‘Leave It to Beaver’ star Tony Dow, who played Wally Cleaver, dead at 77

The actor who played big brother to Cleaver on the sitcom died Tuesday at the age of 77.

In an update last week, the actor's management team said he was having problems with the disease.

Tony was a kind, compassionate, funny and humble person. His managers said it was a pleasure to be around him.

He was comforting and you could not help but love him.

The Los Angeles-born actor was best known for his portrayal of the popular and athletic older brother of the title character on the show.

The show centered on a suburban American family and the adventures of the youngest son, Theodore Cleaver.

One of the most influential shows of its era was the series, which ran for more than 200 episodes from 1957 to 1963.

Tony, thank you from the warm recollections of Wally Cleaver to those of us fortunate enough to know him.

Thanks for the reflections of a simpler time, the laughter, the friendship and the feeling that you were a big brother to us all You will be missed.

He won the job in a casting call and acted in the movie "Leave It to Beaver". The series "Never Too Young" was a soap opera that was designed for teenage audiences.

During the 1960's and 70's, he appeared on episodes of "Lassie", "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries" and "Mr. Novak".

Barbara Billingsley reprised her role as June Cleaver.

He and his wife, Lauren Shulkind, regularly chronicled his fight with cancer through social media, beginning with a May 5 Facebook post saying the disease had returned from a previous battle.

The actor's managers said last week that he was on a roller coaster.

Tony has been in and out of the hospital with a variety of health issues. The two of them have been trying to maintain a positive spirit.

He was open about his battle with depression when he was young.

There's a perceived irony about this. I was in a TV show that epitomized the ideal world of the '50s and now I'm suffering from depression. In 1993 he told the Baltimore Sun that he was just one of millions.

The world is richer for the memories that he has left.

That's right, that's right.