Jay North Dies: ‘Dennis the Menace' Child Actor Was 73
Jay North, the former child actor who starred as the titular troublemaker on Dennis the Menace, has died. He was 73.
Following a years-long battle with cancer, the actor died peacefully at his home on Sunday morning, according to an announcement shared by his friend and Dennis the Menace co-star Jeannie Russell.
More from Deadline
NBC Announces Star-Studded Joan Rivers Tribute With Aubrey Plaza, Nikki Glaser, Tiffany Haddish & More
Richard Chamberlain Dies: 'Dr. Kildare' & 'Shōgun' Star Was 90
Atlanta Rapper Young Scooter Dies At 39 In Accident While Fleeing Police
'Jeanne Russell just called us with terribly sad, but not unexpected news,' wrote Laurie Jacobson in a Facebook post. 'Our dear friend JAY NORTH has been fighting cancer for a number of years and this morning at noon EST, Jay passed peacefully at home.'
She added, 'As many of his fans know, he had a difficult journey in Hollywood and after…but he did not let it define his life. He had a heart as big as a mountain, loved his friends deeply. He called us frequently and ended every conversation with 'I love you with all my heart.' And we loved him with all of ours. A life-long friend of Jon's, a brother to Jeanne and a dear friend to me, we will miss him terribly. He is out of pain now. His suffering is over. At last he is at peace.'
Born Aug. 3, 1951 in Hollywood, North was discovered after appearing on the Los Angeles children's show Cartoon Express, which led to appearances on several NBC variety shows, as well as episodes of Wanted: Dead or Alive, 77 Sunset Strip and Colt .45.
At 6, North won a nationwide casting search for his breakout role in the CBS sitcom adaptation of Hank Ketcham's comic strip. During his time on Dennis the Menace, the child actor was abused by his aunt and uncle, which revealed during a 1993 feature adaptation of the series.
Best of Deadline
'1923' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out?
2025 Deaths Photo Gallery: Hollywood & Media Obituaries
Everything We Know About 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 So Far
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Tom's Guide
an hour ago
- Tom's Guide
Netflix just added every season of this super-bingeable mystery thriller show — and you've got 100 episodes to watch now
If there's one thing that always goes down a treat on Netflix, it's a show with a lot of seasons. The streaming service's subscribers love a good binge-watch. So, when I saw that Netflix U.S. recently added 'Blindspot' (on June 7), I was confident it would be a near instant success. And my hunch was correct. Not even 48 hours after 'Blindspot' was added to the platform's library and it's already found its way into the Netflix top 10 most-watched list, currently ranked at No. 9. If 'Blindspot' falls within your own television blindspot, it's an NBC series that debuted in 2015 and ran for five seasons, and a total of 100 episodes. It's also a great binge-watch as each case-of-the-week installment feels satisfying on its own, but all the while, in the background, a larger web of mystery and conspiracy is being spun. It's not exactly reinventing the TV crime drama mold, but it's a show you can consume in great quantities and still crave more. Let's dive into everything you need to know about 'Blindspot' now that it's found its new home on Netflix. 'Blindspot' opens with a beat cop noticing an unattended duffle bag in New York City's iconic Times Square. Calling in the FBI, they are shocked to discover that the luggage contains a naked women with no memories and covered in freshly-inked tattoos. Dubbed Jane Doe (Jaimie Alexander), one of the tattoos points towards FBI agent Kurt Weller (Sullivan Stapleton), who is quickly called in to investigate the situation in the hopes of learning Jane's identity and unraveling the mysteries buried deep within her marked skin. The pair team up and begin hunting for answers, with each tattoo offering up its own set of clues. But as Weller and Jane get closer to uncovering buried secrets, they find themselves in the middle of a sprawling conspiracy, and must face the fact that some truths are hidden further than skin deep. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. As noted, 'Blindspot' debuted in 2015 and didn't conclude until 2020, but even then, it felt like a throwback to highly bingeable 2000s television like 'Lost,' 'Fringe' and 'Bones.' It's one of those crime thriller shows that constantly offers up two types of mysteries: Those that are solved within each 45-minute episode, and those that take an entire season, or even multiple seasons, to unfold. It's a pretty compelling formula that many great television shows have successfully mined, and it will keep you hooked from the first episode until the last. Of course, the biggest unanswered question at first is Jane Doe's identity, and while the show does eventually move beyond this mystery — fortunately, the big reveal of Jane's backstory isn't stretched out across the show's entire run — this central hook is more than enough to get you invested in the first season. The shifting relationship between Jane and Weller is another core pillar of 'Blindspot,' with the pair striking up an uneasy alliance before signs of a will-they-won't-they romance start to blossom. Again, it's pretty textbook stuff, but sometimes you don't need a show to subvert expectations. 