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Express Tribune
07-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Jay North, 'Dennis the Menace' star, dies at 73
Jay North, the child actor best known for portraying Dennis Mitchell in the classic 1960s sitcom Dennis the Menace, has died at age 73. The actor passed away peacefully at home on April 6 after a prolonged battle with cancer, according to a statement by producer Laurie Jacobson. Jacobson announced North's passing in a heartfelt Facebook post, reflecting on his enduring kindness and struggles in Hollywood. 'Jay passed peacefully at home,' she wrote. 'He had a heart as big as a mountain.' North's representative later confirmed the news. Rising to fame between 1959 and 1963 as Dennis the Menace, North became an American household name. He went on to star in films such as Zebra in the Kitchen and Maya, and voiced characters in numerous animated series including The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show and The Flintstones Comedy Hour. North's career, however, came with personal pain. In a 1991 interview, he spoke openly about abuse suffered as a child actor. 'I would go in and do a scene... and then I would get a slap across the face,' he recalled of his guardian's treatment. Though typecast and eventually sidelined by the industry, North found purpose elsewhere. He served in the military, worked in the health food sector, and later as a correctional officer in Florida. He also mentored young performers through the advocacy group A Minor Consideration. Fellow advocate Paul Petersen paid tribute, saying, 'Dennis the Menace has shed his mortal coil... you left a mark as our first formal rescue.' North is survived by his wife, Cindy Hackney, and three stepdaughters.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jay North, 'Dennis the Menace 'and 'Maya' Child Actor, Dies at 73: ‘Shed His Mortal Coil'
Jay North, the actor who starred as the titular character in the Dennis the Menace television series, has died, PEOPLE confirmed. He was 73. North's friend — producer and writer Laurie Jacobson — announced his death via a Facebook post on April 6. She wrote that North had died at home after 'fighting cancer' for several years. Soon after, North's representative confirmed his death to PEOPLE. "[North's Dennis the Menace costar] Jeanne Russell just called us with terribly sad, but not unexpected news," Jacobson wrote. "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." "As many of his fans know, he had a difficult journey in Hollywood and he did not let it define his life," she continued. "He had a heart as big as a mountain, loved his friends deeply." Jacobson added of North, "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." North rose to fame as a child, playing Dennis Mitchell in the Dennis the Menace sitcom that ran from 1959 to 1963. The actor went on to star in the movies Zebra in the Kitchen and Maya. He reprised his role in a television series based on the latter. North also took an interest in voice acting, nabbing roles in the animated shows Arabian Knights, Here Comes the Grump, The Pebbles and Bam-Bam Show and The Flintstones Comedy Hour. His final on-screen role was in 2003's Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star. During a 1991 talk show appearance, North detailed the abuse he suffered as a child actor, claiming that his aunt, who was his studio guardian, "would hit me, physically abuse me." "I used to wake up every single morning thinking, 'My God, do I have to spend another day with this woman?' Because I would go in and do a scene, I would come off the set and everybody said, 'Hey, you did a great job.' And then I would get a slap across the face, or taken into the dressing room and get a spanking or verbal tongue lashing or whatever," he said. At a fan convention in Los Angeles in 2017, North expressed his appreciation for fans of Dennis the Menace. 'I get a very warm feeling that I still have fans from all over the world. Fans that remember and have warm memories of our show. It makes me feel good inside that people still love us and remember us,' he said, per the Washington Times. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The actor said he felt shut out of Hollywood in his 20s due to being "typecast as Dennis the Menace." After his exit from entertainment, North worked an array of other jobs. "I was in the military. I worked in the health food industry for a number of years. For the past 20 years I've worked as a correctional officer for the Florida department of corrections," he told the outlet. North also helped mentor child actors through the advocacy group A Minor Consideration, founded by former child actor Paul Petersen. Petersen and his wife Rana penned a tribute to North on April 6, writing, "A flickering light has gone out. Dennis the Menace has shed his mortal coil. Goodbye, my friend. You left a mark as our first formal rescue." North is survived by his wife Cindy Hackney and three stepdaughters. Read the original article on People
