As always, the further we go back in Hollywood history, the more that fact and legend become intertwined. It's hard to say where the truth really lies.
April 13, 1945
Tony Dow is born in Hollywood, California. He was born to John Stevens, a designer and general
contractor, and Muriel Virginia Dow (née Montrose) (May 27, 1906–April 30,
2001), a stunt woman in early Westerns and Clara Bow's movie double in Hollywood. In his youth, Dow was a Junior
Olympics diving champion. He won the
role of Wally Cleaver in a casting
call, with almost no previous acting
experience.
Dow remained on the series until it ended in 1963.
After the run of Leave It to Beaver, he appeared on My Three Sons, Dr. Kildare, Mr. Novak (five episodes in three different roles), The Greatest Show on Earth, and Never Too
Young. From 1965 to 1968, Dow
served in the National
Guard, interrupting his acting
career. On his return to acting, he guest-starred in Adam-12, Love
American Style, Square Pegs, The Mod Squad, The Hardy Boys and Emergency!
During the 1970s, Dow continued acting while working
in the construction business and studying journalism and filmmaking. In 1987, he was honored by the Young
Artist Foundation with its Former Child Star "Lifetime
Achievement" Award for his role
as Wally Cleaver.
In 1986, he wrote an episode of The
New Leave It to Beaver, and in
1989, he made his directorial debut with an episode of The New Lassie, followed by episodes of Get
a Life, Harry and the Hendersons,
Swamp Thing, Coach, Babylon 5, Crusade, and Star
Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Dow also served as the visual effects supervisor for Babylon 5. In 1996, he provided
visual effects for the Fox TVM Doctor Who.
Dow attended Van Nuys
High School and graduated in 1963,
the same year Beaver ended. On June 14, 1969, Dow married Carol M.
Marlow. In 1973, they had a son, Christopher T. Dow, before divorcing in 1978.
Dow is currently married to Lauren Shulkind, whom he
wed in 1980. They live in the Santa
Monica Mountains.
In the 1990s, Dow revealed that he has struggled and
was eventually diagnosed with clinical
depression. He has since starred in
self-help videos chronicling this battle, including "Beating the
Blues" (1998).
Dow has become a serious, and respected sculptor, creating abstract bronze sculptures. In his artist statement, he says
the following about his work: "The figures are abstract and not meant to
represent reality but rather the truth of the interactions as I see and feel
them. I find the wood in the hills of Topanga Canyon and each piece evolves from my subconscious. I
produce limited editions of nine bronzes using the lost wax process from molds
of the original burl sculpture." One of his bronze pieces was on display
in the backyard garden of Barbara
Billingsley, who played his mother on
Leave It to Beaver. Dow was chosen as one of three sculptors to show at
the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts exhibition, in the Carrousel
du Louvre, in Paris, France, in December 2008. He represented the United States
delegation, which was composed of artists from the Karen Lynne Gallery. His
abstract shown at the Louvre was titled, "Unarmed Warrior," a bronze
figure of a woman holding a shield.
April 19, 1995
The Oklahoma City bombing was a domestic terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City.
Carried out by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, the bombing killed 168 people and injured more than 680 others. The blast destroyed or damaged 324 buildings within a 16-block radius, destroyed or burned 86 cars, and shattered glass in 258 nearby buildings, causing at least an estimated $652 million worth of damage. Extensive rescue efforts were undertaken by local, state, federal, and worldwide agencies in the wake of the bombing, and substantial donations were received from across the country. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) activated eleven of its Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces, consisting of 665 rescue workers who assisted in rescue and recovery operations.
To quote the Bicentennial Minute, "And that's the way it was".
Stay Tuned
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