Muriel Montrose, Tony Dow’s mother was a stunt woman in many Western films in the 1920s. She appeared in movies like Heart Trouble and The Jolly Jilter after she was discovered at the age of 17 by producer, Mack Sennett. Most of her roles were as stunt double for actress Clara Bow.
Tony Dow’s mother was first married to Ray Lloyd Ramsey then later to John Stephen Dow, a designer and general contractor. She served as her son’s manager for several years before she resorted to gardening and baking cookies.
Who is Muriel Montrose?
Muriel Virginia Montrose was born on May 27, 1996, in Denver, Colorado to her parents, Alice Lee and James Fay Montrose. At the time she was born, her father, James Fay was 27 while her mother, Alice was 21.
Upon becoming a teenager, Montrose’s family moved to California where she began to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
She Became a Hollywood Stuntwoman at the Age of 17
At the age of 17, Muriel Montrose was discovered by producer Mack Sennett. She was later dubbed as one of his bathing beauties.
She soon became actress Clara Bow’s body double. She also worked as a stunt woman in several Western films as well. Besides that, she appeared in a handful of movies like Heart Trouble and The Jolly Jilter.
Montrose’s son once revealed via social media that his mother appeared in many films as Clara Bow’s stunt double but never received credit because, in those days, only the main stars were acknowledged for the roles.
Muriel was not only a stunt performer but also a coordinator.
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Muriel Montrose was Married Twice
Tony Dow’s mother married her first husband, Ray Lloyd Ramsey in 1927. However, the marriage ended in no time. She went ahead and married her second husband, Stephen Dow, a designer and general contractor on February 11, 1929.
The couple then moved to San Fernando Valley where they had their two sons. Tony, the youngest, was an actor and she was his manager.
Muriel Montrose Had Two Children
The stuntwoman’s second marriage produced two children Dion and Tony. While it is widely known that Dion is older, nothing more is known about him. However, Tony grew up to become the famous one.
Born and raised in the neighborhood of Los Angeles, Tony was first a trained swimmer and later a junior Olympics diving champion. Tony started his acting career on stage and later on television.
Muriel Montrose’s son Tony landed the role of Wally Cleaver in Leave It to Beaver from 1957 to 1963. Besides that, he appeared on other television shows like My Three Sons, Dr. Kildare, and The Greatest Show on Earth.
In addition to acting, Tony was a director, producer, and writer. He was also a sculptor as well. He was chosen in 2008 as one of three sculptors to show a the Societe Nationale des Beaux-Arts exhibition in Paris France. His sculpture was shown at the Parisian shopping mall.
Tony Dow’s Mother Died in 2001
Following the death of her husband in 1987, Muriel Montrose decided to spend more time in the garden and kitchen. She soon became known for baking cookies for the children in her neighborhood.
Having lived a fulfilling life, the mother of two died on April 30, 2001, at the age of ninety-four in California. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered at sea.
Her son, Tony preceded her in death in July 2022 a couple of months after he was diagnosed with liver cancer. He was previously hospitalized with pneumonia in 2021 and before that, he revealed he suffered clinical depression.
Before the news of Tony’s death broke, his wife allegedly gave false information to his management team prematurely. The social media post was subsequently taken down. Tony’s son, Christopher revealed his father was still in his last hours and under hospice care.
