Jay North, Actor Who Played Dennis the Menace, Dies at 73
Jay North, the veteran actor who played the eponymous character in the 1960s sitcom "Dennis the Menace", has died at the age of 73. According to a report from TMZ, North passed away on Sunday at his home in Lake Butler, Florida, after a battle with colorectal cancer.
TMZ has confirmed that North’s health had been deteriorating over the past month, and he was surrounded by family, including his wife Cindy and her daughters from a previous marriage, when he passed away. Laurie Jacobson, a longtime friend of North and wife to "Lassie" actor Jon Provost, told TMZ that Cindy and her daughters "gave him a family he never had" since he was an only child who never knew his father.
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. He 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.
In an interview with TMZ, Jacobson revealed that North had a difficult time on set, claiming his aunt verbally and physically abused him when he messed up. He always made it clear that 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 and early 1970s on projects like "Arabian Knights", "Here Comes the Grump", and "The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show". 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. Jacobson tells TMZ that North also worked with inmates on death row who had troubled childhoods, and their conversations helped him find peace with the early years of his life.
Despite his distaste for Hollywood, Jacobson says North 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. North was 73 years old when he passed away.
