So old-time Hollywood producer Harry Akerman had a casting call that drew thousands of hopefuls. The Beaver pilot has another teenager in the role, but that actor was maturing too quickly for the TV show. Tony Dow and Firebird Tim Lawrence signing at Autobooks-Aerobooksīoomers, myself among them, flocked to Autobooks-Aerobooks in Burbank, California, for a book signing session featuring the Dow, still humble and with his shy smile.įans asked questions and Dow conversed naturally and happily.Īmong things we discovered was that Dow was an accomplished swimmer and, at age 14, held five national records and also was the top-rated junior diver on the West Coast.Īs the story goes, he landed the role of Wally pretty much by accident. The Tony Dow book, written by Tony and his wife Lauren and illustrated by Fireball Tim, covers everything from Leave It to Beaver to cars, sailing, and Dow’s work as a sculptor. One of Fireball’s current endeavors is publishing Kustom automotive (and sea life) coloring books and trading cards ( Subjects of the coloring books include the likes of Gene Winfield, Gary Wales, Syd Mead and - Tony Dow. He also has had a long friendship with Fireball Tim Lawrence, a Hollywood concept artist responsible for designing more than 400 Hollywood movie cars, including Batmobile 1989 (designed while Fireball was a student at The Art Center College of Design), as well as cars seen in The Avengers, The Dukes of Hazzard, Starsky and Hutch, The Green Hornet and the Fast and the Furious.

Fast forward several decades, and it turns out that while Tony Dow wasn’t the typical car guy, he was involved with cars throughout his acting career.

Leave it to beaver cast