'Blindspot' is probably best described as TV junk food. It's simple and predictable but comforting. Unfortunately, like a lot of shows of its ilk, 'Blindspot' does become increasingly outlandish in its latter seasons. The show writers were forced to spin up new mysteries to keep the show going beyond its initial core premise. Its attempts to redefine itself aren't always successful, and things become more than a little bit silly by the end. It gives big "Prison Break" vibes. Nevertheless, 'Blindspot' is a great pick if you want a Netflix show that will keep you occupied for more than a single weekend. It has plenty of throwback charms, even if you'll have to leave some logic at the door. If you're able to suspend your disbelief, it's a worthwhile binge. If you're looking to sink your teeth into a show this week on Netflix, 'Blindspot' is a great pick. It certainly doesn't fall into the prestige TV category, with some ropey production and far from award-worthy performances, but it's got enough satisfying ingredients to keep you engaged. If you're looking to sink your teeth into a show this week on Netflix, "Blindspot' is a great pick. It's a show that belongs to a different era of television in many ways. We're now in an era of sub-10 episode seasons released several years apart, but 'Blindspot' debuted during a time when viewers were served up 20+ episode seasons on a dependable yearly basis. Anybody with a fondness for that period of television will get a real kick out of 'Blindspot's' predictability. And viewers just looking for a show that'll take a while to finish, and one that offers up enough unanswered questions to keep the investment level high, will also find plenty to enjoy. It's certainly not a ground-breaking series, or one concerned with going beyond its familiar genre conventions, but it plays to its intended audience pretty darn well, and that's all it needs to be a success. I have a feeling that 'Blindspot' might stick around among the most-watched series on Netflix for a while, as similar bingeable 2010s shows have found great success in the TV streaming era. And I wouldn't be surprised if over the next few days, it climbs even higher in Netflix's top 10 chart. However, if you consumed 'Blindspot' as it aired on NBC in the 2010s, and are looking for something completely new instead, check out our rundown of everything new added to Netflix this month, including equally binge-worthy original series like 'Sirens' and lots more. Stream "Blindspot" seasons 1-5 on Netflix now
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Jonathan Groff and Keanu Reeves at Tony Awards 2025
Jonathan Groff gets up close and personal with Keanu Reeves at the 2025 Tony Awards on CBS. Clip courtesy of Tony Award Productions©2025.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tonys broadcast hit with sound complaints as viewers beg CBS to ‘turn on the mics'
Viewers tuning into the 78th annual Tony Awards have complained about sound issues affecting the broadcast. Live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City, the awards ceremony is being shown on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. While fans were impressed with the performances, they were disappointed by the sound while presenters, winners, and performers — like Sarah Snook and Jonathan Groff — were at the mic. 'Who's on the sound at the tonys right now TURN ON THE DAMN MICS,' one frustrated fan wrote on X. 'They need to fix these sound issues while it's still early,' someone else said, while another agreed: 'Terrible sound.' 'The sound problems are really putting a hamper on the show performances. I could barely hear what Jonathan Groff was singing sometimes,' another shared. 'Why cant the #Tonys ever get the sound mix right on the Broadcast? The shows on Broadway do this 8 shows a week, its insane that @CBS can't ever get this right for one night a year,' someone else said. 'The sound mixing on the Tonys is horrendous,' another complained. The sound problems are really putting a hamper on the show performances. I could barely hear what Jonathan Groff was singing sometimes.#TonyAwards #tonys — Kristin (@itskristind) June 9, 2025 Other fans begged for a fix before the highly anticipated Hamilton reunion performance. 'The sound issues are crazy to me. Really messing up Nicole's big moment and everyone's big moment. Get it together before Hamilton,' one viewer wrote. The original cast is reuniting to celebrate the hit musical's tenth anniversary on Broadway. Hamilton received a record-breaking 16 Tony nominations in 2016 and ultimately won 11 awards, including Best Musical. Also performing during the main broadcast were the companies of nominated musicals Death Becomes Her, Maybe Happy Ending, Buena Vista Social Club, Floyd Collins, Gypsy, Maybe Happy Ending, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical, Pirates! The Penzance Musical, Sunset Blvd., Just In Time, and Real Women Have Curves. The first part of this year's ceremony, The Tony Awards: Act One, began streaming promptly at 6:40 p.m. ET on Pluto TV. The national broadcast, hosted by Cynthia Erivo live from Radio City Music Hall, began at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. Succession star Snook took home the evening's first acting award for her expansive, one-woman take on The Picture of Dorian Gray. Paul Tazewell won for Death Becomes Her, marking the first time in 73 years that a costume designer has won an Oscar and a Tony in the same year. He won an Oscar earlier this year for Wicked: Part I. Kara Young also made history later in the evening when she became the second person to win back-to-back Tonys in the featured actress in a play category. She's already made history this year by earning her fourth consecutive acting nomination.
