show a piece at the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris. His sculpture, “Unarmed Warrior,” was displayed in the Carrousel du Louvre, an incredible honor for any artist. Dow described his art as representing emotional truths rather than literal forms, and each piece began as wood he found in Topanga Canyon, where he lived and worked.
4. He was a director in his second act
Universal TV/Everett Collection
While many child stars struggled to transition into adulthood, Dow carved out a second career behind the camera. He directed episodes of Harry and the Hendersons, Coach and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He even served as the visual effects supervisor for the sci-fi favorite Babylon 5 and helped with effects for a Doctor Who TV movie in the ’90s. Dow also worked in construction, helped build luxury condos and studied filmmaking and journalism.
5. He reunited with his TV family
Universal Television/Everett Collection
In the late ’70s and early ’80s, Dow teamed back up with Jerry Mathers for dinner theater productions across the country. They even starred together in a comedy play written just for them, So Long, Stanley, which ran for 18 months. In 2007, Dow, Mathers and Barbara Billingsley reunited to celebrate the show’s 50th anniversary with a 24-hour Leave It to Beaver marathon on TV Land. Dow remained close with Billingsley until her death in 2010, and continued to speak fondly of the cast and their time together.
