UPDATE, with statements from son and Dow management tony dowThe son and the management team have confirmed that the actor is still alive, and his representatives attribute the above misinformation to the state of distress of the actor. leave it on beaver actor’s wife
“This is a difficult time,” Dow’s son, Christopher Dow, said in a statement posted on the actor’s Facebook page. “Dad is at home, under hospice care and in his last hours. My wife and I are by his side along with many friends who have visited him. He has a fighting heart.”
Earlier, in a note marked “URGENT UPDATE” on the Facebook page, representatives Frank Bilotta and Renee James wrote: “This morning, Tony’s wife, Lauren, who was very distraught, notified us that Tony had passed away and asked to notify all of her fans. As we’re sure you can understand, this has been a very difficult time for her. Since then, we’ve gotten a call from Tony’s daughter-in-law saying that while Tony isn’t doing well, he hasn’t Tony’s son Christopher and daughter-in-law Melissa have also been by his side to comfort him, and we’ll keep you posted on any future updates.”
Deadline has reached out to Dow’s management team for further comment and has removed the previously posted obituary from the site.
Earlier today, Bilotta and James announced on social media that Dow had died. News about the beloved actor from the iconic sitcom made global headlines and prompted an emotional message from Dow’s. leave it on beaver co-star and longtime friend Jerry Mathers. “He was not only my brother on TV, but in many ways in life as well,” Mathers wrote on Facebook today. “Tony leaves an empty place in my heart that will not be filled.”
The New York Times, The Washington PostCNN and news organizations around the world reported on the death. The times, among others, it has published an editor’s note correcting the previous report, and now notes that “it is still alive”.
Los Angeles ABC reporter George Pennacchio later published in Facebook that Dow’s wife, Lauren, mistakenly thought her husband had died overnight at their home and wrongly informed Dow management that he had died.
“Tony Dow is still alive,” reports Pennacchio. “I had a conversation with his wife, Lauren. She is understandably distraught and distraught over what she has been going through with the battle over Tony’s health over the past few months. She has been in hospice care at her home and based on some health issues overnight, Lauren inferred that Tony had passed away to some people close to her and word spread quickly. Lauren admits that she has been “a little confused” these days, understandably. She told me that she now feels ‘foolish’ about what has happened since his death was reported around the world. She also told me, through her pain, ‘it’s my fault’. I told him that we know this has been a very stressful time and that people understand the overwhelming pain. Lauren says she ‘loves and adores’ her husband of 42 years with all her heart. While she said that she passed away, she now understands the miscommunication and she is sorry for causing such a commotion at this difficult time.”
Dow representatives mistakenly announced his death with the following statement: “It is with a heavy heart that we share with you the passing of our beloved Tony this morning. Tony was a beautiful soul: kind, compassionate, funny, and humble. It was really a pleasure to be around him. His soft voice and his unassuming manner were immediately comforting and you couldn’t help but love him. The world has lost an incredible human being, but we are all richer for the memories he has left us. From warm reminiscences of Wally Cleaver to those of us lucky enough to know him personally, thank you Tony. And thank you for the reflections of a simpler time, the laughter, the friendship and for feeling that you were a big brother to all of us.
Bilotta owns the Florida-based Bilotta Gallery, which has exhibited art by famous artists such as Dow, Billy Dee Williams, Billy Bob Thornton, and many others.
Last week, Dow representatives reported on the actor’s Facebook page that he had suffered setbacks in his battle with cancer.