Jay North will forever be remembered for giving life to the comic strip hellion _"Dennis the Menace" before his recovery. Reportedly abused and mishandled during his peak years by on-set relatives/caretakers, Jay has since been instrumental in providing advice and counseling to other professional child/teen stars in the same boat. From time to time these days, Jay has been glimpsed at nostalgia conventions.
Active in the child-actor advocacy group, "A Minor Consideration", founded by Paul Petersen.
Is still friends with his "Dennis the Menace" co-star Jeannie Russell , who played Margaret on the show. In May 2008, she was a chiropractor in North Hollywood, California, and he is one of her clients.
Served in the U.S. Navy (1/16/1977-8/10/1979). He was a seaman stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. He did a lot of manual labor and left with an honorable discharge.
In 1988, a newspaper article came out saying that Jay had died at age 37 in a doctors office. The article turned out to be a hoax. The newspaper writer that did this must have been a fan of his show, 26 to 29 years earlier, and wanted to create publicity.
(April 2002) Working as a prison guard in Florida.
(May 2009) Working as a Correctional Officer at Reception and Medical Center in Lake Butler, Florida.
(April 2006) Currently residing in Lake Butler, a small town in North Central Florida, located 45 minutes Southwest of Jacksonville, Florida.
His acting mentor was: Gloria Henry.
Credits Gloria Henry as his favorite acting mentor/best friend.
In 1988, North visited convicted murderer, Earl Clanton Jr, who was on death row at the time in Richmond Virginia. Clanton had been convicted for the 1980 strangulation death of a women residing in his apartment building. North was working on a movie project about a 1984 prison escape Clanton had participated in, along with five other Virginia death row inmates. Clanton was recaptured a day later. Norths visit was reported in a 04/15/1988, Page 17 article in the New York Times following Clantons execution.
Jay Waverly North was born on 3 Aug 1951 at the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Just 26 days later, Anjelica Huston was born at the same hospital, and her father John got word of her birth while he was in Africa filming The African Queen.
In 1977, when enlisting in the Navy, a photograph was taken of him being given the oath of enlistment by fellow former child star Jackie Cooper. Jay North served honorably and was discharged in 1979. Jackie Cooper later retired from the Navy Reserve.
Jay Waverly North is descended from at least two veterans of the United States Civil War. Great Great Grandfather Judson North, 1819 - 10 Jul 1894, served in "A" Company of the 22nd Michigan Voluntary Infantry Regiment, United States (Union) Army. Another Great Grandfather, John W. Cotton, 1842 - 24 Dec 1911, enlisted at Huntsville, Texas on 9 April 1862 in Company D of the 5th Texas Regiment, Hoods Brigade, Army of the Confederacy. John Cotton was an ancestor of Jays mother.
"Goodbye, Hollywood. Thanks for nothing. " Interview, 1999. .
