Jay North, best known as the bad-boy Dennis Mitchell on the popular, long-running television series “Dennis the Menace,” passed away Wednesday at age 73. North passed away at his residence in Lake Butler, Florida, following a four-year battle with colon cancer.
North was born Aug. 3, 1951, in Hollywood, Calif. His career as an actor appeared to be almost destined from the start. His mother, Dorothy North, worked for the West Coast director of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), and little Jay was therefore familiarized with acting early on.
His first major break was at the ripe old age of six when he acted as the title character of the TV show “Dennis the Menace,” adapted from the then-popular comic strip by Hank Ketcham. “Dennis the Menace” first aired in 1959 and became a staple of American television all at once, lasting four seasons until its cancellation in 1963.
North’s characterization of Dennis, the mischievous but lovable boy, won over viewers across the country. His on-camera shenanigans, usually at the expense of Mr. Wilson, his next-door neighbor, became the stuff of childhood lore. The rapport among North and co-stars Herbert Anderson and Gloria Henry, Dennis’s long-suffering parents, helped immensely in the series’ long-lasting popularity.
Though the show was successful, North endured severely behind the scenes. Speaking of the abuse and pressures of being a child actor, especially at the hands of his guardians, in Interviews years later revealed these left long-lasting scars, which made it increasingly difficult to adjust to roles for adults.
When “Dennis the Menace” went off the air, North wanted to expand his acting career. He appeared in movies like “Zebra in the Kitchen” and “Maya,” the latter of which had a TV series with North as the star of the show. Additionally, he dabbled in voice acting, providing the voice of animated series including “Arabian Knights” and “The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show.”
But the specter of Dennis Mitchell followed him, and North struggled to outgrow the stereotyping that so often attaches to such a defining role. This caused him to retire from the stage and pursue other avenues of career development. He served in the armed services, was in the health foods industry, and spent two decades as a correctional officer with the Florida Department of Corrections.
Later in life, North became an advocate for child performers, utilizing his own experiences to counsel and guide young professionals struggling with Hollywood’s ins and outs. He worked with agencies like A Minor Consideration, a group formed by another former child performer, Paul Petersen, in an effort to counsel and provide entry to the new generation.
