Jay North RIP

takeahike

Dennis the Menace actor Jay North has died at 73

Actor Jay North, who was known for playing the title character Dennis Mitchell in the 1960s sitcom “Dennis the Menace,” has died, according to reports.

Forbes reported North has died at the age of 73, and that his passing was announced by his friend and former co-star Jeannie Russell.

Laurie Jacobson, who TMZ reports is a longtime friend of North and wife to “Lassie” actor Jon Provost, shared on Facebook that she’d heard the news from Russell as well.

She added that North had been fighting cancer for a number of years and that he died earlier on Sunday.

What they’re saying

“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,” Jacobson wrote.

Guy54435

Rest In Peace Jay

px_eliezer_

RIP.

It’s well-documented that he was abused by his Aunt, who would beat him for mistakes.

His father was an alcoholic who abandoned the family when Jay was 4 years old.

He did serve in the US Navy, entering at age 25 so was older than most recruits but served honorably.

Hard life in many ways, hope he is at peace now.

2062565160

R.I.P.

Stembolt

Yeah, his childhood off screen was horrible. His Aunt was very abusive.

My mother and I use to watch all the reruns of his show together. We got many hours of enjoyment out of watching.

RIP

timcuth

That show was a favorite of my childhood.

Guy54435

timcuth As well as mine, I still have it in my bedtime TV time rotation.

takeahike

Somewhat-Reticent

takeahike Sadly Joseph Kearns (Mr. Wilson) only made it to 1962.

sempergoofy

May he RIP.
In my childhood in the early 1960s, I recall I owned a 78-speed, yellow (not black), record that was him in character. How do I remember this? Because one side was a song where he sang the lyric “Kapow, kapow, kapow” over and over again to the tune that is better known as “Three blind mice.” No other lyrics that I can recall, but I reckon there likely were some as with Three Blind Mice. But I can still recall “Kapow, kapow, kapow”.

Guy54435

sempergoofy This ? https://www.discogs.com/release/3488767-The-Sandpiper-Singers-Jimmy-Carroll-Orchestra-Dennis-The-Menace-Songs

Dennis The Menace Songs - Side 1 (Golden Records LP)

@1cultural
7 days ago
When the album was reissued, on CD in the 1990s, the “ Ka-Pow Ka-Pow Ka- Pow” song, set to Three Blind Mice, was omitted, due to complaints by parents,cteachers and therapists about the use of shotguns heard in the recirding,chiving kids a bad influence pertaining to violence. They were glad that it was omitted from the recording.

Dennis The Menace Songs - Side 2 (Golden Records LP)

px_eliezer_

Somewhat-Reticent Sadly Joseph Kearns (Mr. Wilson) only made it to 1962.

There has been speculation (but not confirmed info) that he was on an early liquid nutrition product (Metrecal) and had reportedly lost 40 pounds in six weeks just prior to his stroke….

The FDA put out warnings in 1977 about Metrecal and similar products.
https://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/10/archives/fda-warns-dieters-about-liquid-protein-commissioner-citing-16.html

Ironically the FDA Commissioner in 1977 was David Kennedy.

sempergoofy

Guy54435 Very cool that you were able to dig that out of the Internet. Your search skills exceed mine because I tried. The image you posted is, indeed, the sleeve for the 78 rpm record, and also indicates my memory was correct that the vinyl was yellow (golden as the sleeve says). Further, given the further descriptions, it would seem the singer was not Jay North the actor, but some professional. Of course, how would a 4 year old know that it wasn’t him what with that colorful drawing artwork on the sleeve and the bright yellow disk? 😕 I am surprised at the level of trivia I recalled about this. Link says it was released in 1960 (year I was born). I recall it from around 1964 as I also have memory images of where we were living at the time.

Guy54435

sempergoofy Glad to be of help, now go find some young ones and play outside. “Kapow, kapow, kapow”.

sempergoofy

I finally had the patience to listen a bit. The “Kapow” song starts at 6:10 on Side 1.