Jay North, star of 'Dennis the Menace' sitcom, dies at 73

Actor and former child star Jay North, best known for his starring role in the family sitcom Dennis the Menace from 1959 to 1963, died Sunday at his home in Lake Butler, Florida. He was 73.

His death was confirmed by Laurie Jacobson, a longtime friend of North's for 30 years, who stated that the cause was colorectal cancer. 

The screenwriter and producer revealed in a Facebook post that the CBS actor died "peacefully at home" on the afternoon of April 6.

"As many of his fans know, he had a difficult journey in Hollywood and after... but he didn't let it define his life," Jacobson posted on social media. "He had a heart as big as a mountain," she added.

He was best known for playing the mischievous blond boy, Dennis Mitchell, but also had notable roles on television during the 1950s and '60s. North appeared in shows such as Wagon Train, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Lucy Show, My Three Sons, and Jericho.

He played a leading role in the 1966 feature film Maya, which followed the story of two teenagers who embark on an adventure through India on an elephant. He later starred in the short-lived television series based on the film, also titled Maya.

Jay North also did voice acting, lending his voice to Prince Turhan in The Banana Splits Adventure Hour and the teenage Rubble Bamm-Bamm in The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show. However, his big-screen career didn’t achieve the success he had hoped for.

He said that he was often typecast and struggled to find his footing after Dennis the Menace.

He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1977 and was honorably discharged in 1979.