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Tony Dow ‘Still Alive’ Despite Wife Announcing He Was Dead

Tony Dow
Credit: Alamy

Actor Tony Dow is ‘still alive and breathing’ despite his wife announcing his death.

Dow’s representatives confirmed to TMZ that his mosaic artist spouse, Lauren Shulkind, ‘believed her husband was dead – and told his management’.

Addressing the confusion to Fox, the actor’s son, Christopher, said: “Yes, he is still alive but in his last hours. Under hospice care. My wife and I are by his side along with many friends that have visited. He has a fighting heart.”

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Dow, 77, who shot to fame as Wally Cleaver on Leave It To Beaver from 1957 to 1963, has been living under hospice care at his home since announcing his cancer diagnosis in May.

Shulkind is said to have thought – due to complications with Dow’s health overnight – that her husband had passed and then disclosed this to those closest to her.

Shulkind told George Pennacchio of ABC News that she feels ‘a little fuzzy’ at the moment and feels ‘foolish’ after her husband’s death was reported all over the world.

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, Dow’s management released a now-deleted post on Facebook announcing Dow’s death.

According to TMZ, it read: “Tony was a beautiful soul – kind, compassionate, funny and humble. It was truly a joy to just be around him. 

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“His gentle voice and unpretentious manner was immediately comforting and you could not help but love him. 

“The world has lost an amazing human being, but we are all richer for the memories that he has left us.

“From the warm reminiscences of Wally Cleaver to those of us fortunate enough to know him personally – thank you Tony. 

“And thank you for the reflections of a simpler time, the laughter, the friendship and for the feeling that you were a big brother to us all. We will miss you.”

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Written by Cal Gaunt

Cal is a former content editor at IGV who specialised in writing trending and entertainment news. He previously worked as a news reporter at the Lancashire Telegraph and earned an NCTJ in Sports Journalism.