Actor Jay North Dead 73… Starring as “Dennis the Menis” in a sitcom in the 60s
Published on April 6, 2025 at 1:12 PM PDT
Jay North – a veteran actor who played the eponymous character in the 1960s sitcom Dennis the Menace – has passed away… TMZ confirmed.
Laurie Jacobson, a longtime friend of “Lassie” actor John Provost, North and his wife’s longtime friend, tells TMZ… Jay passed away Sunday at his home in Butler Lake, Florida, after his battle with colorectal cancer.
His health is said to have begun to deteriorate over the past month, and he was surrounded by his family – his wife Cindy and her daughter are said to be “worshiping” as he passes by.
Laurie says Cindy and her daughters “give him a family he didn’t have” because he was the only child he didn’t know his father.
Jay is said to have not seen his friend after a while because he needs to be isolated to stay healthy due to his cancer…but Laurie has collected hundreds of letters from fans and given him for Christmas – she says he was excited.
North became prominent in the late 1950s… Appearing in programs under 10, including programs such as “77 Sunset Strip”, “Rescue 8”, and “Sugarfoot”.
Jay was recognized nationally in 1959 when he began playing Dennis Mitchell in “Dennis Themenas,” which starred in all 146 episodes from 1959 to 1963.
North revealed about his struggle on set a few years after the show ended… claiming that his aunt had verbally physically abused him when he got fucked up – even taking him out of the eyes that beat him when he hit the line. He always made it clear that his mother and others on Set were not aware of the abuse of the time.
Jacobson added, “He had a rough ride in Hollywood – he didn’t enjoy the experience – he was doing something very angry and bitter that the adults around him either did nothing to help him or did nothing to ease his time.”
“Dennis the Menace” was cancelled after four seasons…and the North moved to voice acting works in the early ’70s in the late 1960s with projects such as “The Knights of Arabia”, “The Gramps Here” and “Pebble and Bum Bam Show.”
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By the late 1980s, the North Left had limited cameos for years with episodes of “The Simpsons” and the David Spade film Dickey Roberts: The Former Child Star.
Recently, North worked as a corrections officer in Florida…and reportedly helping young people with juvenile system problems. He also helped advise former child stars through minor considerations through groups throughout the 1990s.
Despite her dislike for Hollywood, Jacobson says she appreciated Jay’s one perk from the industry — also a child star of the same period, including Angela Cartwright, Jerry Mothers, Stan Livingston, Paul Petersen and Brandon Cruise.
Jay was 73 years old.
RIP
