‘Dennis the Menace’ actor Jay North is dead

Jay North, the veteran actor best known for his role as the mischievous young boy in the 1960s sitcom Dennis the Menace, has died at the age of 73.

 TMZ confirmed his passing through Laurie Jacobson, a longtime friend of North and the wife of Lassie actor Jon Provost.

North died on Sunday, April 7, at his home in Lake Butler, Florida, following a battle with colorectal cancer. According to Jacobson, his health had begun to decline over the past month. He was surrounded by family at the time of his death, including his wife Cindy and her daughters from a previous marriage, whom Jacobson said he “adored.”

“Cindy and her daughters gave him a family he never had,” Jacobson said, noting that North was an only child who never knew his father.

North had been keeping a low profile in recent times due to his health, and had not seen many of his friends. However, Jacobson gathered hundreds of letters from fans and gave them to him at Christmas. “He was thrilled,” she said.

North’s acting career began in the late 1950s with bit parts in television series such as 77 Sunset Strip, Rescue 8, and Sugarfoot before he shot to fame in 1959 with the role of Dennis Mitchell on Dennis the Menace. He starred in all 146 episodes until the show ended in 1963. For the role, his hair was bleached platinum blonde and he was told to claim he was a year younger in interviews.

Years later, North revealed the darker side of his childhood stardom. He alleged that he was verbally and physically abused by his aunt, who was also his guardian on set. “She would take him away from prying eyes to beat him when he flubbed a line,” Jacobson said. North was clear that his mother and others on set were unaware of the abuse at the time. “He had a rough ride in Hollywood—he did not enjoy the experience,” said Jacobson. “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.”

Following Dennis the Menace, North transitioned into voice acting in the late 1960s and early 1970s, lending his voice to projects like Arabian Knights, Here Comes the Grump, and The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show. He gradually left acting by the late 1980s, though he made occasional cameos as himself, including on The Simpsons and in the David Spade comedy Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star.

In later years, North worked as a correctional officer in Florida, where he helped guide troubled youth in the juvenile system. He also provided support for former child stars through the advocacy group A Minor Consideration. Jacobson shared that he even worked with inmates on death row who had experienced traumatic childhoods. “Their conversations helped him find peace with the early years of his life,” she said.

Despite his disillusionment with Hollywood, Jacobson said North appreciated the enduring friendships he formed with fellow child actors, including Angela Cartwright, Jerry Mathers, Stan Livingston, Paul Petersen, and Brandon Cruz.

Jay North was 73.