What happened to Tony Dow? Here's the TRUTH behind rumors of 'Leave it to Beaver' star's death at 77
Update: A day after it was reported that Tony Dow is in hospice care and was mistakenly reported dead, news comes of the actor's death. The news of his demise was confirmed by his family including his wife Lauren Shulkind and their son Christopher.
A new statement made on the actor's Facebook page on Wednesday, July 26, from his management reads, "We have received confirmation from Christopher, Tony’s son, that Tony passed away earlier this morning, with his loving family at his side to see him through this journey."
He had been diagnosed with liver cancer in May.
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Three months after he was diagnosed with cancer, ‘Leave it to Beaver’ star Tony Dow is now under hospital care. On Tuesday, July 26, the news of Dow's death went viral on the Internet. However, it was later clarified that the 77-year-old actor was alright.
In May, the actor and his wife Lauren Shulkind released a joint statement disclosing the "very sad news" of his cancer diagnosis. No details were given. "Dear Friends & Fans of Tony Dow, I have some very sad news to share with you. Unfortunately, Tony has once again been diagnosed with cancer. He is approaching this reality so bravely, but it is truly heartbreaking," the statement read.
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TMZ published that Dow's wife thought her husband was dead and informed his manager, which resulted in a statement being posted to the star's official Facebook page.
An updated announcement was posted soon. “This morning Tony’s wife Lauren, who was very distraught, had notified us that Tony had passed and asked that we notify all his fans. As we are sure you can understand, this has been a very trying time for her,” the new announcement read. “We have since received a call from Tony’s daughter-in-law saying that while Tony is not doing well, he has not yet passed. Tony’s son Christopher and his daughter-in-law Melissa have also been by his side comforting him, and we will keep you posted on any future updates.” The post was later deleted.
Dow's son Christopher told Fox News that his dad might be in his last hours. "This is a difficult time. Yes, he is still alive but in his last hours. Under hospice care," he said.
Apart from starring in 'Leave It to Beaver', Dow has directed episodes of popular series such as 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine', 'Coach', and 'Harry and the Hendersons'.
In 2021, many news outlets had mistakenly reported that former Bond girl Tanya Roberts had died at 65. This was after her manager Mike Pingel and domestic partner Lance O'Brien prematurely announced her demise. Roberts died due to a urinary tract infection that spread across her gallbladder, liver, kidney, and bloodstream at least 24 hours after the hushed-up announcement.