Jay North, TV’s mischievous ‘Dennis the Menace,’ dies at 73

LAKE BUTLER, Fla. — Jay North, who starred as the towheaded mischief maker on TV’s Dennis the Menace for four seasons starting in 1959, has died. He was 73.

North died Sunday at his home in Lake Butler, Florida, after battling colon cancer, said Laurie Jacobson, a longtime friend, and Bonnie Vent, who was his booking agent.

“He had a heart as big as a mountain, loved his friends deeply. He called us frequently and ended every conversation with ‘I love you with all my heart,'” Jacobson wrote in a tribute on Facebook.

North was 6 when he was cast as the smiling troublemaker in the CBS sitcom adaptation of Hank Ketcham’s popular comic strip that took place in an idyllic American suburb.

Often wearing a striped shirt and overalls, Dennis’ mischievous antics frequently frustrated his retired next-door neighbor George Wilson, played by Joseph Kearns. Dennis’ patient parents were played by Herbert Anderson and Gloria Henry.

The show ran on Sunday nights until it was canceled in 1963. After that it was a fixture for decades in syndication.

Later, North appeared on TV in shows including The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Lucy Show, My Three Sons, Lassie and The Simpsons, and in movies like Maya (1966), The Teacher (1974) and Dickie Robert: Former Child Star (2003).

North is survived by his third wife, Cindy, and three stepdaughters.

 

Mark Zuckerberg defends Meta in court against monopoly claims

In Zuckerberg's second day of testifying in the federal antitrust trial, he defended Meta's acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. The U.S. government wants Meta to bust up the two companies.

Three wildly different artists crack the top 10 for the first time

Surprises nevertheless abound in the top 10, as a vinyl reissue lands cult singer-songwriter Ethel Cain on the Billboard 200 for the first time ever and two artists — Alex Warren and BigXthaPlug — experience their first-ever top 10 singles.

Trump moves to speed up asylum cases without court hearings

The memo could result in immigration judges deciding someone is not eligible for asylum without a hearing, and based solely on a lengthy and complex asylum request form.

Photos: Two years of war in Sudan

Images of Sudan, after two years of civil war have led to the world biggest humanitarian crisis.

Melinda French Gates on what billionaires with ‘absurd’ wealth owe back to society

In a new memoir, French Gates writes about the end of her marriage to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and her ongoing philanthropic work, directing funds and attention to women's health initiatives.

Trump plans order to cut funding for NPR and PBS

President Trump and GOP members of Congress have accused the public broadcasters of biased and "woke" programming. The president plans a rescission, which would give Congress 45 days to approve the directive or allow funding to be restored.

More Front Page Coverage