Tony Dow, the director, producer, and actor best known for his role as eldest son Wally Cleaver on the 1957 sitcom Leave It to Beaver, has not in fact died but is in hospice care, his family now says.

Reports of Dow's death initially surfaced Tuesday, after an erroneous statement attributed to his management team was posted on the actor's official Facebook page saying he died that morning. Dow's family later clarified that he was still alive and breathing, though in "his last hours" in hospice care.