Iconic Child Star of the ’60s Dies at 73

If you grew up in the ’60s, chances are you knew Dennis the Menace. Striped shirt, overalls, slingshot in the back pocket and a whole lot of chaos. On Sunday, April 6, the face behind the troublemaker, Jay North, died — he was 73.

North passed away at home in Lake Butler, Florida, due to colorectal cancer. The actor’s close friend — producer and writer Laurie Jacobson — confirmed the news on Facebook, writing that he had been dealing with the illness “for a number of years.”

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“[North] had a heart as big as a mountain,” Jacobson shared. “He called us frequently and ended every conversation with ‘I love you with all my heart.’ And we loved him with all of ours… He is out of pain now. His suffering is over. At last he is at peace.”

Shortly after posting, it didn’t take long for the internet to react in the comments section.

“Oh no 😥 Just watched a Dennis the Menace marathon. Loved him. 😢 May he rest in peace 🙏,” one fan wrote.

“Jay’s passing leaves a huge void in the lives of those who loved him. May his memory be a blessing,” another said.

“I’m devastated. I watch his show every day. Sending condolences to his friends and loved ones,” a third chimed in.

“I loved Jay North. Another one of my TV brothers. I never missed a show. Genius,” someone else added.

After Dennis the Menace wrapped in 1963, North went on to work in film and voice acting, landing roles in Maya, Zebra in the Kitchen, and several animated shows. In 1977, he joined the Navy, later working as a corrections officer in Florida.

Little Jay North, who plays “Dennis the Menace,” and Jeannie Russell, cast as Dennis’ girl next door, are two of the reasons this new comedy series has hit high ratings in its first season. Here they illustrate how the newspaper cartoon, a regular feature in The Denver Post, is used as a reference work for the series. (Denver Post via Getty Images)

Despite leaving the spotlight behind, North stayed connected to fans.

At a fan convention in Los Angeles in 2017, the sitcom star was asked if it felt strange that people still wanted to talk about the show.

“I get a very warm feeling that I still have fans from all over the world,” North said at the time, according to The Washington Times. “Fans that remember and have warm memories of our show. It makes me feel good inside that people still love us and remember us.”

North is survived by his wife, Cindy Hackney, whom he married in 1993.

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