Former child star Jay North, who starred as the titular character in the 1959 series Dennis the Menace, died Sunday after a long battle with cancer, according to a longtime friend of the actor. He was 73. Hollywood producer and writer Laurie Jacobson made the announcement Sunday on Facebook, writing: “Our dear friend JAY NORTH has been fighting cancer for a number of years and this morning at noon EST, Jay passed peacefully at home ... He is out of pain now. His suffering is over. At last he is at peace.” She added: “As many of his fans know, he had a difficult journey in Hollywood and after...but he did not let it define his life.” He was open about the abuse he suffered during his acting career—which he walked away from later in life. North claimed his aunt, who was his “studio guardian” hit and verbally abused him. He later mentored other child stars through an advocacy group called A Minor Consideration.
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