Jay North, star of beloved TV show Dennis the Menace, dies at 73 after cancer battle

Jay North, the child star whose on-screen work captured hearts of the audience in the late 1950s playing mischief-maker Dennis Mitchell on Dennis the Menace passed away at 73. He passed away quietly at home after a several-year fight against cancer. The news was initially reported by his close friend, producer and writer Laurie Jacobson, through an emotional Facebook announcement on April 6, 2025.
"[Dennis the Menace co-star] Jeanne Russell just called us with horribly sad, but not surprising news," Jacobson wrote. "Our beloved friend JAY NORTH has been battling cancer for several years and this morning at noon EST, Jay passed away peacefully at home."
Jacobson looked back at North's hard but inspiring life, observing, "As many of his friends and fans are aware, he had a rough road in Hollywood and afterwards…he did not allow it to shape his life. He had a heart the size of a mountain, cared deeply for his friends."
She continued, "He called us all the time and signed every phone call off with, 'I love you with all my heart.' And we loved him with all of ours… A friend of Jon's since forever, a brother to Jeanne and a close friend to me. We will miss him so much. He is no longer in pain. His pain is gone. Finally, he is at peace."
Jay North became a star as a child, playing the title role in Dennis the Menace, with his comic strip. On the air from 1959 to 1963, the show made North a household name as the towheaded little troublemaker who always meant well but was always trying the patience of his next-door neighbor, Mr. Wilson.
After his first major role, North was in a number of films, including Zebra in the Kitchen and Maya. He played his role in Maya so well that there was a television adaptation where he reprised the character, making him a regular in 1960s TV history.

As he moved on from acting on screen, North succeeded behind the microphone. He provided the voices of characters in several long-running cartoon shows, among them Arabian Knights, Here Comes the Grump, The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show, and The Flintstones Comedy Hour. His unique voice and innate talent brought to life animated classics beloved by generations.