When you think of classic television, one of the first names that come to mind is American actor Tony Dow, who played Wally Cleaver in the hit series Leave It to Beaver. He was able to leverage his success on the show and has built a successful career as an artist, producer, sculptor, and businessman.
At the time of his death, Tony Dow net worth was estimated to be $4 million. Most of his income came from the film industry in directing movies and television shows.
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Early Life
Tony Lee Dow was born in 1945 to John Steven Dow Jr, a designer and general contractor, and Muriel Virginia Dow, a stunt woman in early Western films who also served as Clara Bow’s movie double.
Growing up, he was especially athletic; Dow trained as a swimmer and went on to become a Junior Olympics diving champion. He also played football and basketball, and often acted in school plays.
Career Beginning
In the late 1950s, at a very young age, Dow went to a casting call for the role of Wally Cleaver on the sitcom “Leave it to Beaver.” Despite his lack of experience, he landed the part and went on to play alongside Jerry Mathers as Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver. The show was a massive success, running for 234 episodes from 1957-1963. By the end, Beaver was preparing to graduate high school while Wally looked ahead to college.
After graduating from UCLA with a degree in fine arts, Dow returned to acting in various films and shows. He appeared on The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Love, American Style, Fantasy Island, Mork & Mindy, and Hollywood Squares, among others.
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After “Leave It To Beaver”
After “Leave it to Beaver,” Dow appeared in episodes of a number of shows. However they were not as popular, but he still was known as a former child star. Among them were “The Eleventh Hour,”, “The Mod Squad”, “The Hardy Boys”, “The Kentucky Fried Movie”, “Dr. Kildare”, “Knight Rider”, “Square Pegs”, “The Greatest Show on Earth,”, “Death Scream”, “Outer Space” and “My Three Sons.” He also appeared in three different roles in five episodes of “Mr. Novak.” In 1965, Dow had his next big role on ABC’s teen soap opera “Never Too Young,” the first television soap opera designed for a teen audience.
Dow found success as a producer in the late 1970s with a series of made-for-TV movies. He formed Dow Art Productions in the 1980s, producing shows like She’s the Sheriff and B.L. Stryker.
In 1992, he won an Emmy Award for his work on the World War II docudrama To Heal a Nation and has since produced several other award-winning projects. In addition to his production career, Dow has continued to act and sculpt.
In 2004, he began appearing in a recurring role on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless, playing David Sherman for more than 200 episodes.
His last acting credit was a cameo appearance in the 2016 TV anthology series “Suspense”.
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Directing And Producing Credits
Dow began his directing career with an episode of “The New Lassie” in 1989 and he subsequently directed episodes of the sitcoms “Get a Life,” “Harry and the Hendersons,” and “Coach.” In the mid-to-late 1990s, Dow also worked as a visual effects supervisor on several episodes of the space opera series “Babylon 5.” Lastly, he went on to direct the seventh season episode titled “Field of Fire” from the tv series “Star Trek: Deep Space 9.”
What Was Tony Dow Make Salary?
Although the show was a hit, Dow and his fellow cast members were paid just $500 per episode. By today’s standards, that would equate to about $4,000.
However, for his later roles, Dow made a substantially higher salary. He earned $15,000 per episode for his role on “Never Too Young” and $35,000 for each episode of “The Young and the Restless.”
Sculpting And Other Business Ventures
Over the years, Dow has maintained many professional interests outside of the television industry. In the 70s, he acted while also working in the construction industry and studying journalism. More recently, he took up sculpting and now creates abstract bronze sculptures.
By utilizing the lost-wax casting process, Dow limited his editions of bronze sculptures to nine different pieces. In 2008, he was one of three sculptors selected to showcase their work in the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts exhibition at Paris’s Carrousel du Louvre–an impressive distinction for any artist. One of his most famous admirers is Barbara Billingsley, who displayed one of his bronzes prominently in her backyard garden.
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Personal Life
Dow married Carol Marie Theresa Marlow in June 1969, and the couple welcomed one child in 1973 before their marriage ended in 1980. The same year, he married Lauren Shulkind and they remained together until his death
In the 1990s, Dow revealed his struggles with clinical depression and appeared in self-help videos, including 1998 Beating the Blues.
After retiring from his acting career he lived in Topanga Canyon with his wife and puppy.
Outside of his professional pursuits, Dow enjoyed traveling and exploring over 60 countries in his lifetime. He also attended movie memorabilia conventions and meet-and-greets with fans.
Death
Tony’s son Christopher Dow informed FOX News that his father was still alive after Tony was announced as dead by his Facebook fan page. However days later on July 27, 2022, at the age of 77, it was confirmed that Tony Dow had passed away son Christopher, and daughter-in-law, Lindsay.
Tony Dow will be remembered for his iconic role as Wally Cleaver in “Leave It to Beaver” and all of his other acting, directing, and producing roles throughout the years. At the time of his death, Tony Dow’s net worth of $5 million. He will be greatly missed by fans around the world.
May his legacy live on and inspire generations to come!
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